Church News, Hamper Win and Rounders Club.

April 29, 2022 Christine Tubbritt

CHURCH NEWS

A big thank you to all who helped in any way during Holy Week and the Easter ceremonies. It is a very busy week in the Church’s calendar and so it was wonderful to see people offer their time and talents to help. A big thank you to all the readers, Eucharistic ministers and all who helped with the ceremonies. Our church looked beautiful as always. Beautiful flower arrangements adorned the church porch, windows and altar. These were lovingly arranged by Joan Cheasty and what a gift she has. The bright display of colour reminded us of the joy and light of the Easter season. A big thank you must go to our fantastic sacristan Ann Nolan who works tirelessly in our church every day of the year. She takes care of the church like her own home, and it gleams from top to bottom. We thank her for taking such pride in her work and we ask the Lord to reward her dedication with good health and happiness.

The Easter collection for the support of the priests of the parish is continuing and you can still drop your envelope into the weekly collection basket.

If you would like to book a weekend anniversary mass for a loved one during the months of May and June, there are still some dates available. To book a mass please contact Linda Spillane on 087 9838392.

FAITH CONVERSATIONS

Pope Francis has called the whole church to focus attention on what the Holy Spirit is saying to the church around the world. Inter parish meetings called “Faith Conversations” will take place at different locations around the Diocese. All ages are welcome to attend. You can be a regular mass goer or someone who goes occasionally, all are welcome to attend and speak and listen. The venue for Ballyduff and Portlaw is the Glor na Mara school, Tramore at 7.30pm on Wednesday May 4th. The other parishes attending this venue are Tramore, Dunhill, Killea, Newtown and Kilmacthomas.
Easter Sunday.

Although the weather was horrible on Easter Sunday morning, people still gathered after the morning mass to remember our history and those gone before us at our lovely 1916 Commemoration plaque. As the Proclamation was read by Dermot Dooley, the tricolour was raised and then everyone joined together to sing our National Anthem. This was played beautifully on the pipes by the very talented piper Tommy Kiely who stood proudly in his piper attire. It was a fantastic proud moment as we all left with great pride in our hearts and headed off to what we now know was a great Deise win

HAMPER WIN

The Ballyduff Community Hall Redevelopment Committee would like to thank everyone who supported their recent Easter hamper raffle. They had a fantastic hamper up for grabs full of lots of Easter treats to eat and drink. Congratulations to local young man Finn Doyle who was the lucky winner and I’m sure he shared his treats with his parents and his sister Hannah.

ROUNDERS CLUB

The Ballyduff Lower GAA pitch will be the venue for an introductory training session and a reminder of the rules for Ballyduff’s new rounders team. This is open to all adults of all fitness levels and abilities. This will be the only mixed adult team in Waterford which will automatically make them County Champions!! Come along and join in the fun on Sunday May 1st from 12pm to 2pm. Rounders has been part of all our lives growing up, it has been played at many a family gathering, school playground etc so why not go along and join the fun.

GALA RENOVATIONS

Congratulations and good luck to Damien and Majella Hennessy at Gala Kilmeaden who have been making some fantastic changes to their store. With just another few small bits to go it is already looking very impressive. We wish them every success and look forward to checking out their new facilities.

Lady on the Run, Men on the Move and Wedding Bells

April 22, 2022 Christine Tubbritt

Lady on the Run

Don’t worry I am not going to expose anyone on the run from the law. Local lady Sharon Flynn from Ardeenlone as many of you will know is no stranger to a running challenge. Sharon is a lady of great strength and ability, she has taken on many marathons and charity runs. She has now joined with 16 other runners to take on a challenge in aid of the Waterford/Kilkenny branch of Down Syndrome Ireland.
The challenge will be to run 5km in each of the 32 counties within 72 hours. This will take place over the Bank Holiday weekend and all donations will be greatly appreciated. Donations may be made through Revolut. Sharon’s number is 086-0837776. You can also donate by following this link https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/11423028_patsycarney-s-page.html

Men on the Move

Ballyduff GAA Club will play hosts to a six-week physical activity programme for men. Beginning on April 26th Waterford Sports Partnership will bring a six-week programme to the club grounds for non-playing members of the club. Local people who are not members of the club are welcome to join also. Fitness tutors will deliver a variety of different sessions outdoors and will include both cardiovascular and resistance exercises. This programme will begin on April 26th from 7.30pm to 8.30pm in Ballyduff’s club grounds. The cost will be €10 for club members and €20 for non-members which can be paid on the night. This is a great way to get some exercise and feel better while having fun and getting to know people. For more information you can contact Sinead Brannigan on 087 4596179 or email sbrannigan@waterfordsportspartnership.ie. Check out Ballyduff GAA’s Facebook page to see how to reserve your place.

GAA Lotto

The next lotto draw will take place on April 24th and will have a jackpot of €5,750 up for grabs. Tickets are €2 each or three tickets for €5. They are available from all committee members and will be on sale outside Centra Kilmeaden on Saturday 23rd. Choose those four lucky numbers carefully and you could be the lucky winner.

Wedding Bells

Warm congratulations and best wishes to local man Kenneth O Leary who married his Kilkenny sweetheart Geraldine Carroll last weekend. This happy couple said their vows in front of family and friends in Mullinavat Church. Fr. Liam Barron officiated and made sure everything went to plan. Helping Kenneth out on the day were his brother Stephen and lifetime friend Dermot (Dod) Whelan and the groom’s nephew Daniel Murphy took the role of pageboy and kept them all in tow. The beautiful bride was just stunning and was assisted by her sister Olivia Carroll and her now sister-in-law Olivia Murphy as bridesmaids. The singing in the church was by the groom’s uncle Eamonn O Leary who treated the congregation to some beautiful hymns. The reception was held in The Tower Hotel where everyone enjoyed a fantastic meal and then danced the night away. Speaking to many people who attended this wedding they were all in agreement that it was a brilliant day/weekend. We wish Kenneth and Geraldine a lifetime of happiness as they begin their married life together and we hope there will be no division when a Waterford/ Kilkenny match takes place.

Ballyduff GAA

The U13 footballers were beaten by St. Marys on a score line of Ballyduff 2-12 to St. Mary’s 5-8. Playing against a gale force wind in the first half Ballyduff fought hard and in the second half they really clawed their way back and were unlucky not to get their noses in front. They played a great game and gave it everything. It was a very entertaining game so well done to both teams.
The U12 footballers were missing a lot of their regular players but still put in a superb performance. They fought all the way and put in a great effort showing some lovely skill and great scores. It is great to see such development in this squad. The game finished on a score line of Ballyduff 4-1 to St. Mary’s 3-9. A big thank you to St. Mary’s for such a sporting game and to all the coaches and supporters from both sides for their cheering and their support.
The U10 footballers, gave a great display against Tramore. With the holiday season this team were missing some players also, but they had great fun and showed great team spirit helping each other out and keeping up their high standard. Although tired at the end, they were still smiling which tells their story of commitment.
There was a great win for the U11’s in the league against Ballygunner in Tom Cheasty Park. The team battled hard in extreme conditions. They defended well when they needed to and attacked with force putting over some lovely points and scoring good team goals. Well done to all the parents and kids and thanks to Ballygunner for a good game.
The Intermediate hurlers had their first outing of the year against Tramore and both teams looked a little rusty at times but provided glimpses of what we would like to see this year. They have put a lot of effort in so far and it is early days yet. We wish them the very best of luck for the year ahead.
It was an historic day for our adult ladies’ football team as the ladies from Ballyduff and Portlaw joined together and came out triumphant with a great win. It is great to see an adult team to inspire all the young girls making their way up through the club.

Thought For the Week

There are two ways of spreading light:
to be the candle
or the mirror that reflects it.

Easter Commemeration, Munster Title and Football Success

April 15, 2022 Christine Tubbritt

GAA LOTTO

At the last GAA lotto draw, the numbers drawn were 1, 6, 9 and 12. There was no winner of the jackpot but the three lucky winners of €50 each were Kathleen Cheasty, Paddy Flynn and Maurice Harris. The draw will take a little break and so the next draw will be after Easter on April 24th and there will be a fantastic jackpot of €5,750 on offer. While you are enjoying your Easter eggs you have extra time to think of those four lucky numbers or perhaps the Easter Bunny will have some tips for you.

EASTER COMMEMERATION

On Easter Sunday morning after 10am mass you are invited to gather with your fellow parishioners outside the church at our beautiful 1916 memorial. It will only take a short while as the proclamation is read, the tri colour is raised, and our National Anthem is played by gifted piper Tommy Kiely. This is always a lovely moment to stop and reflect and remember our ancestors and the sacrifices they made. Come along and stand in solidarity with your community and friends.

CHURCH NEWS

As I reminded you last week anniversary mass bookings are now being taken for the weekend masses during May and June. If you would like to book a mass, please contact Linda Spillane on 087 9838392 or if you see me at mass give me a shout.
We are approaching Holy Week which is a busy time in the church. The following is a list of times for the various ceremonies during the week in Ballyduff. On Holy Thursday at 7.30pm we will celebrate the anniversary of the first ever mass. On Good Friday at 3pm we celebrate the ceremony of the Passion and veneration of the cross and at 7.30pm we follow the journey of Christ in the Stations of the Cross . The Easter Vigil mass at 7.30pm on Holy Saturday is a beautiful ceremony reminding us of the new light and hope of the Easter season. The Easter Sunday morning mass is at 10am.
Holy Week is also a perfect opportunity for you to hand back your Trocaire boxes. There will be a box left out on the altar for you to place your Trocaire box in.
The collection for the support of the priests of the parish is also taken up over the Easter weekend. This is a very important part of the priest’s salary and Fr. Francis and Fr. Mick appreciate your kindness and support.

UKRAINE COLLECTION

I held another collection for the Ukraine last Sunday and was overwhelmed by the reaction of people once again. The previous collection a few weeks earlier was so well supported that I certainly didn’t expect the same reaction. I can not express just how grateful I am to everyone who came along with their items and filled another trailer with food items, clothes toys etc. Your generosity is so heart-warming, and I know that the people who are receiving your generous contributions are so very grateful. As we delivered the items the people running the unit many of them Ukrainians themselves who had to leave their country and many family members and friends behind had tears in their eyes as they spoke of the love they feel from the Irish people. I thank you all sincerely for supporting the collection and I thank you for your kindness and compassion.

MUNSTER TITLE

On Saturday April 2nd in Mallow GAA Sports Complex Waterford’s
U14 ladies took on Clare and in a wonderful display came out victorious. We here in Ballyduff have been keeping a very interested eye on this team of course as our very own Fiona Crotty Laffan manages the team and what an inspiration she must be to the girls. Of course, playing on the team is Fiona’s very talented daughter Makayla who is most definitely a player who is shining bright and has been one to watch throughout the years coming up. A young lady who can kick that ball on its way with either foot, each foot delivering the same degree of strength and determination. She has always given great commitment to any team she played on and has no problem giving 100% to her training. We congratulate Makayla on her Munster title and look forward to watching her climb to the top of her game.

BALLYDUFF GAA

Our U13’s footballers were unlucky against Roanmore and the final score line of Ballyduff 0-3 to Roanmore’s 3-3 did not reflect the work rate and skill shown by the lads. Faced with much bigger opponents they held very well and really dug into the game. They were unlucky not to have scores, but every game is an opportunity to learn, and they are being very competitive in a high division. Well done to their coaches for their commitment and encouragement.
The club sends warm congratulations to Makayla Laffan who was part of the winning U14 Waterford football team in the Munster championships. This is a super achievement and the club congratulate Makayla.
Waterford’s fourth National league title has brought great excitement to the Deise and all at Ballyduff GAA congratulate all involved in the Waterford set up especially club man Calum Lyons on this well-deserved victory.
What a superb morning the intermediates had in the field at their intermediates training morning. They put in a hard training session, enjoyed a healthy breakfast followed by a tactical talk. A big thank you to all the players who bought into this and all those who contributed. A special mention of thanks must go to Tracy O Reilly who provided the healthy breakfast. What a woman!
Our U11 hurlers gave an unreal display in Ferrybank getting the league off to a great start. A big thank to all the players for their great efforts and of course to the fan club who cheered us on the whole way.
A big well done to all the boys and girls of Ballyduff NS who took part in the schools’ competition. They came away with two great wins against Scoil Barun , Tramore. There were some superb skills on show and both teams now head on into their next games. A big thank you to Mr. Stapleton and Ms. Sinnott for their hard work with these groups. Thank you and well done also to the opposition for sticking with it under serious pressure and for their wonderful sportsmanship.

FOOTBALL SUCCESS

Congratulations to Sean O Rourke who is named on the Waterford U20 Football Panel for 2022. What a great achievement for Sean who since a young age has always shown great promise on the field of play. His hard work and dedication to training is now reaping rewards and we all wish him the very best. I’m sure that his parents Gavin and Nicola and sisters Lexi, Ciara and Emma are so proud of him. This family are probably some of Waterford’s best supporters, so Sean won’t be short of a cheering squad.

RECENT DEATH

We send our deepest sympathy to Siobhan Kavanagh, Ardeenlone on the recent death of her beloved father. Mr. Sean Barry was a resident of Lismore Park and a very proud Waterford man. He enjoyed a quiet simple life. He didn’t need any bells or whistles, he just liked to watch the hurling, have a little flutter on the horses, read a good book, working in his garden or enjoyed a pint and a chat with friends. He was a fantastic family man who was at his happiest with his family around him. He loved to see his grandchildren and great grandchildren coming to visit and enjoyed hearing all about their schoolwork and their different hobbies. I had the pleasure of knowing Sean and can only describe him as a gentleman. You were always welcomed when you called, and he really enjoyed chatting to you. He was blessed with a wonderful wife Kathleen and they enjoyed a lovely life together. Sean is survived by his devoted wife Kathleen, his beloved daughter Siobhan and loyal and supportive sons Tony, Eamonn and Colm, his grandchildren, great grandchildren, his sister Breda and all the extended family and many friends. Sean’s funeral mass took place in St. Pauls Church, and he was laid to rest in Ballygunner cemetery. We pray that his sweet gentle soul now rests in peace and that the Lord rewards him for his goodness here on earth.

EASTER GREETING

I would like to wish each and every one of you a very happy and peaceful Easter. I hope the Easter bunny comes hoping along with some tasty treats for you and that you enjoy some precious family time with those who are dearest to you.
Easter is a promise
God renews to us in each Spring
May the promise of Easter
Fill your heart with peace and joy
Happy Easter.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

One day you are going to hug your last hug
Kiss your last kiss and hear someone’s voice
for the last time.
But you never know when the last time will be.
Live every day as if it were the last time you will
be with the person you love.

Volunteers Needed, Gold Win and Ballyduff Youth Drama

April 8, 2022 Christine Tubbritt

Volunteers Needed

As you are all aware our beautiful church will celebrate its 200th anniversary this year. While we look forward to celebrating, we know that there are some jobs which need to be done like painting etc. Fr. Francis and Fr. Mick met with the Parish Council lately and it was decided that a new finance group should be formed. These volunteers would look at ways to raise money to carry out the work necessary.
St. Nicholas’ Church is a local landmark. It was there before the Famine and has stood strong through the Wars and Pandemics down the years. It has been a place of happiness for so many occasions in all our lives, baptisms, Holy Communions, Confirmations, Weddings, Easter, Christmas. It has been a place of great comfort for many people as they gather at a loved one’s funeral and feel the support of their community. Our church has been a holy place where our ancestors and ourselves have celebrated our faith from 1822 to 2022.
If you feel that you would like to help, please put your name, address and mobile number on a piece of paper and drop it into the sacristy or the parochial office.

Gold Win

Congratulations to Charlie Laffan, Carriganure who recently won gold in the National ONAKI Karate Championships which were held in Dublin. Charlie is part of the Irish Karate squad who will be participating in the WUKF World Karate Championships in Fort Laurderdale in Florida in July. Charlie puts a lot of time and hard work into his training and is very dedicated to his sport. We wish Charlie the very best of luck for the future and look forward to hearing about his continued success.

Ballyduff Camogie Club

Everybody involved in Ballyduff Camogie Club would like to send special congratulations to club member Maebh Counihan who has made it on to the Waterford U11 Whites and Stripes Panel. The club is very proud of your achievement and your dedication. The hard work you have put into your game has really paid off and this is a fantastic achievement. The club wishes Maebh well and hopes that she enjoys her Summer of camogie wearing the white and blue.
The club would like to sincerely thank Countrystyle Foods for sponsoring the girls first set of jerseys. Managing Director of Countrystyle Rory Williams presented the jerseys to some of the players and mentors from the club and the club greatly appreciate their support.

Church News

The booking of anniversary masses for the months of May and June are now been taken. If you would like to book a weekend anniversary mass for your loved one, then please contact Linda Spillane on 087 9838392. If you have a First anniversary or Months Mind you will need to get in contact as soon as possible to ensure you get your preferred date.
New readers are needed for the weekend masses. If you would like to put your name forward, please contact Linda Spillane on 087 9838392. Your name will be placed on a list, and it will be your own personal choice when you read.
Good news, I hear on the grapevine that our lovely church choir will soon return to treating us to some beautiful hymns during our masses. We look forward to hearing their beautiful tones enhancing our masses again soon.

Ballyduff AFC

Ballyduff AFC are delighted to announce not one but two fun Easter camps coming up in their club grounds. They will run their own Easter camp from April 11th to 15th and to apply you need to register through klubfounder. The cost of the camp is €65 for the first child, €50 for the second and your 3rd child is free. The camp will run each day from 10am to 2pm
The #AvivaSoccerSisters Easter camp will come to the Ballyduff AFC grounds from April 19th to April 21st. They are delighted to return with their popular camp and remind you that booking is now open so book your spot soon. For more information, please go to http://aviva.ie/soccersisters.

Ballyduff GAA

The club would like to congratulate Sandra Murphy who was the recent winner of their €12,500 lotto jackpot. Sandra was presented with her cheque at a recent presentation in The Sweep Bar and Restaurant. What a fantastic amount to win and the club hope that it brings Sandra great happiness.
A big well done to all the academy section and parents who supported the recent tea/coffee fundraisers. A fabulous total of €418.62 was raised for the Red Cross Ukraine appeal. This was a great idea and a wonderful expression of solidarity from the club.
The club will be taking part in the “Well Kids” programme which caters for boys and girls aged 4 to 6. This is a fun and active programme which includes up to 60 games and activities which are broken into fundamental movement, skills, hurling and football. This fun programme of activities will begin on April 9th and will run every Saturday from 10am to 11am in Tom Cheasty Park. For more information check out Ballyduff GAA Facebook page or contact Kevin on 0868607694.

Ballyduff Youth Drama

Following their recent success with their production of “Out of this World”, Ballyduff Youth Drama will host an exciting Easter Camp. This camp will be held over four days and will include singing, dancing and acting for performers from the ages of 9 to 12 years. The camp will run from Tuesday April 19th to Friday April 22nd from 10am to 2pm daily in Ballyduff Community Centre. For further information please message the groups Facebook page or contact Ciara on 0876665305. The cost per child is €50 and places are limited so make sure to book your spot. Who knows we could have a future Oscar winner in our midst.

Thought For The Week

It takes someone special, to do what you do
It takes someone rare and remarkable,
To make the lives of everyone around them,
nicer, brighter and more beautiful.
It takes someone who has a big heart and a caring soul.
It takes someone who is living proof of how precious a person can be.
It takes someone……. just like you.

Birthday Celebrations, Photo Archive and Ukraine Collection

April 1, 2022 Christine Tubbritt

RECENT DEATH
We send our deepest sympathies to Christy O Keeffe in Ballyduff Village on the recent loss of his beloved sister. Catherine (Kitty) Murphy (nee O Keeffe) was a resident of the beautiful Ballydurn and was predeceased by her husband Edward and her son Ken. She is deeply regretted by her children John, Brian and Stephen, daughters-in-law, grandchildren and extended family and friends.
Kitty’s funeral mass took place in Clonea church followed by burial in the adjoining graveyard. We pray that Kitty now rests in peace, and we hope that her family will find comfort in their memories of times spent with Kitty. We remember all her family in our prayers especially Christy, Vera, Damien, Elaine, Edel and Sandra.

WATERFORD SUIR VALLEY RAILWAY

On April 1st Waterford Suir Valley Railway will begin their 2022 season. Everyone looks forward to the beginning of the season and the treat of travelling along the railway taking in the beautiful sights and the sounds of nature and the wildlife. This year the staff and management of the railway have made a lovely generous gesture and for the first 10 days they have decided to donate all ticket revenue to UNICEF Ireland Crisis for the Ukraine Appeal. This is a lovely kind gesture so please spread the word and maybe arrange to meet some friends for a lovely day out while helping a wonderful cause.

GAA LOTTO

For many months we have all being picking those four lotto numbers for the local GAA lotto draw hoping that we may have chosen the lucky ones. Last weekend Sandra Murphy chose 3, 8, 17 and 21 and they proved to be the four lucky numbers which netted Sandra a jackpot of €12,500. What a fantastic win and we wish Sandra the very best of luck. There were also three lucky dip winners who won €50 each and they were Anthony Phelan, AM Queally and Danielle O Sullivan. The next draw will take place on April 3rd and there will be a jackpot of €5,600 up for grabs. Tickets cost just €2 each or three for €5 and are available from all committee members and will also be on sale outside Centra in Kilmeaden on Saturday April 2nd.

BALLYDUFF CAMOGIE

Membership is now due for the coming season. All registrations must be paid before March 31st. All players need to be registered online through “Foireann” before returning to training. If you are registering multiple members from the same household there is a Family membership option available.
Camogie training for girls aged 6+ takes place every Monday evening in Tom Cheasty Park from 6.15pm to 7.15pm. New members are always welcome.

BALLYDUFF GAA

The academy section of the club travelled to Kilmacow with several age groups taking part in some very competitive games. The sun shone for their first game out in the season and there were some super skills on show with plenty of hooks, blocks, pulls, tackles and of course some lovely scores. A big thank you to Kilmacow for hosting and to all the parents who offered such great support. The club look forward to welcoming Kilmacow to Tom Cheasty Park soon.
The club would like to congratulate Sandra Murphy who was the lucky jackpot winner in their recent lotto draw and wish her every happiness.

BALLYDUFF AFC

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

We send warmest birthday wishes to Patricia Cullinane, Johnstown who recently celebrated her 80th birthday. Patricia is a very popular lady in our community, and I am sure that her family made sure that she enjoyed her special day.
Down the road in Matthews Cross, Johnny Mackey was also celebrating his birthday, enjoying his 70th birthday. No doubt his family made sure he celebrated in style and I’m sure his grandson Ronan had plenty of fun ideas.

PHOTO ARCHIVE.

As you know our beautiful church will be 200 years old this year and I am putting together a supplement about the church, looking at the history of the church throughout the years. I am looking for any interesting photos you may have of the church inside or outside, occasions at the church. Were you married in the church 25, 50, 60, 70 years ago, can I use your wedding photo? Do you have any photos of the changes the church went through over the years? I promise to take great care of your photos and return them in the condition they were received. If you have anything of interest, please contact me Linda Spillane on 087 9838392.

UKRAINE COLLECTION

Following the fantastic response to the last collection we held for the Ukraine, I have decided to hold another one. On Sunday April 3rd we will hold another collection at Ballyduff Community Centre from 11am to 2pm. Once again items needed are tinned foods, soups, personal hygiene products, nappies, baby wipes, baby food etc. Of course, we have now welcomed some Ukrainians into our county who had to leave their homes and country leaving everything behind so perhaps the children would enjoy some small toys such as footballs, colours, books and The Red Cross are also looking for cash or vouchers for places like Tesco, Penneys, Dunnes where people can buy their own clothes etc. If you can help in any way, please come along to the collection and donate what you can.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

Take Care Of Yourself

Go for a walk, eat your favourite food,
Get a haircut, cry if you need to,
Read a book, take a vacation, have a drink.
Do what you need to do.
Take care of yourself, because at the end of the day,
You’re all you’ve got.

In the Diocese of Waterford and Lismore in the southeast of Ireland, Ballyduff and Kilmeaden are about 23 miles from Dungarvan and 5 miles from Waterford.

Ballyduff Parish Church

Monthly Archives: April 2022