BALLYLONGFORD
CHURCHNOTICES
St Michael the Archangel Church in Ballylongford is open again and can be visited for personal prayer. The Opening of the church means the implementation of health and safety measures, in keeping with all guidelines from the Public Health Authorities. Hand Sanitizer is provided at the entrance to the Church and people are advised to use same. The lighters for the lighting of candles at the candle-shrines had to be removed as part of the restrictions. People may light the candles themselves if they wish or you can place the candles on the shrine stand and they will be lit for you. We are all advised that the safest way to visit a church during this present time is to either walk around, stand and pray, but don’t sit down and don’t touch anything in the church, everybody is asked to practice and observe the social distancing guidelines. Please continue to observe 100% all Public Health restrictions and guidance. The continuation of the decision of the Diocese is that no public Masses will be celebrated until further notice. However Private masses will continue to be celebrated daily by Rev. Fr Michael Hussey P.P. with the situation being reviewed continuously. The Church will close at 6pm each evening.
WATCH MASS ON T.V. Parishioners are reminded that if they wish they can watch Mass daily on television, it is on the R.T.E. NEWS channel beginning at 10.30am each morning. You can also stream Mass live on the internet from the various Churches in the Diocese of Kerry such as Killarney, Tralee, Causeway, Ballyduff, Listowel, Moyvane and Dingle. Just log onto www.dioceseofkerry.ie and you will find a full list of churches in the County streamlining mass.
GAAPITCHCLOSED
Please Note that following a directive from Croke Park, the O’Rahilly G.A.A. pitch/walkpath is presently Closed to the public. Please adhere to the guidelines. There is no known date for re-opening but hopefully it will be in the very near future.
BEREAVEMENT
The past week has indeed been a sad one for everybody in the community and beyond as Bally has unfortunately lost one of its most amazing roughish but most loveable characters namely Noel (“Crusher”) Boyle R.I.P. Like so many others having grown up in his midst over the years, I too have many wonderful stories of this great man, a legend whom has sadly departed from us sooner than anybody expected. He was a friend to everybody both young and old not alone in Bally but indeed throughout many parts of Ireland and beyond. His years working at Kennelly’s Garage saw him touch the lives of so many people from all different parts of the world. His premium seat on the Garage widow did not have the same comfort as Croker or other stadiums he visited, but by God we will all remember him forever as he graced this his pedestal, for so many year as he watched, enjoyed and talked to everybody as the world went by. The huge array of different stories that was told and the recorded messages left on the condolence page of his death notice on deaths RIP from friends, neighbours from as far away as Australia each giving their lovely account of their memories of him speaks greatly of the esteem that he was held in. His funeral cortege being led by two lovely horses draped in the Bally and the Kerry colours led by James Collins, Mike Brosnan and Paul O’ Brien the huge attendance that could not attend his funeral mass or interment but lined the streets and clapped and applauded as his remains passed also bears huge testament to the popularity of the gentleman, a character who was a small man in stature but had a huge heart that we will all forever miss.
To his brother Seamus, sister Maureen Geraldine, nieces Ursula, Susan, Beau, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, family relatives, wonderful neighbours and huge circle of friends we extend our deepest sympathies at this sad time. While all of us have wonderful memories I think the greatest tribute paid was on behalf of the family whom his niece Susan gave the following eulogy at his funeral mass. “Noel Crusher Boyle was born fighting on the 21st of November 1952. He faced many challenges from the off but met them all head on. Such resilience, courage and determination have sustained him throughout his life. Noel was very much his own man. He was smart and quick witted and did everything in his own time. He could care less what people thought of him (we learned from a young age to grow a thick skin). Though stubborn and frustrating at times (like when we’d be trying to pull the bottle of coke off him or wanting him to eat better) he was fiercely loyal and very much appreciated the simple things in life (good food, family and the craic) and in that order. Noel was a big part of every occasion in our lives. He came everywhere with us and always encouraged us in everything we did.
He was a softie and a big kid at heart. He loved the uncomplicated, no judgment approach that children have to life and loved spending time with grand nephews and nieces. He was so excited to welcome Beau into our family at Christmas time. He came into the hospital with Mom, Dad and Urs on Christmas Day (once he’d had the dinner of course). I’ll never forget the pure look of adoration on his face when he saw Beau. The best part came on Stephens Day when Noel was admitted to hospital himself with a chest infection. Dad went to find him and the nurse said he must have gone to the toilet as he wasn’t in his bed. The next thing all I could hear was the sound of trudging footsteps and a nurse saying ‘Sorry Sir, Sorry Sir’. My curtain opened and there was the Crusher standing with a big grin on his face wearing a tea stained t-shirt having made his way from his ward to mine.
The nurses soon learned that resistance was futile. Noel’s best mate Barry often told him that for a low sized man he always packed a big punch. He was a larger than life character, a proud Kerry man but a Bally man first and foremost. He was known all over by young and old. The past few days we have really enjoyed hearing so many funny stories about Noel to add to our collection. From his encounters during his many years working in Kennelly’s garage where he never missed a day, to helping Liam Purtill sell his crown toppers, to travelling the length and breadth of the county and country with the Bally and Kerry teams, to going to The Ploughing Championships with Finbarr and John to being a permanent fixture at the gate during The Bally Races. We as a family feel Noels loss deeply and we know that it is not only us. He had the most wonderful friends and neighbours. He spoke of achievements and what went on in their lives as if he was part of the family because he was treated as one of the family. They really looked out for him and checked in on him every day. Unsurprisingly he broke out two weeks into the lockdown and was spotted off out on his beloved scooter surveying Carrig, Saleen and beyond.
The messages of support we have received in the short space of time since Crushers passing have been a real comfort to us. You would all be so proud of the battle he put up in ICU, refusing to go until he was good and ready. Seeing so many of Noels friends and neighbours line the street when we brought him home on Wednesday evening was a sight to behold and one we will never forget. We know he was watching it all with that roguish look on his face and with that unique laugh ‘eh, eh, eh eh’. To quote Barry ‘A mighty oak has fallen in our personal forest’. The likes of Noel Crusher Boyle will never be seen again.
This village has lost a legend and we have lost our greatest supporter. Rest in Peace Crush. We all love you very much and we miss you desperately. We know you are sitting down to a big feed and a session with family in heaven. We have a mighty team of angels rooting for us now. Perhaps one is a little more mischievous than the rest. We are truly blessed to have had you in our lives. Until we meet again
Noel’s Funeral Mass & Interment took place on Friday May 22nd after 12noon Mass at St Michael’s Church Ballylongford with Funeral immediately afterwards at Lislaughtin Abbey. Slan Abhaile a Chara.
Sympathy is also extended to Thomas and Rose Dee and family of Well Street on the sad passing of Thomas brother John who died in England recently. Sadness has also touched our own family over the past week with the sad passing of Patrick (Pat) Enright of Ashgrove Meadows, Ballina, Co. Tipperary and formerly of Tubbertureen, Moyvane.
Patrick passed, peacefully, on Thursday, May 21st, last. He had strong links with Bally as he worked here at Michael McEllistrim’s during the early 50’s. He played football with the club at Senior and Junior level from 1953 to 1956 and always related that while they had a good team they failed to win any major honours, all his life he asked as to the welfare of those players he soldered with on every occasion we spoke. Amazingly he returned to his native Moyvane in 1957 and won a Senior North Kerry Championship medal with them before emigrating to England in 1958. He was a music fanatic all his life and during those years here he played saxaphone in a band with the late Roger Mulvihill, Bobby McGibbon and Thomas Moynihan, and always spoke proudly of the fact. He is survived by his wife Anne, daughter Cora, son Kieran, daughter-inlaw, grandchildren, brothers Denis (Kilcummin) Joe (Lyrecrompane) sisters Margaret Mason (Kilgarvin Ballylongford) Mary Kelliher Listowel, nieces nephews, family relatives and friends. Funeral took place in Ballina, Co. Tipperary last weekend. May they Rest in Peace.
MEMORYLANE
Continuing with our look back in time, with our trip down memory’s lane for everybody that can remember the various Businesses that operated in Bally during the 60’s and 70’s. and compare them with present day operations, this week we visit or re visit another one of the four streets and mention the names of the shops and other places of interest etc that were part of everyday life in Bally in those years of nearly half a century ago. This week we visit Quay Street, again a most busy and vibrant area of our village in those years starting with the Corner House the three storey high house (O’Rahilly’s birthplace) was an office for Ranks Mills in Limerick and also a Sub office for Bank of Ireland. Finucane’s Bar & Grocery, Michael & Josephine Collins’ Bar, O’Sullivan’s Mill, Rank’s Stores, The Creamery, Ned Walsh’s (Who had one of the finest gardens ever seen, and sold many a head of cabbage) Bambury’s Farm Guest House, The National School, The
Grotto, Kennelly’s Creamery Bar & Grocery, Margaret, Johnny & Kitty Barret’s Sweet Shop, Mickey & Jose Bambury Drapery & Grocery Shop, Hannie Longs which later became Ted & Eileen Kennelly’s Grocery Shop, Tom & Mary O’Hanlon’s which was originally a hardware shop in the 40’s but in later times Tom had a successful business with his lorry which was driven by Jerry McMahon assisted by Pattie Callaghan in which they delivered sand, gravel, brought home turf etc for numerous people in the Parish and beyond, Mikey, Ned & Noreen Fitzmaurice Butcher’s, Teddy, Eugene O’ Sullivan Drapery Shop, Annie Collins’ Guest House and Tea Room, Jimeen O’Connor Butcher Shop. Other features along this street were a public fountain beyond the Grotto at school side, the Bally Races taking place in Mikey Heaphy’s Field on the bend the second Friday in October, and of course Saleen Pier where O’Sullivans would import slag and manures by Boat which again would create local employment. The wonderful feature of this particular street was the lines of Horse & Cars and Donkey & Cars lining the streets with people carrying Milk to the Creamery, another feature was the selling of fish on the side of the street on Fridays particularly during lent. Another feature was cattle Inspections that would also take place along Quay Street as the cattle would be weighed either at O’Sullivan’s Mill or Martin Collin’s in Well Street. That amounted to 17 business people operating in just one of the four streets of the village at that time. What a change from then to the present day where we have only 3 business people operating on that street: Michael Finucane’s Bar, Frank O’ Connor Denby Steel and Mary Fitzell’s Hair Dressing Salon. If you think of more please text or email (Contact Numbers at end of these Notes). Happy reminiscing hope you enjoy this little light hearted memory especially in these strange times that we now find ourselves in. Another Street next Week, Thanks also for the large amount of messages of response and support for the article last week glad that people enjoyed the going back in time.