Killavullen
RAILWAY BRIDGE GETS A FACE LIFT
The Railway Bridge at The New Line has been given an amazing facelift thanks to some great volunteers over the last few days.
A group of locals took it upon themselves to clear away the excess growth around it and on it. Then they cleaned the stonework. The railway bridge looks amazing now on the approach road to and from Killavullen. Thank you to the community spirited people who set about this task. It was a big undertaking but the end result is definitely worth it, and rumour has it the refreshments made it all the more worthwhile. If any other group of people are undertaking community tasks such as this please let us know and we will share photos on our social media for all to see. Ni Neart Go Cur Le Cheile!
MEALS ON WHEELS
Mallow Meals on Wheels can provide a hot meal with either soup or a dessert Monday to Saturday for €5 per day to anybody in our Parish who may wish to continue to avail of this service or for new people who may wish to get a hot meal delivered daily. A cooled meal can also be delivered on Saturday which can be put straight into the fridge to be heated up on Sunday. During this pandemic the meals will be delivered to Killavullen and our Willing Hands Group are only too happy to help deliver them to those who have signed up. All our volunteers are discreet and do not want people to let pride get in the way of this amazing service. Please pass this information onto those you have contact with who may benefit from it. If you would like more information please contact Sheila at 085 2414879 for details.
IF YOU FEEL UNWELL
What to Do If You Are Feeling Unwell during Covid-19: if you are having symptoms of illness or health concerns it is as important as ever to make sure you look after your health. Please ring your GP surgery and you will be advised on what to do. There is a concern that people are not attending GP’s as they are worried about contracting Covid 19. The best thing to do is ring your surgery and you will be looked after in the safest way.
FIRST COMMUNION
2nd Class in Ballygown NS and Killavullen NS were to be celebrating Communion for the First Time around now. It is a day that children look forward to so much and they, with their teachers and families, put a lot of time into preparing for it. We hope that despite the postponement of your special day that you still have some special moments with your families at this time. We as a Parish look forward to the day you can celebrate it in the future.
FUNDRAISER BY LOCAL MAN JOHN MORRISSEY:
The people of Ireland are currently going to great lengths to protect each other, so we are running the length of Ireland in aid of those on the frontline.
We will run the relay continuously day and night for 50-55hrs to complete the 486km run which is the length of Ireland. We are looking for volunteers to join us. Each person who signs up gets a 30min slot to complete as many kms as possible. You can do as many 30 min slots as you want. Please specify a day or night as a preference and tell us what time slot would suit you best. Relay starts Friday 15th May, 8am and finishes Sunday 17th May at 8pm. This is a continuous relay so we will be running day and night within the 2km radius as per covid-19 guidelines. You need to post your map and distance to the event page as you go so we can tally the km’s at the end. All funds raised will go directly to the frontline, local distributor will be announced shortly. Please PM myself www.facebook. or www.facebook.com/roobieshead or text 083 1053 666 if you would like to take part. If you would like to support us please feel free to sponsor us below. https://www.gofundme.com/relay
HISTORY OF MONANIMY
A history of Monanimy by Fiachra Ó Súilleabháin can now be downloaded. It is an interesting document telling the history and stories of The Loop Walk. There is a link to it on the Killavullen Facebook page and is worth reading. This would also be a lovely piece of reading to print off and give to those in the Community who may not have access to online reading. If you would like a copy of it please ask those who are checking in on you, or ask the helping hands group.
COVID-19 VOLUNTEER GROUPS:
In Killavullen 2 groups have been set up in response to cocooning and self-isolation requests by the government. One group is a telephone group. A group of willing volunteers have offered to ring locals as they isolate and cocoon. They will be a friendly voice in the day to break up the monotony and the loneliness than can sometimes occur. This group will also ask if anything is needed or required, shopping, prescriptions, milk, newspapers, stamps etc. They will then pass this information onto the second group.
The second group is a WILLING HANDS GROUP. This group is one which is made up of people will get what is needed and are willing to deliver the items to those cocooning or isolating.
If you are cocooning or isolating and this service would be of benefit to you please contact Gillian Forde at 086/3845655 to be included and tell your friends. If you have a relative or neighbour who you think would benefit please let them know. To make this service work we need to have contact numbers from those cocooning or isolating.
An Garda Siochana in our districts of Fermoy and Mallow have dedicated Gardai whose priority will be looking after the needs of those who are most vulnerable. If you or someone you know is vulnerable due to their age, health or ability please contact the Gardai and they will assist in any way they can. It may be to deliver a prescription or something requiring attention in your home, they will not be able to assist with giving drives to people.
Fermoy Garda Station 025/82100 Mitchelstown 025/84833 Mallow 022/31450
Cork County Council is working with a range of statutory and voluntary organisations including An Garda Síochána, the HSE, the IFA and An Post to ensure that the needs of older and vulnerable people are met across the towns, villages and communities of County Cork during this COVID-19 crisis. The Council’s Community Support Programme is available and ready to help you or someone you know - whether that is by collecting medication, collecting groceries, providing social support or advice, or simply by making a friendly phone call. To access this support, Cork County Council has established a dedicated FREE contact number 1800 805 819 with lines open from 8.00am to 8.00PM seven days a week. You can also email covidsupport@corkcoco.ie or text (085) 8709010.
COVID-19 Support Line for Older People: ALONE has launched a national support line and additional supports for older people who have concerns or are facing difficulties relating to the outbreak of COVID-19 Professional staff are available to answer queries and give advice and where necessary. The support line is open Monday to Friday, 8am-8pm, by calling 0818 222 024. Hours may be extended to meet the demand.
MASS DURING COVID-19:
At this time of the Covid-19 pandemic Catholics are dispensed from the obligation to physically attend Sunday Mass. One of the ways to remain connected to our Catholic faith community is through livestreaming. The website www.churchservices. is the go-to place for many of the larger churches and cathedrals around the country, including St. Mary’s Church, Mallow https://www.churchservices. Masses are Livestreamed from larger churches around the country, especially at, www.churchservices.tv St. Mary’s Church, Mallow: https:// www.churchservices.tv/mallow livestreams weekday Masses at 10.00am. There is a Saturday Vigil Mass at 6.30pm. Sunday Masses are broadcast from St. Mary’s at 8.30am and 11.30am. Mass and other programs are also broadcast through Radio Maria which is available on Saorview Channel 210. This station is led Fr. Eamonn McCarthy, a priest of Cloyne.
The parish office at Ballygriffin is open. The weekly newsletter, together with other ideas for prayer and spirituality are emailed to parishioners each week. If you know of someone who would like to be added to the email database please contact: parishofkillavullen@gmail.com it may also be an act of kindness to a neighbour or family member who isn’t online to print this off weekly and deliver it safely to those cocooning or isolating.
LOCAL WEBSITES
There are 2 very informative websites now active in our Parish and worth checking out on a regular basis: https://www.killavullenparish. http://www. killavullengaa.com/
It is also worth keeping an eye on the Parish Facebook page, the newly formed group Look after the Elderly in Killavullen and the
Killavullen GAA Facebook.
GO RAIBH MAITH AGAIBH GO LEIR:
Every day we are proud of all those in our families and neighbourhoods who go to work to work in frontline and essential services. A sincere thank you to all doing their best each day to ensure we all get through this crisis safely. We are grateful for what you do, inspired by your bravery and courage as well as being very proud of you all. Those of us who are asked to stay at home within our 2km range should just do that to ensure you all return to a more regular and less stressful way of living, sooner rather than later. We may not be there yet, but we’re one day closer to the end of isolation and cocooning than we were yesterday. When this is all over and life resumes consider supporting all the various businesses and trades that you have asked for support over the years for fundraisers and events. It would be a great way to support them as they restart and rebuild.
Everybody is applauding everybody except for our children! These Little Heroes have stayed indoors and inside their own gates more than they ever have in their lives. Their whole world has been turned upside down. All these rules they have never known. A life they could not have imagined. The fear and worry that they might make the adults in their lives sick. Adults talking about others becoming unwell. News and Media reporting death after death. Our poor children’s minds must be racing. Yet every day they get up and carry on despite all that is going on in the world and all they have done is schoolwork at the kitchen table, paint pictures and put stuff on their windows for the Frontline Heroes out in the world. So this is a little salute to our children. Our Little Heroes during Covid-19.
UPDATE FROM DANIEL LUDDY- FROM MONTEVIDEO
Former Killavullen player Daniel Luddy gave us an update on his whereabouts now, and what he doing at the moment.
This was received in advance of any Covid 19 discussions, so makes a refreshing break from the dreaded Pandemic: Hola, from Montevideo,
It’s been so enjoyable watching the growth of our club and community from afar both off and on the pitch. Websites, events, social media, newsletters and of course seeing the underage teams doing so well - especially in hurling as we were better at football back when I was playing. I know very well the time and dedication that goes into it all, so well done to everyone involved! :)
We didn’t win too many underage titles in my day, during the 90s, we won just one under-14 B or C football championship. I do have some great memories of playing for Killavullen though, the old classics - Matty Dorgan driving around the whole of North Cork, hunting people down to play with the team that was playing on that day. Or how four to five of us would squeeze into the back of Tim Nagle’s corolla, Mícheál always got the front seat, well it was their car.
It’s funny how the cycles in teams from small communities like ours go. That generation of the Dorgans, Hartnetts, O’Driscolls et al had some very successful teams growing up. I was lucky enough to be one of the younger lads coming into that intermediate football team after they won the junior county.
Even though we didn’t win as much as we possibly should have had, with numerous quarter and semi-final losses - those days, in particular, are some of my best sporting memories! The craic, camaraderie and dedication, the drive to one goal while playing a sport you enjoy; the numerous, crappy midweek nights, in the muck and rain, up on the hills and down on the sandbank… all worth it to be going out every week representing our village around the county.
So, like most people ask me here, why are you in Montevideo? I, like many others, was looking to go travelling when I finished college. After working for a year driving a taxi (of course, what else) to save a few bob, I took off to Southeast Asia for three months with my brother, Brendan and three other friends from Mallow.
After that we lived in Australia, me for a year and Brendan for ten, he’s still there ;)
Another year of saving and driving taxis later in 2010, Brazil was to be my next destination. I started with Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro in 2011 and then spent a few months backpacking most of the Brazilian coast.
While living and working in a hostel in the Northeast, a small town called Praia de Pipa, I met a girl from Uruguay, Eleonora. One thing led to another as they do and two months later, after some more travelling, I came to Montevideo to ‘see what happens’. Many thought I was mad but I’m a big believer in Carpe Diem. It didn’t turn out too bad as eight years later, I’m still here, married for four and have two mini Uruguayirish, Tommy (3) and Leah (2).
Life is great here, it must be said. When you love soccer, lots of barbequed meat, plenty of sun, living by the beach and a laid back lifestyle, it’s impossible not to enjoy life in Uruguay. Having a job you love helps too, of course. For the past three years, I’ve been employed by a US/UY owned software development agency, Rootstrap, working in sales and marketing doing my bit to continue our hyper-growth.
However, something I did struggle with at the start was being part of a small community, a team, a family. It took some time to gain that small group of friends, where you can share common interests and have a moan with, ha!
After improving my Spanish to a fluent level and finding some other expats, things changed very quickly. Like lots of Irish emigrants, it was the love of sport (playing 5-a-side fútbol), that helped me build a new community, a new family.
As a result, for the last few years, fifteen of us, made up of 50/50 Uruguayans/foreigners from all over, have been playing in an 8-a-side soccer league once a week. It’s nice to have that family, people to share the ups and downs with, and the social side that sport brings no matter where you are. With lots of the players at the same stage in life - living in a foreign country with a young family etc. it’s nice to be able to share those experiences.
Anyway, that’s enough of my shpeel, I certainly haven’t lost any of the “Luddyness,” telling long-winded stories - am I hands #3, fingers, or thumbs? I’m not sure :)
Looking forward to getting down to the pitch next time we’re home, re-live some of the memories and fool myself into thinking “I’ve still got it.” Keep up all the incredible work everyone, absolutely loving watching on as the club goes from strength to strength.
Forever a blue,
Daniel