Out and About in South Laois

The Parents Council of Scoil Tighearnach Naofa, Cullohill are delighted to present this year’s Cullohill Christmas Cracker Family Fun Run / Walk on Sunday 27th December at 12pm.  Entry fee: Adults €10, Under 12’s €5, Family Ticket €30.   Entry fee includes a woollen Beanie hat for all participants. The run is 5km with a 1.5km run for Under 12’s also taking place. Registration will commence in Cullohill Community Centre at 11am with both runs commencing at 12pm.

Participants in the Under 12’s run will be taken by bus to the start line from 11.40am. There will be a prize of €50 for the first male and female in the 5km run, and a prize of €20 for the first boy and girl in the 1.5km run. Refreshments will be available in the community centre after the event. The Parents Council would very much  appreciate donations of sandwiches, buns etc… from the parents of the school children.

Volunteers will also be required for approx 1 hour. Please contact Marian on (086) 8390266 if you can assist. Looking forward to seeing you there!

All the sections are back up and running after new members joined the Third Laois Durrow and current members stepped up to their new section at the beginning of November. There are new challenges waiting for the scouts this year with   numerous trips and camps in the pipeline.

Trip: The Cub section went to Edenderry last Sunday to compete in the County tracks and trails challenge. It was a cold but dry and sunny day in the woods where their skills of camping,   pioneering and emergency were tested. They just missed qualifying for the national event in June but they got a great taste of the good things to come. Keep up the good work.

AGM: The Third Laois Durrow AGM took place in the Den on Wednesday 18th November.

After the stepping down of long term running Group Leader Maureen Campion there was election of a new committee: Chairperson – Eva Maria Dunne; Group Leader – Delphine Lawlor; Deputy Group Leader – Maureen Campion; Secretary – Seamus Comerford; Assistant          Secretary – Debbie Stapleton; Treasurer – Angela Drennan; Assistant Treasurer – Mary Walsh; Quartermaster – Leanne Fogarty; Assistant Quartermaster – Johnny Campion; Spiritual         Adviser – Lorna Campion; Group Trainer – Karen Shortall.

Happy Christmas: The group would like to wish all parents and children a very Happy    Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

The Annual Church Gate Collection in aid of Epilepsy Ireland took place on the weekend of December 12th and 13th. Members of The Harps GAA collected a total of €563.28 in Durrow and Cullohill. Many thanks to everyone for their generosity.

The Irish Blood Transfusion Service and local promoter wish to thank everyone who attended the recent blood clinic in Durrow despite the horrible weather brought by Storm Desmond. One hundred and forty eight attended this clinic. Your kindness and willingness to donate blood is very much appreciated. Once again many thanks.

Ministers of the Eucharist for December: Sunday Mornings: Sheila Finnegan and Padraig Walshe. Saturday Evenings: Mai Bowe and Pius Hennessy.

Readers: Saturday Evenings: December 19th: Noreen Joyce; December 26th and January 2nd: Martin Lawlor; January 9th and 16th: Ann Marie Lawlor. Sunday Mornings: December 20th: Michael Conroy; December 27th and January 3rd: Stephanie Phelan; January 10th and 17th: Bea Alley.

Church Cleaning Rota – December: Maeve Thornton, Eileen Keenan, Brigid Traynor and Angela   Drennan. January: Daisy Dollard, Kay Mahony, Mary Dollard and Babe Duggan.

Christmas Ceremonies in the Holy Trinity Church, Durrow: Christmas Eve Midnight Mass at 9pm; Christmas Morning Dawn Mass at 9pm and Christmas Day Mass at 11am; Saint Stephen’s Day Sunday Vigil mass 7pm; Sunday December 27th Mass at 11am.

Christmas Ceremonies in St. Tighearnachs, Cullohill: Christmas Eve Vigil Mass at 8pm; Christmas Day Mass celebrating the birth of Jesus at 10am; Saint Stephen’s Day Sunday Vigil Mass at 8pm; Sunday  December 27th Mass at 10am.

Congratulations and every good health to Mrs. Kathleen Bolger, Cannonswood, Cullohill on celebrating her 100th birthday on Thursday December 10th. The day began with a Mass to celebrate a wonderful hundred years of life followed by a family and friends party. Everyone in the Parish of Durrow/Cullohill and surrounding parishes wishes Kathleen good health and happiness in her future life.

Durrow Bridge Club continues in the Presentation Centre every week on Wednesdays. The results for November 25th are as follows: First NS – Marie Foley and Jack Murphy; Second NS – Joan and Dickie Dempsey; First EW – Norah Fitzpatrick and Teresa Phelan; Second EW – Ann Dooley and Fr. John Lalor. Well done to all!

The Community Centre in Durrow is available for bookings to hold parties or any sports activities etc… Contact: Mary Walsh (086) 3055157.

On St. Stephen’s Day there will be a walk on the Leafy Loop in Durrow. Assembly time is 11am at the Castle Arms Hotel and walkers will have the choice of a 6km or 10 km route. If you wish to donate monies it will be given to local charities. All are welcome to join in a gentle stroll through the beautiful landscape of Durrow.

There was a full house for the local Woodenbridge   Community Alert Annual General Meeting held on Tuesday 8th December at Newtown Mill. Thanks to our special guests Garda Declan Quinlan, Sgt. Michael Carey, Chief Superintendent John Scanlon, Tara at Newtown Mill for hosting the meeting all who helped with the refreshments (mulled wine tea etc…) and to all who attended making it a very enjoyable get together. Officers for the coming year are Chairman: Michael G Phelan; Vice-Chairman: Kevin Galvin; Secretary: Ann Marie Cannon; Assistant Secretary: Kay Geoghegan; Joint Treasurer: Michael Broderick and Liam Geoghegan.

The Parish Lotto Annual Christmas draw took place in the Castle Arms Hotel after the weekly lotto on Monday last. The winners were; €50 – Ethel and Mick Dunphy, Clonking, Abbeyleix; €50 – Alan Mooney C/O Castle Arms; €50 – Peter Monnelly, Barnhill,    Durrow; €50 – Alison Keenan, Derrywood, Durrow; €50 – Liz Monahan, Erkindale Drive, Durrow; €50 – Joan Dollard, Bishopswood, Durrow; Bottle of Jameson – Noel Cooney, Erkindale Drive, Durrow; Bottle of Gin – Paddy Dwyer, Rath, Durrow; Bottle of Southern Comfort – Lil O’ Brien, Patrick St, Durrow; Bottle of Prosecco – Army Paddy, C/O Castle Arms, Durrow; Bottle of Paddy Whiskey – Pauline Marshell,      Tullaroan, Co. Kilkenny; Bottle of White Wine – Colin Cooney, Seandaoire, Durrow; Bottle of White Wine – Bob Campion, Bob’s Bar, Durrow. Well done to all the winners!

Monday 30th November: There was no jackpot winner of €3,100. The numbers drawn were: 01, 04, 17 and 23. The mini-draw winners were as follows: €30: Quinn     Family, c/o Our Lady’s Meadow; €25: Robert Ryan, Cullohill, Co. Laois; €20: Dan Deegan, Cullohill.

Monday 7th December 2015: There was no jackpot winner of €3,250. The numbers drawn were: 07, 08, 10 and 12. The small draw winners were: €30: Seamus Stapleton, Erkindale, Durrow, Laois; €25: Betty Cooney, Tinweir, Durrow, Co. Laois; €20: Lil O’Brien, Patrick’s St, Durrow, Co. Laois.

Monday 14th December 2015: There was no jackpot winner of €3,400. The numbers drawn were: 10, 11, 14 and 20. The small draw winners were: €30: Noreen Joyce, The Square, Durrow, Laois; €25: Trish Gaughan, Mary St, Durrow, Co. Laois; €20: Angela Hennessey. Mary St, Durrow, Laois.

ST VINCENT de PAUL: Anyone looking for help can contact us on (087) 3476012.

Thanks to all families and friends of Our Lady’s Meadow   National school who supported the annual Christmas shoe box appeal. This year over 130 boxes were handed over to Team Hope. Well done to all.

We would like to remind you all that an AED Defibrillator is located on the side-wall of Cullohill Community Centre. Pat Barnaville (086 8304420) also carries around an AED in his car at all times.

An AED is a portable device that checks the heart rhythm and can send an electric shock to the heart to try to restore a normal rhythm. In the event of a person collapsing and becoming unresponsive: Call 999 (landline) or 112 (mobile); Call any one of our local Defibrillator Responders – their numbers can be found in the Defibrillator box and start CPR immediately while awaiting responder and emergency service.