Bridge News
The Portlaw/ Ballyduff Bridge Club played a game on Monday December 5th and the results were as follows:
1st: Kate Hayes and Sean Hennessy
2nd: Margaret White and Ann Tobin
Joint 3rd: Geraldine McMahon and Nano Fitzgerald
and
Fr. Michael O Byrne and Margaret Breen
Joint 5th: Patsy Roche and Kathleen Collins
and
Elizabeth Mooney and Sean Breen
On Monday December 12th the members of the club gathered in The Sweep to enjoy a delicious meal together. After settling into their new partnerships, they enjoyed a well-run game of bridge and the results were as follows:
1st: Peggy Barron and Elizabeth Mooney
2nd Nano Fitzgerald and Celia Nugent
3rd: Kathleen Collins and Anne Kennedy
4th: Fr. Mick O Byrne and Sean Hennessy
5th: John Fitzpatrick and John Mooney
6th: Mary Kennedy and Patsy Roche
We wish all the members of the Bridge club a very happy Christmas and look forward to hearing about their games again in the New Year. The club will resume on Monday January 9th in Ballyduff Community Centre. I thank Elizabeth Mooney for sending me on the results every week.
GAA Lotto
The numbers drawn in the latest lotto draw were 1, 2, 8 and 10 and there was no winner of the jackpot. There were 6 lucky dip winners this week and each of them won €50 each. The winners were Nancy O Sullivan, Michelle Dunphy, Brian Barron, Noel O Connell, Paddy McGill and John Stephenson. The lotto will take a little break over Christmas and will return in the New Year with a whopping jackpot of €8,450. A big thank you to all who support the lotto, those who sell tickets and the committee who put a lot of time and effort into it. It is a brilliant fundraiser for the club, and I know that they really appreciate the support they receive. I thank Kathleen Power for sending the results to me each fortnight.
Church News
As we begin the final preparations for Christmas, we have the perfect opportunity to prepare ourselves spiritually for the birth of Jesus. A reconciliation service will take place on Thursday December 22nd at 7.30pm in St. Nicholas’s Church and all are welcome.
The times of our masses for Christmas weekend are as follows: Christmas Eve mass will be celebrated at 7.30pm and on Christmas morning at 10am.
The Christmas collection for the support of the priests of our parish will be taken up over Christmas and Fr. Mick and Fr. Francis hope that you will be as generous as possible. They are aware that there are a lot of demands on people at this time, but they hope that you can support them.
Christmas is always time to thank people so a big thank you to all who give their time to help in our church. A big thank you must go to our wonderful sacristan Ann Nolan who goes above and beyond to keep our church in such good condition. She gives 110% to her work and always with a smile and friendly word for everyone. We are truly blessed to have her.
Medal Presentation
Ballyduff N.S held a special day recently to present medals to their winning teams. Winner of numerous All Ireland medals and the present Waterford U14 Ladies Football Manager presented the medals to the Ballyduff Lower N.S U13 Roinn C Cup Winners 2022. Mayor John O Leary presented the medals to Ballyduff Lower N.S Boys U13 Roinn B Shield Winners 2022. What a wonderful occasion for these young men and women as they continue their journey playing the game they love.
Congratulations also to the staff and pupils of Ballyduff N.S who helped Fr. Mick celebrate the 200th anniversary of our beautiful church recently. I was unable to attend due to other commitments, but everyone I met after it were full of compliments and praise. I thank sincerely the wonderful John Hearne who sent me some fabulous photos which I hope to share with you over the coming weeks.
Recent Death
We were all very saddened to hear of the death of a beautiful lady and friend to many Colie O Brien from Blacknock. When you think of a true Irish Mammy, Colie was up there at the top of the list. She adored her family and once they were happy, she was happy. A devoted wife to her adoring husband Christy they lived their life happily together in their beautiful home in Blacknock. She loved to spend time with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and was very proud of them all. She also enjoyed her garden and the beauty of nature around her and of course many enjoyed her tasty cooking and baking. Blacknock has a lovely community atmosphere, and her neighbours were very important to her, and she was to them. At her funeral I saw her neighbours, even some who had moved away some years ago gather to pay their respects. In my childhood Colie and Christy lived beside us for a while and I always enjoyed Colie’s visits to my mother as she had an infectious smile and loved a good hearty laugh. We pray that Colie is at peace in God’s kingdom where there is no pain or suffering and hope that she is enjoying some good hearty laughs with family and friends gone before her. We send our deepest sympathies to her beloved husband Christy, her children Ann, Carrie and Noel, grandchildren, great grandchildren, sisters, brothers, extended family and many friends. May her sweet gentle soul now be at rest in God’s beautiful garden.
Recent Death
We extend her deepest sympathies to the Walsh family on the death of Philip Walsh, Portlaw and formerly Kilmeaden. Philip will be dearly missed by his sons Declan and Aidan, his daughter Angela, his grandchildren, his brothers Pat and Michael, his sisters Margaret Carlin, Bernie Crotty and Martina O Donoghue and all the extended family and friends. His funeral mass took place in Ballyduff Church with burial in the adjoining graveyard. We pray that he now rests in peace with Christ in his heavenly home.
Celebration Night
Ballyduff Lower GAA club will host a celebration night on Friday December 30th at 8pm in The Sweep Bar to mark the 25th anniversary of our team winning the Junior Championships. Great celebrations were had in 1997 and I have no doubt that the celebrations will continue Friday 30th. There is sure to be a story or two told and many pucks of the ball relived so come along and join the fun.
Christmas Wishes
I would like to extend my sincerest good wishes to each and every one of you. I wish you all the joy and peace of the Christmas season and I offer the hand of friendship and comfort to those of who are finding the season lonely or painful. I sympathise with any of you who have suffered a loss during the year or any of you who are suffering through illness or nursing a family member or friend through an illness. I urge any of you who are hurting or worried in any way to speak about it with a friend or a professional.
Christmas is different for everyone so we must all open our hearts and our minds to the world around us and enjoy and be thankful for what we have and for the people we have in our lives. Life is so precious and none of us know what lies around the corner so all we can do is be grateful for each new day and make the best we can of it. So, this Christmas enjoy those around you and make many memories.
I thank all the contributors to these notes and all of you who take the time to read them. I hope that we will continue to work together in 2023 and look forward to receiving your items for inclusion. Remember you can contact me on 087 9838392 or spillanelinda2017@gmail.com