GAA Lotto

The four lucky numbers drawn in the latest lotto draw were 4,11,15 and 28. There was no winner of the jackpot but the three lucky dip winners of €50 each were Alice Walsh, James Fortune and Anne Ryan. The next draw will take place on June 26th and there will be a fantastic jackpot of €6500 up for grabs. Tickets cost just €2 each or three for €5. Tickets are on sale from all committee members and will also be on sale at Centra in Kilmeaden on Saturday 25th.

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Dynamic Diane

We send warmest congratulations to local lady Diane Behan from Fan Glas who travelled to Romania recently to take part in the World Duathlon Championships. Diane put in a world class performance and finished up winning gold in her category. What a fantastic achievement from this wonderful athlete. Diane has always put 100% into her training and she most certainly deserves every success.

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Recent Deaths

We extend our deepest sympathy to the Gamble family on the death of Lorna Butler (nee Gamble) who lived in Dublin 9 and formerly Cullinagh, Kilmeaden. She is survived by her husband Tony, her children Sarah and Mark, grandson Jack, her mother Ruth, her siblings Edwina and David. Lorna’s funeral mass and cremation took place in Glasnevin.
We also send our sympathy to the Allen family on the death of Mary Allen, Pembrokestown, Butlerstown. Mary was a very well-known character who had a wonderful caring nature. She is survived by her husband Jim, her sons P Joe and James and daughter Caroline, sister Dinah and her beloved grandchildren. We pray that Mary now rests in peace in her place of rest in Dunhill cemetery.
We also extend our sympathies to very popular teacher in Ballyduff NS Emma Sprice on the recent loss of her beloved Dad. Liam Sprice was a resident of Ballybeg and he was laid to rest in Kilbarry cemetery and we pray that he now enjoys the peace and love of Christ.

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Ryan/ Cheasty Cup

Derek Ryan and Tom Cheasty are two well known names connected with Ballyduff Gaa’s history and each year their Memorial Tournament is looked forward to. Following a two-year absence, I am delighted to tell you that it is back again this year. On Sunday July 3rd in Tom Cheasty Park Ballyduff’s U 12’s will take on Kilrossanty for the Tom Cheasty Cup at 12 noon, while the intermediates will take on Ballinameela at 2pm for the Derek Ryan Cup. There will be plenty of food, refreshments, and fun for all the family.

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Confirmation Day

We extend our very best wishes to the young people from 5th and 6th classes in Ballyduff NS who will receive the gift of Confirmation in Ballyduff Church on Thursday June 23rd. We hope that they all enjoy a wonderful day with their family and friends

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Birthday Boy

We have a very special birthday boy this week. Fr. Mick celebrated his 80th birthday last weekend and we send him many good wishes. He was presented with a gift on behalf of the parish at mass on Sunday morning and the local choir sang his favourite hymn which is Lord of the Dance. We hope that Mick enjoyed his celebrations with his family, friends and community. I wish my wonderful friend many more happy birthdays and we look forward to celebrating them with him.

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Ballyduff GAA/Camogie

A big well done to our U10 camogie girls who took part in the Go games during the Waterford v Mayo Camogie Junior Championship match which took place in WIT. Well done to all the girls and their coaches and to Waterford on their win. The club would like to thank the parents for their support and to Waterford Camogie for inviting the club to participate in the Go games.
Congratulations also to the U12 girls who had a great win over Gaultier this week. The girls played very well and showed great skill and teamwork. Their next game will be against Cappoquin on June 30th. A big thank you to all the parents for their continued support
Huge congratulations to the Portlaw/Ballyduff lower U10s who took part in the Croke Park Blitz held in Tramore. Both of our teams played extremely well in all four of their games, against Erin’s Own, Tramore and Stradbally. The club are in awe and so very proud of the massive work rate put in by all the girls. We can see their confidence beginning to grow in these young superstars. A big thank you to Denise, Kevin and John who stepped in at such short notice to help with managing the teams.
U11 hurling
Thanks to Kilrossanty GAA for hosting a challenge game U11s. Some lovely hurling played throughout the game by both sides with our team just pipped at the post losing by a single score in the end. This was ideal preparation for the competitive fixtures starting in a few weeks. Well done to all the players.
Under 8 hurling blitz.
Our U8’s took on teams from Mount Sion, Lismore and St. Marys in Fraher field. There were some tough games, with great experience gained but this bunch represented their club well and there is a bright future ahead for them. Thanks to Deise Og for organising such a huge event.

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Ballyduff AFC.

Ballyduff AFC will host a clothes collection as a club fundraiser. This is always a wonderful opportunity to tidy up those wardrobes and presses and support your local club. You are welcome to drop your items any day between the hours of 10am and 6pm. This collection will take place up to July 23rd. They accept all women’s, men’s and children’s clothing, paired footwear, handbags, belts, soft toys, curtains, towels, bedlinen (duvet covers, sheets, pillowcases, blankets, throws) Please do not include any pillows, duvets or carpets.  Please support your local club.

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Collection Point

You may remember me hosting a couple of donation collections for the people of the Ukraine and I was overwhelmed by the response it received. While I still support the Ukrainians, a group in our local Waterford area need our help.
I have no doubt that you are all aware of The Helping Hand group in Waterford you take care of the homeless people in our area. They provide hot meals for them, food hampers, bedding etc. They are now running low on supplies and so I have decided to open my home again on Sunday June 26th from 11am to 1pm and all items collected will be delivered to The Helping Hand premises in Waterford. I will be reminding you of this over the coming weeks, but I wanted to give some notice so that maybe while you are shopping over the next couple of weeks, you may pick up an extra item or two. The following is a list of items which are needed non-perishable foods, tea, coffee, hats, gloves, socks, torches, tents, sleeping bags, ground sheets, flasks etc. My home is in Matthews Cross and my eircode is X91Y3Y8.

New Addition

Warmest congratulations to Aidan and Shauna Millea, Ballyduff Village on the birth of their beautiful baby son. Baby Charlie Millea arrived a little earlier than planned but what a welcome bundle. Charlie will be spoilt for choice when it comes to babysitters as they will be lining up for a cuddle. We look forward to meeting Charlie and we wish him and his Mammy and Daddy a very happy life together in their family home in Ballyduff Village.

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Confirmation Day

We send wonderful Confirmation wishes to a very popular young man Darragh Dooley from Tigroe who made his Confirmation in The Sacred Heart Church, The Folly recently. I was delighted to get a chance to see Darragh in his suit and dickie bow and what a handsome sight he was. The Dooley family told me they had a fantastic day celebrating and really enjoyed Darragh’s special day. We pray that the gifts of the Holy Spirit will guide and protect him.

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Ballyduff AFC.

Ballyduff AFC will host a clothes collection as a club fundraiser. This is always a wonderful opportunity to tidy up those wardrobes and presses and support your local club. You are welcome to drop your items any day between the hours of 10am and 6pm. This collection will take place up to July 23rd. They accept all women’s, men’s and children’s clothing, paired footwear, handbags, belts, soft toys, curtains, towels, bedlinen (duvet covers, sheets, pillowcases, blankets, throws) Please do not include any pillows, duvets or carpets.  Please support your local club.

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Recent Death

We extend our deepest sympathy to the Aulsberry family on the death of Mary Allen (nee Aulsberry). Mary died in the U.K where she has lived for many years.  Mary has lived a very full and interesting life and made Irish emigrants feel very at home in Britain with her fantastic work in the Irish centres. For many years Mary was a regular visitor back home to visit family and was always keen to attend anniversary masses for her family members who had been called home to God. We pray that Mary now enjoys the peace and love of Christ and that her family will find comfort from their wonderful memories. May she rest in peace.

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New Business

We wish the very best of luck to local man John Kennedy of Carriganure who recently launched his new business venture. Elite Recovery is based in the Cleaboy Business Park. Recovery has become a vital part of a lot of athletes and gym users lives due to stress put on their bodies while training. Elite Recovery offer advice and guidance and help to work out how to get the best out of Elite Recovery to cater for your needs. Elite Recovery is beneficial to everyone not just sports people. Many people like to unwind for an hour after a hard-working week. We wish John every success and look forward to watching him progress.

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U13 Cup Final Winners

Congratulations to Ballyduff’s U13’s who put in a fantastic performance in the U13 Cup Final. They emerged Cup winners following a 2:1 defeat over near neighbours Portlaw . A big well done to the lads and their coaches Maura Phelan and John Dalton for this fine win and all their hard work.

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Collection Point

You may remember me hosting a couple of donation collections for the people of the Ukraine and I was overwhelmed by the response it received. While I still support the Ukrainians, a group in our local Waterford area need our help.
I have no doubt that you are all aware of The Helping Hand group in Waterford you take care of the homeless people in our area. They provide hot meals for them, food hampers, bedding etc. They are now running low on supplies and so I have decided to open up my home again on Sunday June 26th from 11am to 1pm and all items collected will be delivered to The Helping Hand premises in Waterford. I will be reminding you of this over the coming weeks but I wanted to give some notice so that maybe while you are shopping over the next couple of weeks, you may pick up an extra item or two. The following is a list of items which are needed non perishable foods, tea, coffee, hats, gloves, socks, torches, tents, sleeping bags, ground sheets, flasks etc.

GAA Lotto

The four lucky numbers drawn in the most recent lotto draw were 1, 2, 13 and 27. There was no winner of the jackpot but the three lucky dip winners of €50 each were Marie Robinson, Eamon Daly and Benny O Connell. The next draw will take place on June 12th and there will be a fantastic jackpot of €6,350 on offer. Tickets cost just €2 each or three for €5. They are available from all committee members and will also be on sale outside Centra in Kilmeaden on Saturday June 11th. Choose those four numbers carefully and you could be on a spending spree with that brilliant jackpot.

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Recent Death

We extend our deepest sympathy to the family of the late Seamus Brady who died recently. Seamus lived in Castle Road, Butlerstown and is a legend of music, song and storytelling in these and far away parts. Seamus had a natural gift and his passion and love for the Irish song and word was evident to all. Seamus is survived by his loving wife and lifetime companion Monica, his children Siobhan, Ciara, Ultan, Orlaith and Deirdre, his adoring grandchildren, his sisters Ber and Anne, his brother Stan, his extended family and his many friends.
Seamus’s funeral mass took place in Butlerstown Church, and he was laid to rest in the adjoining graveyard. We pray that Seamus now rests in peace and that the angels will lead him into paradise.

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Whistle where your mouth is!

The Referees Administration Committee are in the process of recruiting new referees, who will initially officiate at underage games.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             The induction and training course will commence soon. This is a wonderful way to stay involved in the game, while staying fit and giving something back to the game. If you would like to step up and become a referee, please contact the county secretary by June 30th on secretary.waterford@gaa.ie

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New Book

We say a big well done and congratulations to Colman Power from the Lacka Road on the release of his new book, “The Power of Organoc Fitness”. Colman has worked in this area for many years and is passionate about sharing the way to a happier, healthier life in a natural way. We look forward to having a read and wish him every success.

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Ballyduff AFC.

Ballyduff AFC will host a clothes collection as a club fundraiser. This is always a wonderful opportunity to tidy up those wardrobes and presses and support your local club. You are welcome to drop your items any day between the hours of 10am and 6pm. This collection will take place up to July 23rd. They accept all women’s, men’s and children’s clothing, paired footwear, handbags, belts, soft toys, curtains, towels, bedlinen ( duvet covers, sheets, pillowcases, blankets, throws) Please do not include any pillows, duvets or carpets.  Please support your local club.

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Cup Winners

Huge congratulations to Ballyduff’s AFC Youth B team who were crowned Cup winners recently. In a game which was contested against St. Pauls they emerged winners on a score line of 3-2 following extra time. Both teams played a great game and Ballyduff were delighted to get that edge. This is a just reward for the hard work and commitment they have put in and a huge congratulations and thank you must go to their coaches and management team for the support and guidance they give to the players.

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Exam Time

We wish all the young people of our community sitting the Junior and Leaving Certs next week, the very best of luck. We hope that their study time is productive, and we ask them to also remember to take regular study breaks and maybe get out for a walk or run or have a kick around of the ball.

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Birthday Boy

We send very warm birthday wishes to popular local man Michael Hearne of Kildermody who recently celebrated his 80th birthday. I have no doubt that Michael celebrated in style and I’m sure there was a sing song thrown in here and there. I have a feeling that he was well looked after by Aileen and Ger and Brian and Maureen and his grandchildren Fionn, Dearbhla, Sorcha and Rian. We wish Michael many more happy birthdays and continued good health

Recent Death

We extend our deepest sympathy to Derek Troy in Cullinagh on the recent death of his father. James (Jamsie) Troy was a resident of Ballybeg Close and formerly Woodstown and Ballygunner. He is survived by his loving wife Esther, sons Ivan, Ciaran and Derek and daughter Deirdre, his beloved grandchildren, Jack, Cian, Emily, James, Anna, Adam, Elizabeth, Holly and baby Sean, his brothers, sisters, son-in law, daughters-in-law and extended family.
Jamsie’s funeral mass took place in St. Mary’s Church, Ballygunner followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery. We pray that Jamsie now enjoys eternal peace and that his family will find comfort in the wonderful memories they made together. May his gentle soul now rest in peace.

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Graduation.

We send warm congratulations to all in our community who graduated from secondary school. We wish them all the very best as they now prepare to sit their Leaving Cert exams and then hopefully go on to enjoy a long, warm Summer. We hope that they remember to include rest and relaxation into their studies and not become too anxious about their workload. We also wish all those in our community sitting the Junior Cert, the very best of luck.

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Ballyduff AFC

Ballyduff AFC have become in a new initiative which has really caught my attention. In collaboration with the FAI and the Waterford Sports Partnership they have launched the Football for All programme. Ballyduff AFC have wonderful facilities at their club grounds and love to share them with others for the pure love of the game. Football for All is aimed at children between the ages of 6 and 12 who have additional needs. All the activity takes place on their all-weather facility. All the children are asked to bring is a training kit or tracksuit, a drink, comfortable runners and the most important piece of equipment is a smile.
Ballyduff AFC will now serve the mid county as a Football for All club and they plan to develop the players over the coming months and years, but their most important objective is to create a safe space for family and players to enjoy themselves. This programme was launched in Ballyduff AFC on Saturday May 21st and what a great success it was. Six months of planning and consultation between the groups involved and the volunteers etc was soon forgotten when they saw the great big smiles on the children’s faces as the children and their parents enjoyed their morning of football. Special thanks must go to all the volunteers who are giving their time to this programme. How it lifts the hearts and spirits of everyone when you see parents, past and present club players and coaches come together to help bring the game of soccer to everyone. I feel very proud of our local club for getting behind this programme and making sure it became a reality. If you would like some more information about the programme, please contact the club through their Facebook page.

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All Ireland Winning Mother and Daughter

On Sunday May 22nd the Waterford U14 lady footballers made their way to Abbottstown to meet Tyrone in the All Ireland U14 Silver Final. All the preparations were in hand and the training schedule had all gone to plan. These girls knew they had put the hard work in, and they were well capable of winning but of course they were also very aware that anything can happen on the day.
It was end to end scoring during the opening half and at the break it was Tyrone who led by 2 points. At one stage in the game Waterford trailed by 10 points but with sheer determination they came back which shows their strength of character.  They returned with renewed fire in their bellies and two quick fire  goals just before half time brought the Deise girls right back into the game and the game finished with a score line of Tyrone 5-07 to Waterford 5-08.
Super number 7 has been coming to my home since she was a toddler and I have watched Makayla inhale the game of football From an early age you could see she had inherited her mother’s left foot and her speed and ability to dodge and duck was brilliant to watch. The thing I loved to watch most though was the pure enjoyment she got from the sport, happy to kick a ball against the wall for hours.  As the years moved on and she was playing competitively, she never complained about having training or missing out on other occasions because of a match. She put heart and soul into it, and it was obvious to me that I was watching something special and that she was destined to succeed. She is a real team player and I know she will be embarrassed by this piece, but I treat her as one of my own and so am bursting with pride.
Of course Makayla was born with Ballymacarbry blood in her veins as her mother Fiona is the understated owner of a vast amount of All Ireland and club medals with both Ballymacarbry and Waterford. She was appointed as Manager of the U14 Waterford football team last October and has been a true inspiration to the girls. She shares their passion and love for the game and was always eager for Makayla to get the opportunity to enjoy the experiences and friendships she had growing up in football. She was hugely instrumental here in the Ballyduff Lower club in setting the Lgfa section and it has proved very popular. These girls have no doubt benefited from her wealth of experience, but she also instilled in them of the importance of the life values you learn through sport, consideration of others, encouragement of others, the friendships made and of course as well as the many physical benefits it is also so important for mental health.
What a wonderful thing for Fiona and Makayla to share, both All Ireland winners playing a sport they live and breathe. We may not hear these matches headlined or mentioned in Sports bulletins on the television or radio but to me it is a fantastic achievement and one that Waterford should be proud of. All these girls represent clubs and communities all around Waterford and no matter what sport someone is playing, anytime you see Waterford mentioned in a success, is a wonderful moment for city and county. We look forward to watching this team as they move forward and we say a huge well done to all the team, manager, coaches, background team. Take a well-deserved bow because whether you scored a goal, filled a water bottle, brought the team snacks, you are part of an All-Ireland winning team and we are proud of each one of you.

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School Success

Huge congratulations to all on the Ballyduff NS school team who beat Crehana in Walsh Park in the Cumann na mBunscoil Phort Lairge Thoir Hurling and Camogie Finals. What a wonderful way to end off the school year. School champions 2022 was a just reward for all their hard work and commitment. A big thank you must go to Mr. Stapleton and Miss Sinnott and the club coaches for all the time and work they have given to this team. The happy smiling faces of the glorious champions must be a real joy for these coaches to see.

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Church News

If you would like to have your home, farm, business, livestock blessed Fr. Francis is very happy to do so please contact him and he will plan it with you.
Our parish choir have returned to rehearsals on Monday nights at 8pm in the church. They always welcome new members so come along and join in the fun
If you would like to become a reader at mass, please contact Linda Spillane on 087 9838392