Direct from Durrow

Durrow Development Forum will hold a Cake Sale to support the Cuisle Centre, Portlaoise on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th of April after both Masses. Cakes can be dropped in for sale before Mass on each day. Please do call in for a cup of tea, coffee, cake and a chat to support this very worthy and local cause.

The committee are holding a used clothes collection which will be collected from the Community Hall at the end of April. Bags of used clothes can be left into the Hall each morning, 9.00am to 1.00pm from now until the end of April. No duvets, pillows or cushions to be included as they will not be    accepted. This is an opportunity to do a clean-out of used clothes and by doing so, you will be supporting the Community Centre and The National Council for the blind – and this would be very much appreciated!

Durrow Development Forum would like to thank everybody who came to the Tidy Towns meeting. The support was greatly appreciated and the meeting for both      residents and businesses was enlightening. We look forward to working together over the   coming months to improve Durrow and for those who could not attend, we look forward to  seeing you at the next meeting.

Unfortunately we are unable to run the bring and buy sale during the week at this years Scarecrow Festival due to the increased      entertainment and lack of room. It was a very difficult decision to make and we apologise to all our regular participants.

There will be a Scarecrow volunteer meeting in the Library, Durrow at 8.00pm on Wednesday 5th April. If you would like to be involved in the   festival, be it for an hour or more, please do come and meet on the night. Also if you have an idea for a scarecrow but are unsure of how to put it all together, please do come to the short meeting and our committee will be happy to discuss and assist you with same.

For any young adult or college student – are you interested in working with young people? Now is your chance to see if this is a career path that will suit you. If you would like to volunteer for the annual Scarecrow Summer Camp, please contact us through our Facebook Scarecrow Page as soon as possible so we can arrange Garda Vetting and bring you on board for the 2017 Scarecrow Festival!

The School is now enrolling new pupils for the 2017-2018 term. Please contact the School at (057) 8737281 for further details.

Visit www.laoisweather.com for the latest weather data from Durrow.

Eucharist Ministers Rota – April 2017: Saturdays – Willie Dunne; Sundays – John Kelly and Maura Fitzpatrick.

Church Cleaning Rota – March 2017: Angela Drennan, Maeve Thornton, Eileen Keenan and Brigid Traynor.

Ossory Pilgrimage: The Ossory Pilgrimage to Lourdes will take place this year from May 22nd to May 27th inclusive. Price per person sharing is €775 which includes bus transport to and from the Airport. Bookings through the Glenmore Parish office: (051) 880414. Office hours Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9.30am to 1.30pm. Very Rev. Michael A. O’Connor P.P. will be the director of the pilgrimage.

SYMPATHY is extended to the Walsh family, Brandra, Ballinakill on their recent bereavement.

Is your child doing enough study? Supervised study for Secondary School Students is held every Saturday from 9am until 1pm in The Presentation Centre, Durrow. For €24 your child will be getting 16 hours of supervised study time with study skills given. For more information please contact (087) 9510587.

A group of students from Heywood Community Students were crowned All Ireland Joutes Oratories debating champions at the Alliance Francaise in Kildare Street,  Dublin recently. The competition started off with twenty eight schools competing. Heywood Community School came out on top after debating five times throughout the year. Team captain Joe Phelan, Durrow; Conor McGavin, Timahoe; Ava Lalor, Abbeyleix and David Vesey, Abbeyleix received the cup from a   representative from the French Ambasador. The students were mentored throughout the competition by Ms. Olive Guest who said it was a great honour for the school to take this accolade. Well done to all.

CONGRATULATIONS to Alan and Stephanie Dwyer, Lisdowney and Erkindale Drive, Durrow, on the birth of a son.

Congratulations to Catherine Alley, The Square, Durrow and Terence O’Sullivan, Cork on their marriage this weekend.

WHIST: The results of the Killermogh Parishes March Whist Drive are as follows: Top Score – Berni    Cahill; First Lady – Nuala Phelan; Second – Lady Eileen Phelan; First Gent – K. Phelan; Second Gent (Tie) – K. Conroy and M. Doheny; Quarters – Pauric Phelan, Ray Seale, Damien Carter and Kathleen Kavanagh; Juvenile – Erin Lalor; Low Score – Bridie Metcalfe. The raffle winners were – Des Finnamore, Louise Kavanagh, Patricia Delaney, Eugene Murphy and Des Finnamore. The next Whist Drive will be held on April 20th at 8.30 pm in the Parochial Hall, Cork Road, Durrow. All are welcome.

Cullohill and Durrow Flower and Garden Club meet next in The Community Centre, Cullohill on Monday 10th April at 8.00pm when we will have Mary Keenan from Gash Gardens, Castletown as our speaker. Her speech will be on “From a blank canvas to a colourful border” Visitors always welcome to attend.

The group are holding a Social Club meeting on Thursday 6th April from 2.30pm to 4.30pm in the Portlaoise Parish Center. Our Social Club is open to people with Dementia and their loved ones as an informal get together. You will have access to information and   support and exchange ideas and experiences whilst enjoying a cup of tea in a relaxed environment. For further information please ring – Ann Munnelly on (086) 8372168.

Anyone looking for help can contact us on (087) 3476012.

Monday 13th March 2017 – There was no jackpot winner of €12,650. The numbers drawn were 04, 07, 09, 28. The small draw winners were: €30: John Sarah and Michael O’Leary Tinweir, Durrow, Co. Laois; €25: Margaret Deegan, Cullohill, Co. Laois and €20: Jim Mooney, Fermoyle, Attanagh, Co. Laois.

Monday 20th March 2017: There was no jackpot winner of €12,800. The numbers drawn were: 06, 10, 12 and 14. The small draw winners were: €30: Army Paddy, c/o The Castle Arms Hotel; €25: Molly Dollard, c/o Our Lady’s Meadow School; €20: Una O’Connell, Cullohill, County Laois.

Monday 27th March 2017: There was no jackpot winner of €12,950. The numbers drawn were: 10, 20, 23 and 25. The small draw winners were: €30: Marie Dowling, Ballyragget, Co. Kilkenny; €25: Siobhan Bowe, Caponellan, Durrow, Laois; €20: Megan Dwyer, Watercastle, Durrow, Laois.

The Results of the of Durrow Bridge Club’s last meeting on March 15th is as follows: First – Ann Fitzpatrick and Dolly Harding; Second – Babe Duggan and Phil Mahony; Third – Josie Murphy and Bridget Nolan. Durrow Bridge Club continue their Bridge Club meetings every Wednesday night at 7.45pm in the Presentation Centre, Durrow. All are most welcome.

Ladies spectacles in Dunmore wood car park a few weeks ago. Contact (086) 8263368.

Progressive 25 Card Games are held in the hall every Sunday night at 8.30pm sharp followed by tea and sandwiches. Please support!

This year, 2017 is the 100th anniversary of the O’Brien’s starting their Headstone business in Durrow. If anyone has any old pictures of the Quarry on the Derry Road, Sean would be delighted to hear from you. You can email them to seanobrien1957@eircom.net or phone Sean on (086) 2656657 if you have them in paper form. Any additional details such as the names and date of the picture would be greatly appreciated.

Durrow Library are looking for donations of old and new Lego in order to start a Lego Club aimed at children from the age of 6 up. Please contact Lori at the Library or to lmoriarty@laoiscoco.ie by email. Your donation would be greatly accepted and appreciated.

Midland Cakes by Rita along with Kyle Farm Potatoes and Fresh Veg are both at the Saturday Market every Saturday morning from 8.30am to 12 noon in the CAIT Centre, beside the Catholic Church in Durrow. For more information, please phone Rita on (085) 8423201 or Marie on (087) 7742506. Do drop in on Saturdays!

The Anglers held their first two trout fishing competitions of the season. On St. Patrick’s Day they held their first competition of the season for the Michael Walsh Cup. First was Seanie Delahunty, Second – Seamus Coffey and Third – Jonathan Stapleton. Juvenile – First: Keelan Carroll, Second: Shane Shortall and Third: Ryan McDonald. On Sunday March 19th they held a trout fishing competition for the Billy Lawlor Memorial Cup. First were Tommy Coffey, second – David Walsh and third – Pat Dunphy. Juvenile: First – Keelan Carroll and second Shane Shortall.

Membership cards are available in Lawlor’s Gala, Daybreak, Lawlor’s Flower Shop and from Michael Walsh. Membership cards are available in Lawlor’s Gala, Daybreak, Lawlor’s Flower Shop and from Michael Walsh. Membership Fees for the year are as follows: Senior €40, OAP and Juveniles €5. Day   permits will cost €15. Grantstown Lake: Senior €30, OAP and Juveniles €5 and Day permits will cost €10.

The next competition for the Anglers will be on Easter Sunday, April 16th. All members will receive a text outlining full details of the competition. Members will fish for The Mick O’Rourke Memorial Trophy.

The Ladies who compete every year in the Mini-Marathon on the June Bank Holiday Monday are reminded to register now as demand for places on the starting line is very high and will fill up very quickly. This year the funds raised will go to Motor Neurone Research. Sponsorship cards and t-shirts are available from Susan Lawlor.