Monthly Archives: January 2024

Grandparents Day, Panto Time and Flying the Flag

BRIDGE NEWS

The Ballyduff and Portlaw Bridge Club held their latest game on Monday January 15th and the results were as follows:
1st: Peggy Murphy an Elizabeth Mooney.
2nd: Mary Prendergast and Joan Hartrey.
3rd: Kate Hayes and Nano Fitzgerald.
4th: Iris Graham and Sean Hennessy.

GRANDPARENTS DAY

Ballyduff N.S will celebrate Grandparents day by holding a special mass in St. Nicholas’s Church on Wednesday January 24th at 10am mass, followed by tea and refreshments in their school hall. The children from the school will invite all their grandparents to come along an enjoy some time together and to thank them for all the love and support they receive from them.

BALLYDUFF AFC.

Ballyduff AFC are hosting a fundraiser for the club. They are holding a scrap collection so you are invited to drop your items to the Ballyduff AFC grounds any day from 10am to 8pm. Please do not include any glass objects, dishwashers, mattresses etc.

COMMUNITY ALERT

Our local community alert group will hold their next meeting on Wednesday January 24th at 8pm in Ballyduff Community Centre. The €10 text alert fee is now due and can be paid at the meeting. The text alert scheme is an invaluable service providing necessary information about suspicious activity in your area and also notifications of dangerous weather or driving conditions.
Guest speaker on the night will be Jason King who will speak about the benefits of walking. Representatives from the local Gardai will also be in attendance to give advice and answer any questions you may have.

PANTO TIME

Our neighbours in Portlaw Pantomime Society are all set to present their 42nd Pantomime. This year they have chosen Aladdin and by all accounts it’s one not to miss. The show will run from Thursday February 8th to Saturday February 10th at 8pm in Portlaw community hall. There will also be a matinee performance on Sunday February 11th at 12.30pm. Tickets and be booked in the community hall on Thursday February 1st and Friday February 2n between 5pm and 7pm or by phoning 087 1165502 on February 1st to 3rd from 5pm to 7pm and February 5th and 6th from 5pm to 7pm.
Portlaw has been steeped in Panto for many years and is a show I look forward to attending with my Dad every year. Keep an eye on their Facebook page where they will be introducing us to the characters. Watch out as you enter Portlaw for any low flying carpets or strange looking lamps!

FLYING THE FLAG

While Ballyduff AFC head back into their season, 7 of their players are certainly flying the flag for Ballyduff down under in Perth. Marcus Millea, Jack and Calum Lyons, Conor Quinn, John Flynn and Cormac and Ronan Dunphy are all members of the Perth team who won the league. It is wonderful to see the lads carrying on the great traditions of teamwork they learned in Ballyduff AFC.

GAME OF CARDS ANYONE?

Do you fancy a game of cards in a nice relaxing environment? Beginning on Thursday February 1st at 7.30pm in Ballyduff Community Centre, you can drop along and enjoy a game of Progressive 30’s. The cost is €15 for a team of 3 and this is a fantastic way to meet up with others and enjoy a game and a chat. If you would like any further information, please call Tricia on 0872979332

QUOTE FOR THE WEEK

Do something today that your future self will thank you for.

Community Alert, Scrap Collection and Recent Deaths

JARLATH BURNS EVENING

Ballyduff Lower GAA, Camogie and LGFA will present an evening with incoming GAA President Jarlath Burns on Saturday January 20th at 7pm in The Greenway Manor Hotel. Mr. Burns will discuss his plans for the GAA on both a national and local level. He will also help the club to launch their newly developed club plan. During the night there will also be a preview of the upcoming hurling season with Waterford legends Ken McGrath and John Mullane. Tickets cost just €10 each and can be purchased through Eventbrite or will be available on the door on the night.

COMMUNITY ALERT

Our local community alert group will hold their next meeting on Wednesday January 24th at 8pm in Ballyduff Community Centre. The community text alert fee is now being collected and the €10 can be paid at the meeting or can be dropped to Jay Dowdall, MJ Healy or Chris Pragnell. The text alert scheme is of vital importance alerting people of any suspicious activity in the area or any storm and weather conditions affecting roads in the area. If you would like to join the scheme you can give your name and number to any of the committee.

SCRAP COLLECTION

Ballyduff AFC are hosting a scrap collection at their grounds in Ballyduff Lower. Items can be dropped to the grounds any day between 10am and 8pm. Please do not bring any dishwashers or items with glass. This is a fundraiser for the club who have great plans for further development of the club and its grounds. Please support by having a tidy up of that yard or shed you have been promising to do and drop your items off at Ballyduff AFC. You’ll earn great brownie points for tidying up and supporting your local club.

GAME OF CARDS ANYONE?

Do you fancy a game of cards in a nice relaxing environment? Beginning on Thursday February 1st at 7.30pm in Ballyduff Community Centre, you can drop along and enjoy a game of Progressive 30’s. The cost is €15 for a team of 3 and this is a fantastic way to meet up with others and enjoy a game and a chat. If you would like any further information, please call Tricia on 0872979332

BRIDGE CLUB NEWS
The great news from the club is that they will commence bridge lessons on January 16th at 7pm in Ballyduff Community Centre. The lesson will last two hours and will continue for 8 lessons. What a fantastic opportunity to learn the game and join in the fun. New Year! New hobbies!

GAA LOTTO

After a little Christmas break the Ballyduff GAA lotto makes its return this weekend. Just imagine stepping into the new year with a jackpot of €12,500 in your bank account. Tickets cost just €2 each or 3 for €5 and are available from all committee members, online or you can purchase from one of the volunteer sellers who will be at Centra on Saturday January 20th.
If you have an hour to spare and are willing to be one of the volunteer sellers then please contact Jessica O Leary. You can be placed in the subs position and will be called upon if anyone is sick or away and so you are not committed to it every fortnight.

RECENT DEATHS

We extend our deepest sympathies to Peg Power, Lacka Road on the recent death of her beloved mother. Mrs. Marge Murphy (nee Joyce) late of Dun na Mara, Youghal was called home to God on Christmas day while she was surrounded by her loving family. She will be sadly missed by her son John, her daughters Peg, Phil and Jackie, her grandchildren, great grandchildren and extended family.
Marge’s funeral mass took place in Our Lady of Lourdes Church, The Strand, Youghal and she was laid to rest in Clonpriest Cemetery. May she now rest in the peace and love of Christ.

We send our condolences to Helen Millea, Newtown, Kilmeaden who mourns the loss of her mother Eily Keohan (nee Coady). Eily was a very proud resident of Arbour Road, Lisduggan and she was a very popular lady with both young and old. She will be remembered and loved always by her children Rose, Bernadette, Frankie, Anne, Helen, Oliver and Grace, her grandchildren, great grandchildren, brothers, sisters and extended family. Eily’s funeral mass took place in St. Paul’s Church, Lisduggan and she was laid to rest beside her beloved husband Frankie in Ballyduff Cemetery. May she now rest in peace and may all the wonderful memories she left behind bring comfort to her family.

JERSEY SPONSORSHIP

A group of girls representing the U16 Ballyduff AFC team visited Eirgen Pharma recently to thank the company personally for their very generous sponsorship of a set of jerseys. The girls will wear these with great pride and are delighted that Eirgen have shown such commitment to supporting local female sports while fostering links with local science and healthcare.
We wish the girls the best of luck for the coming season, and we all look forward to cheering them on from the sidelines.

NOTES CONTACT.

2024 has now begun and it is time to let people know about events and happenings in our local area. If you or your club or organisation would like to inform people of the area about getting involved in a local club or group or if you have an event or charity occasion on the horizon and want to spread the word. If there has been a recent engagement, marriage, birth, birthday, anniversary etc in your family and you want to wish them well then, these notes are for you. Community notes provide a community with the information needed to keep a community together and inform people of what is going on in the area around them. If you would like to include an item, please contact Linda Spillane on 087 9838392 or spillanelinda2017@gmail.com

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

It is often the small steps, not the giant leaps,
That bring about the most lasting change.

Jarlath Burns Evening, Church News and Silver News

JARLATH BURNS EVENING

Ballyduff Lower GAA Club will present an evening with incoming GAA President on Saturday January 20th at 7pm in The Greenway Manor Hotel. There will be some other special guests on the night also. Tickets cost just €10 each and can be purchased through Eventbrite.

CAMOGIE CLUB RAFFLE.

Ballyduff Camogie Club held their Christmas raffle before Christmas and are very grateful to all who supported it and to all the businesses who donated prizes for the raffle. The club were delighted with the support they received and look forward to some great camogie moments in 2024.

CHURCH NEWS

A big thank you to all who helped to make our church look so beautiful for Christmas. The Christmas tree stood tall as the lights glistened, the altar and window ledges were adorned with beautiful floral arrangements and candles and of course in pride of place was our glorious crib. Our local choir sang beautifully on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and the congregation joined in with the festive hymns and carols. A special thank you to our Sacristan Ann Nolan who keeps our church looking so well throughout the year.
The annual Christmas collection for the support of the priests of the parish was taken up over Christmas and can still be dropped in at weekend masses if you have forgotten.
The new boxes of weekly collection envelopes are now available in the church. There are no names on the boxes so you can take whichever box you want.

SUIR VALLEY RAILWAY

The Suir Valley Railway welcomed many guests over the Christmas season. There were wonderful scenes of excited children waiting to visit Santa in his cabin. Santa, Mrs. Claus, Rudolph, Frosty and Dasher have now returned home to the North Pole but really enjoyed meeting all the girls and boys on the Santa Express. They have promised to return next Christmas to catch up with everyone.

COMMUNITY ALERT

The community text alert fee is now being collected. The €10 can be dropped to Jay Dowdall, MJ Healy or Chris Pragnell. The text alert scheme is of vital importance alerting people of any suspicious activity in the area or any storm and weather conditions affecting roads in the area. If you would like to join the scheme you can give your name and number to any of the committee.

SILVER YEARS

We send warm congratulations to Martin and Tracy O Reilly, Ardeenlone who recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. I’m sure their beautiful daughters Bonnie, Sophie, Maisie and Trudie ensured that their mam and dad celebrated in style and enjoyed their day. We wish this lovely couple many more years of wedded bliss.

SCRAP COLLECTION

Ballyduff AFC are hosting a scrap collection at their grounds in Ballyduff Lower. Items can be dropped to the grounds any day between 10am and 8pm. Please do not bring any dishwashers or items with glass. This is a fundraiser for the club who have great plans for the future development of the club and its grounds. Please support by having a tidy up of that yard or shed you have been promising to do and drop your items off at Ballyduff AFC. You’ll earn great brownie points for tidying up and supporting your local club.

GAME OF CARDS ANYONE?

Do you fancy a game of cards in a nice relaxing environment? Beginning on Thursday February 1st at 7.30pm in Ballyduff Community Centre, you can drop along and enjoy a game of Progressive 30’s. The cost is €15 for a team of 3 and this is a fantastic way to meet up with others and enjoy a game and a chat. If you would like any further information, please call Tricia on 0872979332

BRIDGE CLUB NEWS
The great news from the club is that they will commence bridge lessons on January 16th at 7pm in Ballyduff Community Centre. The lesson will last two hours and will continue for 8 lessons. What a fantastic opportunity to learn the game and join in the fun. New Year! New hobbies!

NEW YEAR QUOTE

May the canvas of the New Year be painted with vibrant moments and unforgettable memories. Wishing you all a year filled with joy, peace and good health. May you always offer and be offered the hand of kindness. Let us all count the many wonderful blessings we have in our lives and give our time and talents to help those who need it.