Latest news with #BallyheaNationalSchool
Irish Independent
23-05-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
Around the Districts: Ballyhea, Castlemagner, Killavullen and Meelin
Church Notes Mass Times – Thursday, May 22, 10 a.m.; Friday, May 23, 10 a.m.; Saturday, May 24, 10 a.m. and 7.30 p.m.; Sunday, May 25, 8.30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament will take place on Thursday after 10 a.m. Mass. Feastdays for the coming week – Thursday, May 22, St Rita of Cascia; Friday, May 23, St Goban; Saturday, May 24, St Jessica; Sunday, May 25 - sixth Sunday of Easter. First Holy Communion – The parish would like to congratulate the children of Ballyhea National School, who received the Sacrament of First Holy Communion on May 10. Collectors for May – 7.30 p.m. Vigil Mass: Eileen Hanley. 8.30 a.m. Mass: Jim Horgan. 11 a.m. Mass: Cathy O'Donoghue. Readers – Saturday, May 24: Louisa Carroll. Sunday, May 25: Sheila Fennessy. Saturday, May 31: Elizabeth Ryan. Sunday, June 1: Sarah Barrett. Church Altar Flower Arrangers – Saturday, May 24, and Saturday, May 31: Gretta Donegan Kenny. Parent & Toddler Group The parent and Toddler Group in Ballyhea is now meeting Friday mornings from 10 a.m. to midday in the Parish Hall. Coffee and tea is provided. €3 donation please. Ballyhea National School enrolment. Application forms (Admission notice) for September 2025 are available on the School Website ( or by calling to the office at Ballyhea NS Completed forms to be returned as soon as possible. Prospective parents may contact the school at 083 1475817 for further information or to facilitate a school visit. Healthy Eating information mornings. Further dates have been added for Healthy Eating information mornings at Ballyhea National School: Monday, May 26, from 9.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. ADVERTISEMENT Come along for information, tips, recipes, demos and mindful meditations to improve overall health' with Joanne O'Callaghan. GAA club news Lotto – The numbers drawn on May 10 were 9, 30, 40. There was no winner of the jackpot of €2,900. Lucky tips winners: €30 Lottie-Mae O'Sullivan c/o Helen O'Sullivan, €30 Timmy Buckley c/o Saturday Morning lotto €30 Anna Corbett c/o Corbett Court. Get your tickets before 5 p.m. on Saturday from Costcutters Ballyhea, Corbett Court, The Idle Hour or from any of the ticket sellers or they can be purchased online at Thank you for your continued support. Groundskeeper Position – A part-time position is available as Groundskeeper for 19.5 hours per week at Ballyhea GAA Must qualify for Community Employment. Please contact Kathleen at 086 836 97 64 for further details. Ballyhea Community Alert Ballyhea Community Alert has successfully set up a Text Alert Network to immediately alert our community when an incident occurs. Prompt information to and from Gardaí deters criminal activity. If you are interested in becoming a member of our Text Alert Network please phone any of the following people for information and sign up details – Phil Ryan 087 2937465, Pat Daly 086 1220114, James Horgan 087 2572271, Willie Meaney 087 1936842, Con Walsh 086 8570355. The fee for this service is €10 annually. CASTLEMAGNER Bealtaine Evening Cabaret The Castlemagner Sinsir Club is delighted to present its much-loved Bealtaine Evening Cabaret on Thursday, May 22nd at 8pm, as part of the annual Bealtaine Festival. This vibrant evening of entertainment will celebrate the creativity and vitality of our older generation, featuring a rich mix of storytelling, solo performances, and group singing from across the Duhallow region. Special guests include singing groups from Donoughmore and Tureencahill, alongside the Castlemagner Community Singing Group, all bringing their unique voices to the stage. In keeping with the reflective spirit of Bealtaine, the programme will also include screenings of locally produced documentaries that capture the essence of community and the season's themes. Held in a warm cabaret-style setting, with the audience seated at candlelit tables and served tea and light refreshments, it is a joyful celebration of the invaluable contribution older adults make to our lives, while also highlighting the power of music and singing to support wellbeing and mental health. All are welcome for what promises to be an uplifting and memorable evening. KILLAVULLEN Leaving Cert Graduations are currently taking place all over the country and we have many young people facing their final exams in school among us. Congratulations on reaching this wonderful milestone in your lives! As you graduate from secondary school, take pride in all you've achieved and the person you've become along the way. This is the beginning of an exciting new chapter, full of endless possibilities. As you step into the future, may you continue to be guided by the values that our parish holds dear. Wishing you all the very best over the coming few weeks! Community Café Killavullen Community Café will be open once again on Tuesday May 27th between 10.30am and 12.30. All are welcome. Table Quiz Killavullen National School Parent's Association would like to thank all who supported their table quiz in The Haven Bar last Friday May 16. There was a great turnout on the night as well as many donations online which is of great benefit to the young people of the school. Ladies football Killavullen LGFA u13 team are looking forward to their North Cork League game V Ballycastle this Thursday, May 22 at 6.15pm. All support appreciated. Farmers Market Killavullen Farmers Market will take place on Saturday, May 24, from 10.30am to 1pm. Come along and enjoy a fantastic range of local food, fresh produce, and handmade crafts. A great way to support local makers and enjoy a friendly community atmosphere. Don't miss out – we'd love to see you there! Chiropody Dates Appointments with our friendly and dedicated chiropodist Patricia are now available for June 14 and July 5. Please contact her at 086 3225052 to arrange an appointment. Lotto Killavullen Community Council Lotto takes place twice a week. The bonus ball of the National Lottery draw is the winning number each Wednesday and Saturday evening. Last week's winners were Chris O'Shea and William Hegarty both having the lucky bonus numbers. Congratulations and thank you to one and all for your support. Schools enrolling Killavullen and Ballygown National Schools are accepting applications for new enrolments in September 2025. Please contact the schools for further details. GAA club news Strong finish secures two more valuable points - Last Saturday night in balmy Killavullen, and a well prepared but rock hard pitch, Killavullen saw off Meelin, in the latest game in the Red FM County Division 7 league. As always it was not so straight forward, as Meelin are a seasoned tough, uncompromising team and you certainly knew you had played a game, afterwards. With several changes from the previous game, due to injuries and unforeseen and unavoidable absences, we started well and had the opening score of the game from Owen Magner, a lovely point from in and around midfield. Meelin hit back though and scored from two close in free's and then from open play before Jamie Magner scored two points in quick succession, to bring us level by the sixth minute. Mikey O Connor edged up ahead from his centre forward berth, but Meelin tracked us all the way and scored the next two points to regain the lead. Sean Woulfe equalised for us, in the 10th minutes, ten minutes that had simply flown by. Darragh O Grady edged us ahead again only for Meelin, to equalise after 15 minutes had elapsed. We were getting very little change out of a teak tough full back line of Meelin, but Colm O Mahony with a deft touch to a high centre from Owen Magner, changed the trajectory of the ball, and was very unlucky to see the sliotar strike the upright and rebound back into the goal keepers grasp and away. We were not quite firing on all cylinders up front though, and the management effected a change by bringing on Seamus O Mahony for Seamus Fox. Jamie edged us ahead again from a dead ball situation but again Meelin, tenaciously fought back to level. Jamie scored a lovely point on the run, but Meelin edged level and then ahead with two close in frees. Colm O Mahony got us level again, with a point from open play, created by Kian Lane and Jamie had us to a score of 10 points with another point from open play, but just before the interval, Meelin got back on level terms, with another point from a free to leave the score at the break 0-10 apiece. Eoghan Buckley was sprung from the bench for Sean Woulfe at the interval. Colm O Mahony scored a close in free for us, that he certainly earned for himself, but Meelin again equalised. Eoghan Buckley then scored a fine point for us, after good initial play from Eddie Cotter and we were unlucky to see a high ball bounce off the crossbar and away to safety. Colm scored another close in free after Darragh was fouled, and then from a breaking ball, Eoghan Buckley pulled first time, and the ball flew over the cross bar at pace, it could have been a brilliant goal, if only a few inches lower. Our half back line of the Cotter brothers on the flanks and Liam Cronin, anchoring in the centre were very assured all night long, when in behind, the returning Kevin Fox, Eoin Birchill and Ronan Barry were tough, and very tough, on a night, when anything else would have been found out. Mikey scored another point from an acute angle, over 20 metres out, but the crowd congregating in and around the shop area, certainly informed the referee that it was over the bar with their vociferous approval. There was 15 minutes gone in the half, at that stage. Meelin scored from a free, and we got a reprieve when their full forward got inside our full back line, and from a very tight angle, his ground shot hit the outside of the post, and away over the end line, Meelin got another converted free, before Colm O Mahony, the recipient of some rough house treatment all night long, got a free that drew ironic jeers from the crowd. We lost a player to a straight red card with seven minutes plus injury time to go, and in the context of the game, it was a very harsh decision. Meelin scored a free, and then playing the ball around well, to exploit their numerical advantage, they brought their score to 0-15 as against 0-16 to us, with four minutes remaining. Eoghan Buckley went back int the centre position of the half back line, and was instrumental in stuffing out any further threats from Meelin. Our forwards worked desperately hard for the remainer of the game, to cover for our numeric loss, and that hard work was rewarded by Owen Magner when he snapped up a ball in a crowded ruck, and his impetus was impended and his brother Jamie scored the resultant free, from in and around midfield. Jamie scored the next point as well, from another hard earned free, before Colm O Mahony fired one over his shoulder to bring our tally to 0-0-19 in the 3rd additional minute of the half. Killavullen finished impressively though, and Brian Cotter set up Owen Magner for another point, before Colm O Mahony scored the final score of the game, to bring our tally to 0-21 in the 35th minute. Killavullen had a shop running over two nights of this weekend, and it was very well supported, so a big thank you to those who managed it, on the nights. It is a great addition to the facilities at the venue. Lotto Jackpot Shared - There was two very local and deserving winners of the local GAA lotto on last Tuesday night, 13th May in the draw, which took place in the Community Centre. The numbers drawn were 7, 12 and 22. The jackpot on the night was, at €2,100. Pa Sheehan, former player and now, minor coach was one winner and got €1,050 for his efforts, and the other winner was Michael Linehan, Main Street, who is the Assistant Lotto Manager, and much, much more in our club. Pa bought his ticket in the Haven Bar, and Micheal sold the winning ticket to himself. Michael also won €1,050 and in an interesting little anecdote, Michael won the Freemount Lotto, on the same date, 6th May, all of 30 years ago. Some coincidences that. The winners of the lucky dips, last Tuesday night, were as follows: €50 - Sheila Barrett (seller John Angland) €30 – Eric Piggott (seller Haven Bar); €20 – Eric Piggott (seller Haven Bar). The next jackpot on next Tuesday night, 30th May will be at €1,000 when we start all over again, with a new jackpot. Killavullen club pick three numbers from thirty six which means that the lotto can easily be won, just you have to play, to have a chance. Purchase your ticket from any committee member or from our website- Thank you for your anticipated and ongoing support. Next Adult Games - Killavullen play Ballyclough, in the Avondhu GAA Football League in Football next Saturday night, in a game to be played in Killavullen at 7.30pm. As is the normal for adult games at the moment, Killavullen GAA will be effecting a shop, from the Red Container, underneath the score board. Killavullen player in Primary School Game - Congratulations to Aveen Curtin who has been selected to play in the primary school game, in Pairc Ui Chaoimh next Sunday, at the half time interval between Cork and Waterford. With Cork needing to win, there is sure to be a huge crowd at the game, and here's hoping that the result favour Cork, and that Aveen enjoys her day. Golf Classic Good interest in been expressed in our annual Golf Classic, which is creeping up steadily upon us. Killavullen GAA Golf Classic for 2025 will be on in Doneraile Golf Club, on the 13th and 14th of June. There is also competitions, for the longest drive for men and women, and nearest the pin on the 8th hole, plus a raffle on the days; it will make for a very enjoyable occasion. Please contact any club official, if you would like to partake, or indeed, assist the club in sponsoring of a green or Tee box. There are a number of ways to support this event: Enter a team of 3 People for €120; the format is Champagne Scramble and there are times available from 11.00am to 5.00pm. We also have a limited number of tee slots, on Friday afternoon. There are a number of excellent prizes for the winners and a meal is included Sponsor a Tee Box for €100; Have your company name displayed on a tee box Sponsor a Landing Green for €50; Have your company name displayed in and around the landing green area If you would like to play or advertise we would be delighted to have you involved. You can revert to John O Donovan on 086-3934232 or simply reserve a slot for your team to MEELIN Thank You Meelin Community Council Committee would like to thank everyone who supported our recent Church gate collection which raised €468.50. Grotto Mass The annual Grotto Mass will take place on Friday, May 30th at 8pm.
Irish Independent
16-05-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
Around the Districts: Ballyhea, Castlemagner and Freemount
Church Notes Mass Times - Thursday 15th May 10am; Friday 16th May 10am; Saturday 17th May 10am & 7.30pm; Sunday 18th May 8.30am & 11am Adoration & Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament will take place on Thursday after 10am Mass Holy Communion - Only those receiving Holy Communion should approach the Altar & only on a seat-by-seat basis. Anniversary Masses - Booked Anniversary Masses are accepted on the understanding that Funeral Masses and Month's Mind Masses take precedence. Month of May - The month of May dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary Feastdays for the coming week - Thursday 15th May St. Carthage; Friday 16th May St. Brendan, Abbot; Saturday 17th May St. Adrio; Sunday 18th May 5th Sunday of Easter. New Crucifix - The Parish has acquired a large out-door Crucifix from the Redemptorist Monastery in Esker, Co. Galway. To defray the purchase and transport costs a subscription list is now open for anyone who would like to support this initiative. Subscriptions may be left into the Sacristy at any time. Collectors for May - 7.30pm Vigil Mass: Eileen Hanley. 8.30am Mass: Jim Horgan. 11.00am Mass: Cathy O'Donoghue. Readers - Saturday 17th May: May Ger. O'Shea. Sunday 18th May: Mary Byrne. Saturday 24th May: Louisa Carroll. Sunday 25th May: Sheila Fennessy. Church Altar Flower Arrangers - Saturday 17th May: Theresa O'Keeffe. Saturday 24th May & Saturday 31st May: Gretta Donegan Kenny. Pilgrimage to Medjugorje – Leaving Cork on August 20 to September 4. Early booking offers available. Money can be paid in instalments to spread out the cost. For more information, please contact Mary Cott, Group Leader 086 1220850. Church gate collections – No church gate collection taken up at St Mary's Church, Ballyhea is endorsed by the parish. Any group or organisation intending to collect outside the church gates are asked to present copies of their permits in the sacristy, together with copies of letters of authorisation of those collecting on their behalf. This should be done before the collection commences. Parent and Toddler Group The parent and Toddler Group in Ballyhea is now meeting Friday mornings from 10 a.m. to midday in the Parish Hall. Coffee and tea is provided. €3 donation please. Ballyhea National School enrolment. Application forms (Admission notice) for September 2025 are available on the School Website ( or by calling to the office at Ballyhea NS Completed forms to be returned as soon as possible. Prospective parents may contact the school at 083 1475817 for further information or to facilitate a school visit. Healthy Eating information mornings. Further dates have been added for Healthy Eating information mornings at Ballyhea National School: Mondays May 19 and 26 from 9.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. Come along for information, tips, recipes, demos and mindful meditations to improve overall health' with Joanne O'Callaghan. GAA club news Lotto – The numbers drawn on 3rd May were 11, 12, 28. There was no winner of the Jackpot of €2800. Lucky tips winners: €30 Padraig Morrissey c/o Eamon Dundon, €30 Bernie Crowley c/o Bernie Crowley €30 Orfhlaith Ryan c/o Dave Ryan, Saturday Morning Lotto Get your tickets before 5pm on Saturday from Costcutters Ballyhea, Corbett Court, The Idle Hour or from any of the ticket sellers or they can be purchased online at Thank you for your continued support. The first 3 numbers of the National Lottery Main Draw will be the Jackpot numbers. If a number higher than 42 is drawn in the first 3, the draw will continue with the next number drawn under 42. The Club appreciates the support of lottery players and supporters during these difficult times and are very grateful for your continued support. Keep safe and the best of luck in draw! Club membership – Membership fees for 2025 are currently being taken. Anyone wishing to pay online can do so by going to and selecting Ballyhea Club. Memberhip can also be paid to any committee member. All players must have membership paid before the commencement of all competitions. Membership fees for 2025: Adult €75, Adult Player €100, Juvenile player/student €50, Family €150, OAP/Unwaged €30. Ballyhea in Black and White – 'Ballyhea in Black and White' is a collection of memories from local photographer Michael McGrath and photos that have been collected. It features some great GAA and camogie memories from down through the years. Books can be purchased at Costcutters shop in Ballyhea for €20. Online Shop – The club's online shop is proving to be very popular. All the latest club gear can be purchased from the O'Neill's website. Check it out at Ballyhea Community Alert Ballyhea Community Alert has successfully set up a Text Alert Network to immediately alert our community when an incident occurs. Prompt information to and from Gardaí deters criminal activity. If you are interested in becoming a member of our Text Alert Network please phone any of the following people for information and sign up details – Phil Ryan 087 2937465, Pat Daly 086 1220114, James Horgan 087 2572271, Willie Meaney 087 1936842, Con Walsh 086 8570355. The fee for this service is €10 annually. CASTLEMAGNER Bealtaine Evening Cabaret returns to Castlemagner The Castlemagner Sinsir Club is delighted to present its much-loved Bealtaine Evening Cabaret on Thursday, May 22nd at 8pm, as part of the annual Bealtaine Festival. This vibrant evening of entertainment will celebrate the creativity and vitality of our older generation, featuring a rich mix of storytelling, solo performances, and group singing from across the Duhallow region. Special guests include singing groups from Donoughmore and Tureencahill, alongside the Castlemagner Community Singing Group, all bringing their unique voices to the stage. In keeping with the reflective spirit of Bealtaine, the programme will also include screenings of locally produced documentaries that capture the essence of community and the season's themes. Held in a warm cabaret-style setting, with the audience seated at candlelit tables and served tea and light refreshments, it is a joyful celebration of the invaluable contribution older adults make to our lives, while also highlighting the power of music and singing to support wellbeing and mental health. All are welcome for what promises to be an uplifting and memorable evening. FREEMOUNT Weekly 45 Drive The weekly 45 Drive was well attended on Sunday night last. The following is a list of the lucky winners. Top prize went to Esther Hayes, Kilbrin and Eileen O'Sullivan, Kanturk. Ladies prize was divided between: 1 Eileen Scott and Delia Conroy, Churchtown; 2 Margaret and Theresa O'Regan, Kilmeedy. Gents prize was won by Frank O'Brien and John Mulcahy, Kilbrin. Mixed prize was won by Mary Noonan, Freemount and Paddy O'Leary, Glash. Spot Prize was won by Mike Scanlon, Feohanagh and Ben O'Sullivan, Freemount. The following won raffle prizes: 1 Maurice Healy, Liscarroll; 2 Paddy Hartnett, Newmarket; 3 Maurice Healy, Liscarroll; 4 Brendan O'Kelly, Ashford; 5 Maurice Healy, Liscarroll; 6 Michael O'Callaghan, Freemount. The 45 Drive continues every Sunday night at 8pm sharp. See you all then. Social Dancing Afternoon dancing continues every Sunday in Freemount Community Centre from 3pm to 5.30pm. All top bands are booked for the year ahead, so set your satnav (P56 P893) and head for Freemount and enjoy a great afternoon's dancing this Sunday May 18th, with music supplied by Bernie Heaney. Coming on Sunday May 25th is Stuart Moyles. Duhallow Heritage Society Duhallow Heritage Society are holding a Photography Exhibition 'Captured Memories: Kanturk in the 50's and 60's through the Lens of Danny O'Sullivan' at Kanturk Library from May 23rd to June 2nd (excluding Bank Holiday June 1st). Launch Night May 23rd, 7pm to 8.30pm. Everyone Welcome. Freemount Community Alert Freemount's Be Alert Text system is set up to help prevent suspicious or criminal activity in our community. The annual membership fee of €10 is now due. Renewal forms are available in Freemount shop or from Josephine (087 2255757). Alternatively you may renew online at and pay using debit/credit card or by PayPal. If renewing online, the Organisation name is Freemount Community Alert, Code FRE0001. We ask you to please join up to help us keep our community safe. Tidy Towns Committee A meeting of the Tidy Towns Team was held last week and a full plan of action has been drawn up. We will meet weekly on Wednesday evenings at 7pm at the Garden of Remembrance All volunteers are welcome and would be greatly appreciated Community Food Services Duhallow Community Food Services provide a home delivery meal service for the elderly or housebound. Meals can be booked on a long or short term basis. Dinner and desert €9.50 per day delivered to your door, Monday to Friday. Menu changes daily and special diets are catered for. Chilled meals are also available for you to heat up at home when required. For further details contact Orlaith/Olive at 029-76375. St Joseph's Church Lismire Mass in honour of St Pio will take place in St Joseph's Church, Lismire on Wednesday May 14th at 8pm. Recent Death The death took place recently of Martin Enright, formerly of Freemount. Martin was a very talented hurler and footballer for Freemount and played a vital role in a number of historic victories for the club. He was a key member of the first Freemount Juvenile team that won a Duhallow Juvenile Championship in 1982. A year later at the age of 16, he was the youngest member of the Freemount under 21 team that won its first ever Duhallow under 21 hurling and football championship. In 1988, he scored 1.1 in the Duhallow Junior Hurling Final Replay against Kilbrin when Freemount won its first ever Duhallow Junior Hurling Championship. Our sympathy to Martin's children Kieran, Martina and Sharon, their mother Geraldine, sister Mary, brothers John, Patsy, Brian, Jerry, Damien and Michael and extended family. May he rest in peace. Thursday Club The next get together of the Thursday Club will take place in Cois Abhann on Thursday May 29th at 2pm. Make a special effort to join us for 2025. Pioneers If anyone would like to join the P.T.A.A. or get a Gold (50 years)/Silver (25 years) Pin, please contact Mary on 087 9744500 or Eileen on 083 4042919. St Michael's Church Weekend Mass in Freemount will be at 6pm every Saturday evening. You can now tune into all Masses in St Michael's Church by tuning into Freemount Church on your phone, computer or tablet, as new equipment has been installed. This is great news for all those unable to attend Mass in Church. Mass on TV - Did you know that R.T.E. broadcast Holy Mass every morning on the News Channel (21) at 10.30 am, Monday to Friday. G.A.A. club news Lotto - Results for weekend May 11th. Numbers drawn were 3-7-12-36. There was no Jackpot winner. Lucky Dip winners were: 1. MaryO'Connell, Ballybahallow, Freemount. 2. Mike and Sadie O'Callaghan, Ballinla, Freemount. 3. Eileen Broderick, Knockeen, Freemount. 4. Graeme Kennedy, Glounicommane, Freemount. 5. Timmy Vaughan,Ballybahallow, Freemount. Jackpot this weekend is €2,000. If you are not in you can't win! Club app - Freemount GAA are delighted to announce the launch of our new app. This app is a one-stop-shop for all things Freemount GAA. Stay up to date with all local news, fixtures and results. Our GAA Lotto is now also available online through the app. To download the app, simply search 'Freemount GAA' in the app store or play store. Your support of the app would be greatly appreciated. Notes
Irish Independent
02-05-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
Around the Districts: Ballyhea, Castlemagner, Freemount, Lismire and Meelin
Church Notes Mass Times – Friday, May 2, 10 a.m.; Saturday, May 3, 10.000 a.m.; Sunday, May 4, 8.30 a.m. and 11 a.m.; Monday, May 5, midday; Tuesday, May 6, midday; Wednesday, May 7, midday (Latin); Thursday, May 8, 10 a.m.; Friday, May 9, 10 a.m.; Saturday, May 10, 10 a.m. and 7.30 p.m.; Sunday, May 11, 8.30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament will take place on Thursday after 10 a.m. Mass. Easter – Thank you to all who attended the Easter Ceremonies, to all who helped in any way, your help is greatly appreciated. Thank you also for the Easter Offerings, late offerings may still be made. Month of May – The month of May dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Feastdays for the coming week – Monday, May 5, Bl. Edmund Rice; Tuesday, May 6, St Francoi's de Laval; Wednesday, May 7, St John of Beverley; Thursday, May 8, Bl. John Sullivan; Friday, May 9, St Louise of Marillac; Saturday, May 10, St Comgall; Sunday, May 11, fourth Sunday of Easter. First Saturday Devotions – First Saturday devotions will take place immediately after 10 a.m. Mass on Saturday, May 3, Photographers Accreditation – Photographers wishing to take photographs for First Holy Communion on May 102025, are asked to contact the sacristy at 086 3016859 to arrange accreditation. No photography or video recording will be permitted without accreditation. First Holy Communion – The Sacrament of First Holy Communion will be administered to the children prepared on Saturday, May 10, at 11 a.m. Collectors for May – 7.30 p.m. Vigil Mass: Eileen Hanley. 8.30 a.m. Mass: Jim Horgan. 11 a.m. Mass: Cathy O'Donoghue. Readers – Saturday, May 3: Louisa Carroll. Sunday, May 4: Sarah Barrett. Saturday, May 10: Elizabeth Ryan. Sunday, May 11: Audrey Morrissey. Saturday, May 17: Ger. O'Shea. Sunday, May 18: Mary Byrne. Church Altar Flower Arrangers – Saturday, May 3: Angela Ryan. Saturday, May 10, and Saturday, May 18: Theresa O'Keeffe. Pilgrimage to Medjugorje – Leaving Cork on August 20 to September 4. Early booking offers available. Money can be paid in instalments to spread out the cost. For more information, please contact Mary Cott, Group Leader 086 1220850. Parent and Toddler Group The parent and Toddler Group in Ballyhea is now meeting Friday mornings from 10 a.m. to midday in the Parish Hall. Coffee and tea is provided. €3 donation please. Ballyhea National School enrolment. Application forms (Admission notice) for September 2025 are available on the School Website ( or by calling to the office at Ballyhea NS Completed forms to be returned as soon as possible. Prospective parents may contact the school at 083 1475817 for further information or to facilitate a school visit. Healthy Eating information mornings Further dates have been added for Healthy Eating information mornings at Ballyhea National School: Mondays 12th, May 19 and 26 from 9.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. Come along for information, tips, recipes, demos and mindful meditations to improve overall health' with Joanne O'Callaghan. GAA club news Lotto – The numbers drawn on April 26 were 11, 25, 29. There was no winner of the jackpot of €2,700. Lucky tips winners: €30 Bernie Crowley c/o Bernie Crowley, €30 David Copps c/o Online lotto €30 Sheila Linehan. Next draw is Saturday, May 3, for a jackpot of €2,800. Get your tickets before 5 p.m. on Saturday from Costcutters Ballyhea, Corbett Court, The Idle Hour or from any of the ticket sellers or they can be purchased online at Thank you for your continued support. The first three numbers of the National Lottery Main Draw will be the jackpot numbers. If a number higher than 42 is drawn in the first three, the draw will continue with the next number drawn under 42. Club membership – Membership fees for 2025 are currently being taken. Anyone wishing to pay online can do so by going to and selecting Ballyhea Club. Memberhip can also be paid to any committee member. All players must have membership paid before the commencement of all competitions. Membership fees for 2025: Adult €75, Adult Player €100, Juvenile player/student €50, Family €150, OAP/Unwaged €30. Ballyhea Community Alert Ballyhea Community Alert has successfully set up a Text Alert Network to immediately alert our community when an incident occurs. Prompt information to and from Gardaí deters criminal activity. If you are interested in becoming a member of our Text Alert Network please phone any of the following people for information and sign up details – Phil Ryan 087 2937465, Pat Daly 086 1220114, James Horgan 087 2572271, Willie Meaney 087 1936842, Con Walsh 086 8570355. The fee for this service is €10 annually. CASTLEMAGNER Annual Novena to Venerable Edel Quinn The Annual Novena in honour of Venerable Edel Quinn will take place in St Mary's Church, Castlemagner, from Sunday, May 4th to Monday, May 12th. Novena prayers will begin each evening at 8.00 p.m., except on Saturday, May 10th, when they will start at the earlier time of 7.30 p.m. to include the celebration of the Saturday evening Mass. Venerable Edel Quinn was born in 1907. Though seriously ill with tuberculosis from a young age, she dedicated her life to God through the Legion of Mary. In 1936, she answered the call to missionary work, travelling to East Africa, where she spent over seven years establishing Legion of Mary groups and spreading the Gospel message. She is remembered for her deep faith, humility, and tireless service despite great physical suffering. Edel died in Nairobi in 1944 and was declared Venerable by Pope John Paul II in 1994. This Novena is an opportunity to come together in prayer, to reflect on Edel's extraordinary witness, and to ask for her intercession. All are most welcome. FREEMOUNT Weekly 45 Drive The weekly 45 Drive was well attended on Sunday night last. The following is a list of the lucky winners. Top prize went to Mike Ryan and Richard O'Donoghue, Newcastle West. Ladies Prize was divided between: 1 Delia Conroy and Eily Scott, Churchtown; 2 Esther Hayes, Kilbrin and Eileen O'Sullivan, Kanturk. The best Gents team was Daithí Burke, Meelin and Mike Scanlon, Feohanagh. The winning mixed teams were: 1 Bridie Farrissey, Freemount and Martin Fahy, Broadford; 2 Kathleen and John Twomey, Meelin. The following won Spot Prizes: 1 Hannah and Ben Cronin, Tullylease; 2 Frank O'Brien and John Mulcahy, Kilbrin. The following won Raffle Prizes: 1 Tom Field, Kilbrin; 2 Margaret O'Regan, Kilmeedy; 3 Nora Mai Deane, Glash; 4 Theresa O'Regan, Kilmeedy; 5 Martin Flynn, Feohanagh; 6 Tom Field, Kilbrin; 7 Kathleen Twomey, Meelin. The 45 Drive continues every Sunday night at 8pm sharp. See you all then. Social Dancing Afternoon dancing continues every Sunday in Freemount Community Centre from 3pm to 5.30pm. All top bands are booked for the year ahead, so set your satnav (P56 P893) and head for Freemount and enjoy a great afternoon's dancing this Sunday May 4th, with music supplied by Glen Flynn. Coming on Sunday May 11th isPaudie Coffey. Comhaltas Congratulations to all our members who participated in the County Fleadh Cheoil in Ballincollig last weekend. We will have a list of all those who qualified for the Munster Fleadh, to be held in Cork in July. Thursday Club The Thursday Club held their A.G.M. last week. The following Officers were elected for the year ahead. Presidents: Ann Madden, and Mary Hannon. Chairperson: Ann O'Reilly. Vice do: Mary Broderick. Eileen Casey. Mary Browne. Treasurer: Mary Noonan. Ellen Hannigan. P.R.O.: P.J. O'Sullivan. Liaison Officer: Denis O'Brien. At the last gathering of The Thursday Club, Ellen Hannigan, on behalf of the members, paid the following tribute to Mary Broderick, who has been Chairperson of The Club since it was founded 23 years ago. 'We in The Thursday Club owe Mary a huge debt of gratitude for her work and dedication to The Club since its foundation in 2001. Back then the H.S.E. set up Centres, called Social Satellite Centres to cater especially for older people, to alleviate loneliness and isolation. Freemount was one of the first places to get a Centre. 'Mary was asked to head it up. She agreed and she has since worked tirelessly to make sure our Thursday Club was successful going forward. 'It was her foresight and vision that kept it going over the was forever looking for new places to go ,and for new things to was continually asking new people to join The Club,(at present we have 36 members) 'She has helped to bring The Club to where she dreamed of,and made it a place where we all love to come. A place where we all feel welcome and valued, and a place where we enjoy the craic ,and we are among people who look out for that comes from the warmth and sincerity of Mary's personality. On behalf of all members of The Thursday Club,we say a very sincere thank you to Mary,a nd wish you and Tim many years of good health and happiness in the future, Go Raibh míle maith agat.' The next get together of the Thursday Club will take place in Cois Abhann on Thursday May 8th at 2pm. Make a special effort to join us for 2025. St Michael's Church Weekend Mass in Freemount will be at 6pm every Saturday evening. You can now tune into all Masses in St Michael's Church by tuning into Freemount Church on your phone, computer or tablet, as new equipment has been installed. This is great news for all those unable to attend Mass in Church. G.A.A. club news Lotto - Results for weekend April 27th. Numbers drawn were 13-21-30-36. There was no Jackpot winner. Lucky Dip winners were: 1. Phillipa O'Flynn, Mallow. 2. Adrian McAuliffe, Ballinla, Freemount. 3. Finbarr O'Flynn, Ballinla, Freemount. 4. Cathrione Collins, Kiltane, Freemount. 5. Margaret O'Mullane, Ballybahallow, Freemount. Jackpot next weekend is €2,000. If you are not in you can't win! Club app - Freemount GAA are delighted to announce the launch of our new app. This app is a one-stop-shop for all things Freemount GAA. Stay up to date with all local news, fixtures and results. Our GAA Lotto is now also available online through the app. To download the app, simply search 'Freemount GAA' in the app store or play store. Your support of the app would be greatly appreciated. Notes Items for these notes should be with the correspondent each Monday night before 8pm. Email osullivanpj38@ LISMIRE Jerry O'Connell RIP It is with sadness that we learn of the passing recently of Jerry O'Connell, one of the founding members of Lismire GAA Club. A gifted tradesman and keen musician Jerry was one of several interested people who came together in the School in February 1972 with the intention of forming a GAA club in the village. At the public meeting, presided over by the Chairman of the Duhallow Board Mr. Frank Healy, Jerry O'Connell was elected the club's first Secretary. Jerry passed away peacefully in the wonderful care of the staff at St. Columbanus Nursing Home, Killarney. The club extends its sincere condolences to his extended family. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis. At that inaugural meeting of the club in 1972 at which there was an attendance of over fifty people the following officers were elected: President: Very Rev. Canon Michael O'Dwyer, PP Kanturk. Vice Presidents: Rev. Peadar O'Kane cc and Rev. Donal McCarthy cc Kanturk. Chairman: Jack Sheahan. Vice Chairman: Bob McCarthy. Treasurers: Donal Kearney and Paul Kelly. Registrar: Ben Finn. Secretary: Jerry O'Connell. Assistant Secretary: Miss Patricia Kearney. Delegates to the Duhallow Board: Donal Duane, Christy O'Connor, Maurice Aherne and the Secretary. Selection Committee: Donal Duane, Maurice Ahern, Christy O'Connor, Christy Begley and Eddie Ahern. Ducon Cup Fixture Lismire went under to Lyre in the Ducon Cup Junior Football competition on Sunday last in Banteer on a 0.14 to 0.9 scoreline. Lismire lined out as follows: Cathal Field, Neil O'Connor, Stephen Kiely, Stephen Bourke, Paddy Duggan, Conor Sheahan, Eamon Hayes, Michael McSweeney, Daragh O'Keeffe, Jeremy Lawlor, Cian O'Sullivan, Stephen Jones, John Daly, Rory Sheahan, Darren O'Sullivan. MEELIN Quinlan's Bar T.R. Dallas will play in Quinlan's Bar Meelin on Saturday 3rd May at 10.00pm. Come along for a great night's craic. Admission free. Meelin Community Council Meelin Community Council's annual church gate collection will take place on Sunday 11th May. Your support would be greatly appreciated.
