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Chimalli Institute of Mesoamerican Arts
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Ma Tiakan Timazewalmeh!
Mesoamerican Ballgame
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Hijacking History
The Virgin of Tepeyak
Posted on December 7, 2020 December 7, 2020 by Kurly Tlapoyawa
A brief history of la Virgen de Guadalupe
When Spanish forces under the command of Hernando Cortes first set foot on the eastern coast of Mexico on April 22, 1519, they christened the site of their landing Veracruz, "the true cross" (Cortes et al. 2001:4). Within five years of Cortes' arrival, a group of Franciscan missionaries arrived in Mexico, tasked with converting the previously unknown indigenous people to Christianity. These missionaries brought with them a worldview forged in the apocalyptic and millenarian ideas that had become characteristic of Spanish Franciscanism.
Driving this project of missionization was what J. L. Phelan described as "the millennial kingdom of the Franciscans in the New World" (Phelan 1970). In this essay, I explore the millennialist roots of these early Franciscan missionaries and argue that their apocalyptic beliefs not only influenced the emergent Mexican identity but directly resulted in what is easily Mexico's most recognizable national symbol: the Virgin of Guadalupe.
The Legacy of Joachim of Fiore
"The beginning of the last preaching of the gospel on the eve of the end of the world."
The millennialist worldview held by Franciscan missionaries to the New World were rooted in the writings of Joachim of Fiore, a Cistercian abbot who lived from 1130–1202 CE. Fiore led a controversial reform of his order and established a monastery in which a vow of poverty was required. Historian Delno West has called Fiore "the most important apocalyptic writer and exegete of prophecy in the Middle Ages" (West 1989:294). Fiore is best known for developing an outline of world history in which humanity would pass through three "ages," (figure 1) ending in an age of the Holy Spirit (Whalen 2009:102–108).
Guided by Joachimist thought, Franciscan missionaries sought to create a "New Jerusalem" in Mexico, in which "The age of the Holy Spirit, the return to primitive Christianity, the millennial kingdom promised in revelation, and the restitution of Eden all coalesced to inspire a new Church worthy of its New World" (Graziano 2010:42–44). The conduit that introduced Joachimist thinking into Mexico was the ecclesiastical province of San Gabriel in Extremadura, Spain. San Gabriel was the home province of the first Twelve Franciscan missionaries sent to Mexico.
Figure 1. The three Ages of Joachim of Fiore
The province of San Gabriel was established by Fray Juan de Guadalupe in 1518. Fray Guadalupe advocated a return to the strict observance of the vow of poverty, and his ideas were directly inspired by the Joachimist theology and writings of the "Spiritual" Franciscans of the thirteenth century. As Georges Baudot observed, the fact that this newly established province was so deeply influenced by Joachimist thought meant that any events surrounding the discovery of the New World, as well as the subsequent victory of Cortes in 1521 would inevitably be interpreted in this light (Leisa Kauffmann 2010:122–123).
In his fourth letter to King Charles V, Cortes petitioned for Franciscan and Dominican friars to spread the gospel in the new world (Cortés et al. 2001:332–335). Charles V responded by appointing Fray Martin de Valencia of San Gabriel to lead a group of twelve Franciscans to Mexico, a deliberate reference to Christ's twelve disciples. Among the twelve were Martin de Valencia, Geronimo de Mendieta, and Toribio de Benavente, the last of whom would eventually take on the Nawatl name "Motolinia." These first twelve missionaries sought to create a monastic spiritual church in the new world based on the vita apostolica, a concept that sought to reclaim the primitive church through three principles: "poor, simple, and penitential" (McDonnell 1955). They viewed their mission as the "beginning of the last preaching of the gospel on the eve of the end of the world" (Phelan 1970:23).
A Millennial New World
On May 13, 1524, the twelve missionaries departed Spain and headed to Mexico. These men saw themselves as inheriting the legacy of the Spiritual Franciscans and were therefore "convinced that they were beginning the last great preaching of the Gospel before the end of the world, that the New World was, in fact, the platform for the third age of history, the Age of the Spirit" (Weckmann 1982:97). This reference to the "Age of the Spirit" is a clear indication of how deeply rooted the twelve missionaries were in Joachimist thinking. Their belief that a New Jerusalem was to be established in Mexico was reinforced by the popular myth that the indigenous people of the Americas were descendants of the lost tribes of Israel (Durán and Heyden 2009:3–11).
One of the most influential of these "new" spiritual Franciscans was fray Toribio de Benavente, or "Motolinia" as he preferred to be called. Motolinia wrote a book titled La Historia de Los Indios de la Nueva España, a collection of three treatises detailing the history of the Indians of New Spain. Given that Motolinia's worldview was shaped by Joachimist thought, it is apparent that the book's organization into three separate sections is not without meaning.
As Leisa Kauffmann notes: "The three-part structure of the Historia de los indios de la Nueva España can be seen as a rough superimposition of Joachim's three stages of history onto Mexican reality. The Age of God or the Old Testament (the time of the Israelite's darkness and wandering, their idolatry) corresponds to the description of Aztec religious practices in Treatise One, the vision of Mexico as a world of darkness and deception, in servitude to the "Prince of Darkness." The Age of Christ or the New Testament (the salvation of mankind through the coming of a Messiah — Jesus) corresponds to the descriptions of the Franciscans' establishment of the sacraments of baptism, marriage, and penitence in Treatise Two. Finally, the Age of the Spirit, the millennial reign of the saints, corresponds to the extolling of the Mexican landscape and the faithful Indian Christians in Treatise Three" (Leisa Kauffmann 2010:123–124).
On June 18, 1539, a group of recently converted Tlaxkaltekah natives gathered in the central plaza of Tlaxkala, a vast city-state located to the southeast of Mexico City, to perform a mock battle in celebration of Corpus Christi. This theatrical event, titled "The Conquest of Jerusalem" was written by Franciscan missionaries (Motolinía 1950:109–120). In it, thousands of Tlaxkaltekah warriors engaged in a fierce battle against "The Great Sultan of Babylon," whose infidel forces were occupying Jerusalem (Restall 2004:120–121). After several hours, the Tlaxkaltekah forces emerged triumphantly, and the bloody reconquest of Jerusalem was complete. Motolinia prefaced his description of this event by "praying that this prophesied victory would soon happen" (West 1989:293).
Other prominent Franciscan missionaries sent to New Spain included Diego de Landa, Gerónimo de Mendieta, and Bernardino de Sahagun. Diego de Landa was one of the first Franciscans sent to the Yucatan peninsula and is infamous for burning approximately 5,000 Maya ceremonial images and books during an auto de fe on July 12, 1562 (Timmer 1997). Bernardino de Sahagun sought to record Nawa history and cosmovision in as much detail as possible so that his fellow priests would be better equipped to identify and weed out Mexican "idolatry." His efforts resulted in the twelve-volume Florentine Codex, a massive undertaking written in both Spanish and Nawatl.
Gerónimo de Mendieta was born in 1525 and entered the Franciscan order in Bolbao when he was twenty years old. In 1554 he traveled to Mexico to spread the gospel and learn the Nawatl language. Once in Mexico, Mendieta lived in the monastery of Tlatelolko and spent most of his time working on the book that would make him famous, the Historia eclesiástica Indiana, a chronicle of the early evangelization of the New World. The church initially prohibited the publication of this work, declaring that it contained millenarian Joachamist ideas (Martínez 1980:189–191). The Historia was eventually published in 1870, after being rediscovered by the historian Joaquin Garcia Icazbalceta. As previously noted, the millennialist views brought to Mexico by Franciscan Friars manifested themselves in a variety of ways, from the production of Nawatl language plays to the public destruction of "works of the devil." However, no millennial concept would have a greater influence on the Mexican people than the Virgin of Guadalupe.
The Dark Woman of the Apocalypse
"Aside from her association with a traditionally sacred space, her female gender, and her reputed powers over natural forces, the Mexican Guadalupe was an eminently European image that had little meaning for the native worshipper."
It may come as no surprise that the famous Virgin of Guadalupe of Mexico has its origins in the province of Extremadura, Spain. After all, Extremadura had served as ground zero for apocalyptic Joachimist teachings. According to the Guadalupe tradition, it was in Extremadura that a Spaniard named Gil Cordero discovered a small image of the Virgin Mary (figure 2) on the bank of the Guadalupe River sometime in the middle of the thirteenth century (Lafaye 1987:219). The Christians of Seville may have buried the small wooden image in the year 714 while fleeing the Moors (Lafaye 1987:220). The name of the river "Guadalupe" appears to be an Arabic/Latin compound word meaning "river of the wolf." Cordero built a small hermitage on the site of his discovery, in honor of "La Virgen de Guadalupe," or "The virgin of the wolf river" (Nebel et al. 2013).
The discovery of the carved image was viewed as a sign from God. In 1337, King Alfonso XI visited the hermitage, asking the Virgin for assistance in his battle against the Muslims. On October 30, 1340, the unified Castilian and Portuguese forces led by Alfonso XI defeated the Muslim Marinids of North Africa at the battle of the Salado River. King Alfonso credited the victory to his faith in La Virgen, and he ordered a Monastery built on the site of the hermitage (Lafaye 1987:222). To help spread the veneration of "our lady," artists began to paint replications of the carving and earned money for the shrine by selling prints of it. The images' influence quickly grew.
Figure 2. La Virgen de Guadalupe, Extremadura, Spain.
Among the devotees to La Virgen was a soldier named Hernan Cortes. Cortes was fanatically devoted to the worship of La Virgen de Guadalupe, and he carried an image of her on his banner (figure 3). In 1519, Cortes invaded the valley of Mexico, bringing the image of La Virgen with him to the New World. It was Cortes' banner that served as the "official" flag of the Spaniards until the first Spanish officials began to arrive. It is said that Hernan Cortes was so devoted to the Virgin of Guadalupe that he had a special necklace commissioned and sent back to Extremadura as an ex-voto, though not all historians agree with the historical veracity of this claim (Muller 1968).
Other prominent devotees to La Virgen included King Ferdinand II, Queen Isabella I, and Christopher Columbus. It was during a pilgrimage to the Monastery of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 1486 that Columbus negotiated the royal sponsorship of his proposed voyage to India. When Columbus returned from his 1492 journey, he visited the shrine to thank the Virgin of Guadalupe for granting him a safe and successful voyage. As a symbol of his gratitude, Columbus named the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe in her honor. Eventually, a shrine in honor of Cortes' beloved Virgin of Guadalupe was established in Tepeyak, near Mexico City.
Figure 3. Virgen de la Conquista del Estandarte o Pendon de Hernan Cortes. Museo del Castillo de Chapultepec, Cdad. de México, D.F.
The shrine at Tepeyak attracted a small but loyal following, leading fray Diego de Santa to request that it be renamed, as "the Guadalupe of Tepeyak was making people forget the Guadalupe of Extremadura, and that many who contributed to the ermita believed that their money was going to Spain" (Poole 2004:72). As Catholicism spread, several community-based cults sprung up throughout Mexico, each centered around the veneration of a different Catholic figure. Guadalupe's small following among Spanish and Indigenous Communities was a "relatively local phenomenon" (Peterson 1992).
Sometime around 1556, a new painting of La Virgen was placed inside of the shrine at Tepeyak. It is this image that we most closely identify with La Virgen de Guadalupe today (Figure 4). While the authorship of this image is unclear, it is generally accepted to be the work of indigenous artist Marcos Cipac de Aquino (Poole 2004:63). In a now-controversial sermon delivered on September 8, 1556, fray Francisco de Bustamante mentioned that the image hanging in the shrine had recently been "painted by an Indian" (Poole 2004:60), and was detrimental to the "Indian neophytes already confused between adoring what was on the altar made of "cloth, paint, or wood" and the true mother of god who is in heaven" (Peterson 2005:584).
Figure 4. La Virgen of Guadalupe: Tilma Image, Marcos Cipac de Aquino, 16th century
Oil and Tempera on Cloth, Basilica de Guadalupe, Mexico D. F.
In 1648, The creole priest father Miguel Sanchez hoped to popularize the shrine at Tepeyak by writing a book titled "The image of the Virgin Mary." It was in this book that the modern myth of "la Virgen" was born. Sanchez wrote the book hoping to attract more followers to the temple at Tepeyak, and establish Guadalupe as the "primary Virgin Mary in New Spain" in an effort to overshadow the Virgen de los Remedios, which was favored by Spaniards who had been born in Spain (Peterson 1992:42).
According to Sanchez's story, on December 9, 1531, the Virgin Mary appeared to a recently Christianized Nawa by the name of Juan Diego on the hill of Tepeyak. Juan Diego reported his encounter to the Catholic Archbishop Zumarraga, who at first did not believe him. Once again, Mary appeared to Juan Diego, and once again Archbishop Zumarraga did not believe him. A few days later on December 12, 1531, Mary appeared once more and caused flowers to grow on the barren hill. She then told Juan Diego to gather up the flowers in his tilma, a long cloak made of cactus fiber, and take the flowers to the Archbishop as proof of her appearance.
When Juan Diego unfolded his Tilma in front of the bishop to let the flowers fall out, it was revealed that "Mary" had left an image of herself on the Tilma. This "miracle" tilma, made of simple maguey fiber and bearing the image of La Virgen, is allegedly the same tilma that hangs in the temple at Tepeyak, which is now known as "La Basilica de Guadalupe" (Lasso de la Vega et al. 1998). With the publication of Sanchez's book, Marcos Cipac de Aquino's modest painting was transformed into a sacred object through literary invention–an immaculate deception, if you will.
"A woman clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars."
The painting of Guadalupe created by Marcos Cipac de Aquino bears little resemblance to the Guadalupe figure that sits in Extremadura, Spain. Aquino's tilma at Tepeyak appears to be a hybrid image, combining two popular Marian themes: The Woman of the Apocalypse as described in Revelation 12:1, where she is "A woman clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars," and common depictions of the Assumption of the Virgin. A comparison of the famous tilma image to Marian depictions which were widely available at the time strongly suggests that they served as a visual basis for the tilma image (figures 4–6). Of particular note is the Virgen del Coro, which hangs in the Monastery of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Extremadura, and was created in 1499. The following are just a few examples of the images Marcos Cipac de Aquino had available as inspiration for his famous painting.
Figure 4. Virgen del Coro, Monastery of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Extremadura, Spain c 1499
Figure 5. The Madonna and Child in a Rosary, ca. 1490
Figure 6. Detail of "The Assumption of the Virgin," Ambrogio di Stefano da Fossano, c 1500
The site of Tepeyak was most likely selected because it had been the location of ceremonies venerating the female deity figures (Teteoh) known as Chikomekoatl "seven serpent" and Ziwakoatl "serpent woman" (Lujan and Noguez 2011). By placing a shrine in honor of La Virgen de Guadalupe at Tepeyak, the Spaniards hoped to subvert an indigenous sacred space and transform it into one of Catholic obedience. Every September 8th, a feast day was held in honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe, as was the practice in Spain. However, the task of supplanting an Indigenous sacred site for a Catholic one proved more difficult than they had hoped, as ceremonies in honor of Nawa mother deities persisted at this location.
In the Florentine Codex, Sahagun expressed his frustration at the Indigenous preference to recognize the shrine of Guadalupe as the location of "Tonantzin." Tonantzin means "our beloved mother" and is a common title associated with various traditional Nawa mother deities. Sahagun argued that this confusion of La Virgen with Tonantzin was "something that should be remedied, for the correct native name of the Mother of God, Holy Mary, is not Tonantzin but rather Dios inantzin (literally "the mother of god"). He continues, "It appears to be a satanic invention to cloak idolatry under the confusion of this name, Tonantzin. And they now come to visit from very far away, as far away as before, which is also suspicious, because everywhere there are many churches of Our Lady and they do not go to them. They come from distant lands to this Tonantzin as in olden times" (Bernardino et al. 2012:Introduction and Indices, 90).
Indigenous participation at the Guadalupe shrine was not driven by faith in her image, but rather the desire to continue venerating the ancestral mother figures of Chikomekoatl and Ziwakoatl, both of whom held the title of Tonantzin. It is also clear that the Spaniards were struggling with how to resolve this issue of perceived "satanic idolatry." After all, Indigenous patrons to the shrine had little interest in La Virgen de Guadalupe. As Jeanette Peterson notes "Aside from her association with a traditionally sacred space, her female gender, and her reputed powers over natural forces, the Mexican Guadalupe was an eminently European image that had little meaning for the native worshipper" (Peterson 1992:40).
Eventually, the official feast day of La Virgen de Guadalupe was changed from September 8th to December 12th. It is unknown exactly when this took place, but the effort to distance the Guadalupe of Mexico from the Guadalupe of Spain was no accident. Indigenist critics have long decried the Mexican Guadalupe as a tool invented by the Spanish to indoctrinate Indigenous people under the guise of Tonantzin, but as I have demonstrated, this is not the case. Mexico's Indigenous people felt no special relationship to Guadalupe beyond her place as one of several Catholic images brought from Spain. In fact, the motivation behind the invention of a distinct Mexican version of Guadalupe is far more mundane: it was all about the money.
The Virgin's association with the image in Extremadura meant that the majority of donations collected at the Tepeyak shrine were diverted to the monastery in Spain. The Creole plan was simple: craft a new image of the Virgin that was visually distinct from the Guadalupe statue in Extremadura, establish a new feast day in her honor, and create an origin story that reframes her as an American apparition. By disconnecting the Mexican version from her Spanish roots, the Creoles could claim her image as an independent event. As a result, all of the alms collected at her shrine in Tepeyak would remain in Creole hands. She was transformed from a source of Spanish economic control into a symbol of Creole identity and independence (Lafaye 1976:232–238)
La Criolla Rises
"The Virgin's apocalyptic iconography embodied all the components of the creole program: to verify the miraculous apparitions of Guadalupe as an American phenomenon, to justify the conquest, and to glorify Mexico"
The image of La Virgen de Guadalupe, preserved in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, depicts a woman standing atop a crescent moon being supported by a small angel, her blue mantle covered with golden stars. She has a small black band tied around her waist, a common indication that she is pregnant. The image is a graphic representation that Christ is to be "born" again among the peoples of the New World, and is a message as relevant to the "New World" today as it was during the lifetime of Juan Diego.
As years passed, tensions in Mexico grew between Spaniards born in Spain (peninsulares, or the more pejorative "gachupines") and the ethnic Spaniards who had been born in Mexico, known as Creoles (Peterson 1992:40). The Creoles established an identity for themselves as the true chosen people of the New World and pointed to the "miraculous" appearance of La Virgen de Guadalupe as described in Father Miguel Sanchez's book as evidence of their preferred status. The Creoles referred to La Virgen as "La Criolla" and saw her alleged appearance in Mexico as proof that they were the chosen people of the New Jerusalem. After all, According to Stafford Poole "She was born a second time, not in Judea but in New Spain, her new homeland, whose people were specially favored by her" (Poole 2004:214). The Virgin of Guadalupe became a symbol of Creole divine providence, as "The Virgin's apocalyptic iconography embodied all the components of the creole program: to verify the miraculous apparitions of Guadalupe as an American phenomenon, to justify the conquest, and to glorify Mexico" (Peterson 1992:42).
In the eyes of the Creoles, the Virgin of Guadalupe was the perfect nationalistic symbol. Despite their European heritage, the Creoles felt as though they were being treated as second-class citizens by the "pure" Spaniards. Fray Juan de Villa brought this view to the forefront in a sermon delivered on December 26, 1733, when he declared that "As God gave Moses the Law on the mountain, so he gave Zumarraga the image on a hill" (Poole 2004:183). These tensions came to a head on September 16, 1810, when a Creole priest named Miguel Hidalgo de Castillo rallied his fellow Creoles in a struggle for Independence from Spain with his famous "Grito de Dolores," a call to arms that ended with the words "Long live Our Lady of Guadalupe! Death to bad government! Death to the gachupines!" Ultimately, the Virgin of Guadalupe was effectively made "into a utopic vision for the evangelization and colonization of the Americas, as a way to defeat paganism, to realize a New Jerusalem, and ultimately to endorse the formation of a Mexican nation" (Peterson 2005:610). It was Father Hidalgo's grito that transformed the Virgin into a national patroness, her image emblazoned across banners and flags during the war for independence as a symbol of creole resistance to Spain.
Miguel Hidalgo, issuing his famous "Grito de Dolores."
Following the Mexican revolution of 1910–1920, a wave of nationalism based on the exaltation of Mexico's Indigenous past swept across the nation. It was during this time that the image of La Virgen de Guadalupe was reinvented as a symbol of Indigenous pride. Reproductions of her image were often darkened to signify her position as Indigenous patroness. Efforts were made to conflate the image of Guadalupe with those of Nawa mother deities–a misguided practice that continues to this day. Some of her more ardent followers even crafted an addendum to her origin story, claiming that she originally spoke to Juan Diego in the Nawatl language. In this updated version of events, she refers to herself as "Coatlaxopeuh," a word that allegedly translates as "she who crushed the serpent's head" which in turn was misunderstood by Spanish priests who mistook the name for their beloved Guadalupe of Extremadura. However, this attempt at reframing the myth rings hollow, as the word Coatlaxopeuh does not translate to an actual word, nor does it follow basic rules of Nawatl grammar (M. Pharao Hansen, personal communication, November 29, 2020). Essentially, the word is a nonsensical invention.
Millennialism Triumphant
Today the Virgin of Guadalupe stands as one of Mexico's most recognizable national symbols, rivaling the Mexican flag itself in terms of popularity. Her image is found emblazoned on votive candles, rosaries, t-shirts, murals, and all other manner of religious and secular art. Every year on December 12th, the day of the virgin's alleged appearance to Juan Diego, thousands of Mexican faithful flock to the Basilica at Tepeyak to venerate her image and pray for the Virgin to intercede on their behalf.
In 1996, Monsignor Guillermo Schulenberg Prado, the abbot of the Basilica, was forced to resign after publicly doubting the historical veracity of the virgin's appearance to Juan Diego (Dillon 1996). Despite numerous analyses of the tilma, all showing that the "miraculous" story of the image is nothing more than an elaborate hoax, Pope John Paul II canonized Juan Diego as a Saint on July 31, 2002. The Virgin of Guadalupe and the story of her appearance to Juan Diego at Tepeyak remain firmly entrenched in the collective Mexican and Mexican-American identity. One could say that the influence of Joachim of Fiore continues to radiate throughout the Mexican countryside and Chicano barrios of the United States. She remains an immaculate deception, brought to Mexico by Spanish invaders, and forcefully grafted onto the Mexican psyche by creole nationalists.
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Exploring the Aztec feast of Tepeilwitl
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H-1B visa: Premium processing for applications to resume next month
ByRichard Moran
May 29, 2020 —
Accelerated "premium processing" for H-1B applications will resume next month, the federal government announced this week.
The $1,440 service, which buys employers a 15-calendar-day processing period, will become available starting in June, in stages depending upon visa type, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration announced.
The agency in March said premium processing would not be available at the April 1 start of the visa-processing season to help cut processing times. Citizenship and Immigration has temporarily suspended premium processing at the start of each H-1B application period since 2017.
For H-1B applications subject to the annual 85,000 cap on new visas, including for foreign citizens on F-1 student visas, premium processing will become available June 22, the agency said in an advisory. When the agency suspended premium processing this year, it initially said the service would resume by May 27 for F-1 holders. But while it will miss that deadline, the June 22 resumption of premium processing for other cap-subject applications will come a week earlier than the agency had previously specified.
For applications on behalf of workers who have previously been counted toward the cap, the premium service will become available June 8.
The H-1B visa, intended for jobs requiring specialized skills, is heavily relied upon by Silicon Valley's technology giants, which push to expand the annual cap, arguing they need more visas to secure the world's top talent. Critics cite reported abuses, and contend that outsourcers, staffing companies and major tech firms use it to supplant U.S. workers, drive down wages and facilitate outsourcing.
The administration of President Donald Trump has promised to reform the visa, and has dramatically increased denial rates for outsourcers and staffing companies, but has not followed through on pledges to redefine what work qualifies for the visa, or to strip employment authorization from spouses of H-1B holders on track for green cards.
Some H-1B visas — for institutes of higher education, government organizations and non-profits — are not subject to the annual cap. Premium processing will start June 8 for already-submitted cap-exempt applications awaiting adjudication. On June 15, the service will resume for cap-exempt applications filed June 8 or later.
Richard Moran
Richard Moran loves to write about sports with the Golden State Online. Before that, he worked as a senior writer at ESPN. Richard grew up in San Diego and graduated from the University of San Diego in 2004, after which he worked as an editor for five years.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Niantic Gets Surprisingly Frank About Their Failings With Pokémon Go
The developer also makes clear that 80-meter interaction distances are here to stay
Image: Niantic
In June, Niantic announced they were intending to start reversing some of Pokémon Go's measures put in place to make the game safer to play in the midst of a global pandemic. At the beginning of August, they stunned everyone by going through with it, reducing key distances from 80 meters to 40, despite huge fan uproar. Three weeks later they finally backed down, and now have put out a statement that's surprisingly frank about how badly they fucked it all up.
"Niantic has a lot of room to grow when it comes to communication with our players," is how the statement from POGO executive producer Steve Wang puts it. A refreshingly straightforward and honest comment, in an industry that is much more likely to obfuscate with corporate bollocks about "improving developer-player synergies" or what-have-you.
When Niantic announced they were setting up a "taskforce" in response to just how much they'd pissed off their players this summer, I admit I was pretty sceptical. They'd decided to reduce interaction distances in their game by half in the US and New Zealand right as the Covid Delta variant was causing deadly new spikes in both countries. It was patently stupid, and it didn't seem like it needed a friendship circle and trust falls to recognize that.
But when the outcome is frankness like this, it seems a positive result for players. Firstly, Niantic have made clear that they've finally realized that 80m interaction distances for Pokestops and Gyms just plain make Pokémon Go a better game, and it's here to stay, worldwide. Secondly, they've taken on board that they're absolutely terrible at listening to and communicating with their player base.
On the 80 meters, Wang is extremely clear:
"We understand that the increased 80 meter interaction distance became a welcome benefit for many players — that is clear from the feedback we saw from the community. So we want to keep it: as announced last week, 80 meters (not 40 meters) will be the base interaction radius for PokéStops and Gyms globally from now on."
This is great news, and honestly, it's extraordinary that they somehow hadn't taken this on board over a year ago, when it was so loudly being communicated by everyone playing the game. However, that's the sort of thing that will hopefully improve with the other part to this confession:
"We should be communicating and engaging more with Trainers. I hope that, with your patience and understanding, we can do better here."
Recognizing that there are lots of ways they could improve, Wang's statement lays out three to start with. From October they will publish a "developer diary" every other month, which will "share the latest priorities, events, and features for the game."
Then they plan to continue with what they called their taskforce, having "regular conversations with community leaders to continue the dialogue we began this month."
Finally, for now, there's a pledge to improve the game's "Known Issues" page, which until now has been laughably dreadful. Think of an issue you know about the game: it won't be on there. But, Wang says, it now "will prioritize bringing greater visibility into the status of existing bugs for Trainers."
The post waffles on a bit about how important it is that Pokémon Go gets people out and walking, and "discovering interesting places," and of course that's why they were so desperate to get those interaction distances back down again, no matter how deadly the scenario. Nothing to do with how people are more likely to spend money on Remote Raid Passes if they can't reach their nearest gym from home, no sirree.
It also recognizes that they're just not equipped to "effectively adjust the experience on a country-by-country basis," and so from now on, changes to the game will be global. Which, again, is pleasingly honest. As is the closing statement:
"The lack of communication regarding the PokéStop and Gym interaction radius was not handled well on our part, and it was a great learning experience on how to better engage with our players moving forward."
So kudos for that.
CultureNews


text:
Moon (Original Soundtrack Recording)
by CLINT MANSELL
Label: Black Records
1. Welcome To Lunar Industries
2. Two Weeks & Counting...
3. I'm Sam Bell
4. I'm Sam Bell, Too...
5. Memories (Someone We'll Never Know)
6. Are You Receiving?
7. Can't Get There from Here
8. "We're Not Programs Gerty, We're People"
9. The Nursery
11. We're Going Home
12. Welcome To Lunar Industries (Three Year Stretch)
"One of Hollywood's most exciting film composers" – DAZED & CONFUSED
Clint Mansell's emotionally gripping and melodically thrilling score for psychological luna-drama Moon is released on July 20th on Black Records.
Directed by Duncan Jones, starring Sam Rockwell and Kevin Spacey, Moon is a science fiction thriller about a solitary lunar employee who finds that he may not be able to go home to Earth so easily. Having premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, Moon opens in the UK on July 17th.
Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) is an employee contracted by the company Lunar to mine on the Moon the natural gas Helium 3, which could reverse Earth's energy crisis. Stationed alone on the lunar base Sarang with only a robot named Gerty (voiced by Kevin Spacey), Sam is two weeks away from completing his three-year assignment, when he begins feeling out of place…
Former 'Pop Will Eat Itself' frontman Clint Mansell - now based in Los Angeles - has become the go-to composer for independent Hollywood cinema. Producing peerless soundtracks to award winning Darren Arronofsky films Requiem For A Dream, The Fountain and most recently The Wrestler.
Clint brings his award winning film scores to the UK for the very first time at the Union Chapel on 20th July. In a truly unique live event, he will be joined by a live band and the Sonus Quartet playing the highlights of his burgeoning composing career.


text:
Abbedyfeale notes
PROLOGUE; Mistakes are painful when they happen, but years later a collection of mistakes is what is called experience.
DEATH: Sincere sympathy is offered to Eileen and sons on the death of Billy Finnegan, Mountcollins. May he rest in peace.
BLESSING OF EASTER BASKETS: The annual blessing of Easter Baskets which is a tradition in the Polish community takes place on Holy Saturday, April 3 at the Grotto side of the Car Park at 12 noon. Families are asked to remain in their cars and Fr. Tony will go to each car.
TROCAIRE: The Trocaire Lenten campaign provides us with an opportunity to reach out in support to those who are most in need in the world, enabling us to fulfil one of our Lenten observances to help the poor. Abbeyfeale has a great tradition of supporting Trocaire and Fr. Tony says "I know you will be generous in your donations to this year's campaign". Trócaire chief executive Caoimhe de Barra said that "Lent is the engine that keeps our programmes going throughout the year. The public in Ireland always rally behind our campaign. While this year will be different, we hope the public will continue to support our life-saving work overseas." While boxes are still available to be picked-up at churches nationwide, there are up to 50 per cent fewer boxes in circulation. Trocaire Boxes in Abbeyfeale parish can be handed in on Good Friday between 4pm to 7pm. We suggest that where possible that people make their donation in notes rather than coin. If you are writing a cheque make it payable to Trocaire or make your donation directly to Trocaire.
HOLY WEEK 2021: Unfortunately, due to the ongoing restrictions it is not possible to have parishioners attend the ceremonies. We will continue to broadcast all our ceremonies online. Despite the restrictions we encourage parishioners to link into the various ceremonies. We have done a great deal of preparation to make these liturgies as meaningful as possible. We invite you and your family to join us through the internet service. The schedule is also up on our parish website www.abbeyfealeparish.ie and throughout Holy Week we will remind people through Facebook each day of what is happening and at what time. This year the diocese is putting on a number of ceremonies online and we have included the dates, times and links. We invite you in whatever way possible to keep this week sacred. We are all busy in our own lives with so many things to do and so many things to worry about. Perhaps this week we can take some time to reflect on our faith and the significant role in plays in our lives. These days we hear much talk about wellbeing. For people of faith the greatest source of wellbeing is found in the person of Jesus Christ. Sacred Space: We encourage parishioners to create a sacred space in your homes during Holy Week. This could be located on a little table, or a window ledge. In your sacred space place, a white cloth, some palm, a little dish of water, a small towel, a crucifix and a candle. These are the sacred symbols of Holy Week. They will help you to focus on the various ceremonies as we journey together. Mass Intentions: Wednesday 10am Kathleen Clarke nee Kelly Knocknasna. Thursday 7pm Mass of the Last Supper, Birthday Remembrance for Ann Romaine. Good Friday Day of Fast and Abstinence 3pm Passion of the Cross. 8pm Stations of the Cross. The main Church building will be open on Good Friday after the 3.00pm ceremony to allow parishioners to venerate the Cross. This year because of the restrictions parishioners can venerate the Cross by making a reverent bow before the Cross, spend a little time in prayer and then return home. The Church will be open from 4.00p.m. to 7.00p.m. Parishioners visiting the Church are advised to observe social distancing at all times. .No Saturday morning Mass Holy Saturday 8pm Easter Ceremonies. The main Church building will be open on Good Friday after the 3.00pm ceremony to allow parishioners to venerate the Cross. This year because of the restrictions parishioners can venerate the Cross by making a reverent bow before the Cross, spend a little time in prayer and then return home. The Church will be open from 4.00 – 7.00p.m. Parishioners visiting the Church are advised to observe social distancing at all times. Easter Sunday 10am Bridie Nally nee Harnett Brooklyn, NY 1st Anniversary James Nally and deceased family members Dromtrasna O'Brien. 12 noon Bridget Foley. Hannah and John O'Doonoghue, Knocknasna. Parish Finance: Sincere thanks to parishioners who continue to support the church through their weekly offerings. Your weekly contributions enable us to keep the parish functioning and we are grateful for that. As well as using the weekly envelopes, parishioners can also use the DONATE button on the parish website www.abbeyfealeparish.ie. An increasing number of parishioners are opting to use this electronic donating system. It is a completely secure and confidential method of supporting the church. . Fr Tony Mullins 0872600414, Fr Dan Lane (Retired) 087/2533030, Fr Denis Mullane 087/26219.
VIRTUAL FLEADH BY THE FEALE: A major benefit of running our fleadh workshops virtually this year is being able to access tutors from all over the world. We are thrilled to have Billy tutoring with us this year all the way from Maryland, America! This is such a wonderful opportunity for any accordion players out there. We strongly advise that you register ASAP as spaces are filling up quickly. See our Facebook page for registration details.
WEST LIMERICK MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION: WLMHA have a Face Book page open to the public. Log on and share for news of courses, help lines, inspirational words etc.
BATS IN SPRINGTIME: Spring has arrived and our resident bats are coming out of hibernation and beginning to feed again along the hedges, ditches and woodland areas. Bats are mammals, just like us, not rodents. The female has just one pup per year and a bat lives to be 7 years on average. We have 4 species of bat regularly seen in Abbeyfeale and in the surrounding area. Abbeyfeale Town Park is an ideal place in which to see bats. Irish bats eat only insects and one bat can eat 3000 insects per night. Remember that a bat can only feed at night and only if the temperature is moderate (there are no insects on cold nights). Also nights that are very wet or windy are hungry nights for bats, so a bat needs to eat well on every available night. In 2020 one colony of bats numbering 76 was monitored in Abbeyfeale Town Park and they would consume 1,500000 midges per week. To help our bats along, Abbeyfeale Community Council, under the chairmanship of Maurice O'Connell, has secured a supply of bat boxes. These boxes are placed on trees and give shelter and resting places to bats. Many of these bat boxes will be erected in Abbeyfeale Town Park and we also have some for distribution in the local area. Remember that the presence of bats is a great indicator of a healthy environment. Bats will only live where there is access to clean water, a good variety of plants and no pesticides in use, so if you are sharing your environment with bats, you are living in a healthy place. If you would like a bat box for the bats in your area please contact Maurice (086 163 1639) or James (087 2500 929) and we will be delighted to help.
TAKEOUT AVAILABLE: We all need something to look forward to during these months of pandemic so why not treat yourself to a meal from Leens Hotel. Available from 1-8pm seven days a week. Ring 068 31121 to place an order from their special Easter Menu. Conor Mc Carthy's Kitchen Table has also reopened for Takeaway and the Green Gourmet in Convent St. is open for takeaway until 3pm Monday to Friday.
MANAGING STRESS IN OUR DAILY LIVES: Free online SHEP (Social & Health Education Programme) Course for 12 people only. The Covid 19 situation over the last 3 months has been challenging for everyone and brought significant stresses across all society. The ongoing situation makes it important that we, individually and as communities, look at how we best care for our wellbeing. This course is for people who would like to work together with others in a supportive environment to explore ways to enhance their well-being and ways of managing stress. This 8-week course will start on Thursday, April 15 and finish on Thursday, June 3, eight Thursdays in a row from 10.00am to 12.30pm. It is essential to register for this course by contacting Adrienne O'Connell on 087 2773294 or aoconnell
CLEAN-UP; Team Limerick (TLC) clean up year 6 will go ahead this Good Friday April 2. It was not held in 2020 due to Covid-19, and our communities show all the signs. The event will have to be Covid compliant as we could still be in Level 5. Individuals and groups are asked to register for the clean-up by logging on to www. teamlimerickcleanup.ie More details will be announced in the coming weeks.
DANGER: Pre-schoolers who use electronic media regularly are more likely to have social issues, according to recent reports.
DARKNESS INTO LIGHT 2021: You can join us at Sunrise – Saturday, May 8.
Sadly this year again we can't come together as a community and walk together, but we can still join Pieta and Electric Ireland for a special Darkness Into Light sunrise, and give the gift of hope to those impacted by suicide and self-harm. Join in any way you can – walk, swim, and bike or simply share your sunrise moment. While we know the majority of people will want to rise on the morning of May 8, you can still wear your yellow t-shirt and do your own walk or challenge at any time that suits you. We know that the yellow Darkness Into Light t-shirt is very important to a lot of people, with many wearing it as a badge of honour. T-shirts are available this year as part of the registration, but if you have an old Darkness into Light t-shirt we would love if you could reuse it. This keeps our running costs down and is kinder to our planet. Our Early Bird tickets are in place until March 31 : Adult – 18+: Early Bird €21; Standard €26. Concession – Early Bird €16; Standard €21. Child – Early Bird €5; Standard €5. Baby/Toddler – €0; Standard €0. Family (max 2 adults + 5 children €52; Standard €6
Or can Take the Challenge. Raise vital funds for suicide prevention. Create your very own Darkness Into Light Challenge – whether you choose to organize a 10k hike, run a marathon, skydive or sea dive, your fundraising will support lifesaving suicide prevention services. All funds raised through donations and fundraising will go back into funding the services that Pieta provides, free of charge to those who need them most. Sign up to Darkness Into light before March 31 and you'll automatically be entered into a draw to win a year's free electricity from our proud partner Electric Ireland. A big thank you to all at Electric Ireland for this amazing prize and their continued support of Darkness Into Light. Visit www.darknessintolight.ie to sign up.
FREE ONLINE START YOUR OWN BUSINESS TRAINING: If you are thinking of starting your own business or if you have recently become self-employed, join our free four part Start Your Own Business Training starting Wednesday, April 14. For further information or to book your place, please contact Brenda Heath at bheath
WEST LIMERICK COMMUNITY RADIO: Community Radio is very distinct from Local Commercial radio, providing access for rarely heard voices, diversity in programming including music, and acting as a means of community expression. No more than 50% of revenue can come from commercial sources. WL102fm are relying on tickets sales for their weekly draw to keep them on air as this is the only fundraiser that they can hold at the minute. Tickets are available in Kathleen's Food Store, Convent St., Mikey's stall in the Square and Moss the Farmers'.
NOTICE TO PUBLIC: As a result of the Coronavirus, all West Limerick Resources events, Training Courses, Workshops and Face-to-Face Meetings are postponed until further notice. Staff are available to respond to clients and community groups by email or phone in relation to West Limerick Resources work and projects. Please check our Website on www.wlr.ie or Facebook on https://www.facebook.com/WestLimerickResources for further updates or contact the main office landline 069 62222 with any queries and you will be directed to the appropriate staff member.
LOCAL ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE: Are you interested in developing or expanding your social enterprise? Have you an innovative approach to addressing community needs? 'Cooperating to Succeed' is an imaginative yet practical programme designed to support social entrepreneurs, providing a year-long training and support package, tailored to your current needs. For further information please contact kmurray or 069 66294.
JOBS: Follow facebook.com/WestLimerickJobs for daily posts on job vacancies and training opportunities throughout West Limerick.
ABBEYFEALE COMMUNITY ALERT: Red C research has discovered that 55% of Irish people have received a fraudulent text, email or call. Do not answer if you don't recognise the number and do not click on a link and definitely do not give your Pin Number. Another thing is do not post details on FB like your mother's maiden name or what type of a car did you drive in your youth because questions such as these are often used as security questions by the bank when you are looking to borrow money. An Garda Síochána is asking the public to be aware of the rise in investment fraud scams. Unfortunately such scams are become prevalent, particularly during the pandemic due to increased online traffic and targeting of the general public by criminals using ever increasingly sophisticated means. An investment fraud scam is a fraud where criminals pose as investment managers, promise quick and high rates of return, and simply steal your money. The fraudster uses various investment schemes such as in rare metals, overseas property, and alternative energy schemes such as carbon credits and forestry. Promises are made of fast, enormous returns, once in a lifetime opportunities and can be seen to be endorsed by reputable business people or celebrities but this is without their knowledge. How to avoid Investment Fraud scams: If it is too good to be true, it probably is. Do your own research and be wary of wild claims. Always seek independent financial and legal advice before making any investments. Check the various registers on the Central Bank of Ireland's website. Use regulated investment firms where possible (Virtual assets are not currently regulated in Ireland). Do not respond to unsolicited approaches or cold-calls. Don't click on links for websites that you don't know. NEVER EVER disclose your bank account passwords or codes. NEVER allow anyone remote access to your computer. Further information on investment and other fraud types can be found on http://www.garda.ieand www.fraudSMART.ie Romance scams have also become very prevalent in the age of Tinder where relationships are built up on social media and eventually he or it could be a she will look for a loan in order to come and visit you – God be with the days of Tobin's Hall when all he'd want was the convey. Abbeyfeale Gardai can be reached on 068 30010. If the phone is unattended it will be patched through to NCW. Contact will then be made with the Abbeyfeale Gardai. When you reach the age of 65 and live alone or with a person/s aged over 65 you are entitled to receive a monitored alarm system. But if you have younger people living in the house who are out for long periods of the day then, because you are spending hours alone you are also entitled to the system provided that you are over 65. The free equipment is provided by Pobal following an application from Abbeyfeale Community Alert, there will be a monitoring fee to be paid from the second year of installation to the installing company of €72. There may be some confusion over the word free – the equipment which costs in the region of €400 is provided free of charge by Pobal as is the first year of monitoring but after that you will be charged by the installing company for the monitoring. I have not included the phone numbers of the committee in this notice but if you want to get a panic button then ring Abbeyfeale Garda Station on 068 30010 and they will contact one of us. Should you not have a landline the installing company Task provide a sim card at a rate of €7.50 per month payable from day one with a deposit of 6 months payable on the day of installation.. Then, in year two you will also receive a bill for the monitoring fee so in year one the bill will be €90 and in year two and every other year after it will €162 approx. If you wish you can arrange a direct debit and pay this amount off monthly. Committee members are Michael O'Kelly N.T., Chairman Seamus Stack, Secretary Mossie Gleeson, Assistant Treasurer Kathleen Collins, Assistant Secretary Mary McArthur, John O'Sullivan, Billy Quirke N.T., Cllr. Francis Foley, Catherine Daly, Maurice O'Connell, Assistant Treasurer Marian Harnett.
.HELPLINES: COVID-19 Support Line for Older People: The support line is open every day, 8am-8pm, by calling 081 822 2024. Hospice Bereavement Line 1800807077 Monday to Friday 10am – 1pm. Jigsaw support line is now up and running on freefone 1800 JIGSAW (544 729). It will provide free mental health support and advice to young people aged 12 to 25 years old, and parents or concerned adults who live in the Republic of Ireland. Text 50808 to receive support from a volunteer. A helpline for Men suffering domestic abuse operates 36 hours a week on 1800816588. Men's Aid (Amen) 01 5543811 Monday – Friday 9-5pm. 24 hour helplines for women suffering domestic abuse 1800 341900 or Adapt 1800 200504. Limerick Social Services: 061-314111. AA 061/311222 Al-Anon 086/8143425. Parent Support worker 068/31019. Accord NCW 069/61000. Samaritans Freephone 116123 or text 087/2609090 or email Aware (Depression & Anxiety) 1980 303 302 National Suicide Helpline (Pieta House) 1800 247 247 Irish Advocacy Network (Peer advocacy in mental health) 01 872 8684 Pieta House (Suicide & self-harm) 01 623 5606 IACP (Counselling & Psychotherapy) 01 230 3536 Shine: (Supporting people affected by mental ill health) 01 860 1620 061 – 412111 or Free phone 1850609090 A.A. 061-311222. ACCORD; are now offering over the phone counselling for couples, Individuals & family members during this time of unprecedented stress & pressure during these weeks of COVID-19. Call: 01 5313331. Al-Anon 086-8143425 Bereavement Support: 068 / 31203 068/ 31262 068/51984 St Vincent De Paul Tel 087/1213560. Counselling Appointment 061/314213. .
DO YOU HAVE NEWS: If there is something you'd like covered in the Abbeyfeale notes please contact me on 087 6866450 or email me on marianharnett1
abbeyfeale notes
PROLOGUE: You only live once but if you do it right, once is enough.
DONATE A CALF FOR CANCER: in conjunction with The Listowel Mart. We are asking farmers to bring their calf or calves to the Listowel Mart on March 24 and donate the proceeds to Palliative Care. For more information, please get in touch by email at info or by phone at 087 1755324. There is also a Go Fund me page if you'd like to donate some cash.
KNOCK: Congratulations to Knock which was elevated to International status by the Pope last Friday. The apparition site there is now of the same stature as Lourdes and Fatima and no doubt, when life returns to a semblance of normality will see pilgrims coming from all over the world. A new museum opened in a small town outside Rome in honour of the famous Italian sculptor Lorenzo Ferri. In 1960, Ferri created the beautiful statues which portray the Apparition scene at Knock and which now stand in the glass Apparition Chapel, on the spot where 15 ordinary villagers witnessed something extraordinary 136 years ago.
LEGION of Mary will hold its Annual Consecration to Our Lady on Palm Sunday at 3.p.m. via the Killarney Cathedral Webcam. www.churchservices.tv/killarneycathedral. Please join us in making this consecration to Our Lady. This is the Centenary of the Legion of Mary 1921– 2021. The Legion of Mary will celebrate 100 years in September 2021.
SUMMER TIME: British summer time officially starts at 1am on Palm Sunday.
HEARTBEAT PRESENTS A SPECIAL ZOOM NIGHT FOR CARERS. Dr. Margaret Clifford Consultant in Palliative Medicine and Care with Kerry University Hospital will talk about special care and services in home and hospital. Zoom Meeting Monday March 29 sign in 7.30pm for 8pm. Receive the codes by texting Billy at 085 1773 910 or Email heartbeatkillarneykerry
ST. PATRICK'S DAY CONCERT IN CHURCH: PP Fr. Tony Mullins writes "Our sincere thanks to the Murphy family and Denis Curtin for the wonderful concert that they put on in the Church after the Vigil Mass for St Patrick's Day. We know that there were over 1,100 links to the concert through the Church Services TV Network. Our intention was to reach out to parishioners both at home and abroad so that we could celebrate St Patrick's Day. The music and song along with the celebration of Mass prior to the concert, certainly gave a much-needed lift to our spirits during this time of lockdown. We are grateful to Donal Murphy for organising the concert and to Riona Curtin and Katie O'Connor for the beautiful music and song during the celebration of Mass which Fr Dan celebrated in Irish. From messages received all was very much appreciated by parishioners both in Ireland and from around the world from Dublin to Dubai, from New York to London.
OUTREACH TO FRONTLINE HEALTHCARE WORKERS: Fr Chris O'Donnell and the Pastoral Outreach team are offering another opportunity for front-line healthcare workers to take time out on Thursday, March 25. There will be two sessions on the day, one at 3pm and another at 8pm. You can register on the link below to receive the Zoom link:https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/healthcare_breather
REVIVE YOUR LIFE: Live Streamed Event for Young People
Tired of being bored? Frustrated with life? Are you restless? Why not join The Holy Family Mission for Music, Prayer and Sharing. 'How God has worked in our lives! On Friday, March 26 from 7.30pm -8.30pm. Live-Streamed on www.HOLYFAMILYMISSION.IE Holy Family Mission is headed up by Fr Patrick Cahill who is a regular visitor to the annual Abbeyfeale Parish Faith Camp.
Or can Take the Challenge. Raise vital funds for suicide prevention. Create your very own Darkness Into Light Challenge – whether you choose to organize a 10k hike, run a marathon, skydive or sea dive, your fundraising will support lifesaving suicide prevention services. All funds raised through donations and fundraising will go back into funding the services that Pieta provides, free of charge to those who need them most. Sign up to Darkness Into light before March 31st and you'll automatically be entered into a draw to win a year's free electricity from our proud partner Electric Ireland. A big thank you to all at Electric Ireland for this amazing prize and their continued support of Darkness Into Light. Visit www.darknessintolight.ie to sign up.
VIRTUAL FLEADH BY THE FEALE: Do you want to be a part of Fleadh by the Feale's 2021 virtual weekend? The organising committee have been in touch; "We are looking for any local musicians, singers or dancers to send us a video clip of themselves to be in with a chance of featuring on this year's virtual weekend! Performers of all ages welcome. Note: Video maximum length of 3 minutes. Video must be taken landscape orientation. Videos must be sent via WhatsApp to 0877419343 by Friday, March 26. At the start of your video please state: Your name. Where you are from. We are looking forward to sharing some local talent with you all".
LOCIAL ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE: Are you interested in developing or expanding your social enterprise? Have you an innovative approach to addressing community needs? 'Cooperating to Succeed' is an imaginative yet practical programme designed to support social entrepreneurs, providing a year-long training and support package, tailored to your current needs. For further information please contact kmurray or 069 66294.
STATIONS OF THE CROSS: will be aired on the Radio 99.9fm every Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 4pm. The Stations are on the Radio only, so you can listen from your own homes.
TAKEOUT AVAILABLE: We all need something to look forward to during these months of pandemic so why not treat yourself to a meal from Leens Hotel. Available from 1-8pm seven days a week. Conor Mc Carthy's Kitchen Table has also reopened for Takeaway and the Green Gourmet in Convent St. is open for takeaway until 3pm Monday to Friday.
CHURCH CLOSURE: Fr Tony Mullins 0872600414, Fr Dan Lane (Retired) 087/2533030, Fr Denis Mullane 087/26219. Due to current restrictions around Covid-19 parishioners are not allowed to attend Mass inside the Church Building but you are more than welcome to attend Mass in the Church Car Park in the comfort of your own car and listen to Mass on the Car Park Radio on 107fm. Due to current restrictions only 6 people are allowed to attend weddings and 10 to attend funerals. The Blessed Sacrament chapel is open every day from 11-6pm for private prayer. During Lent there will be adoration of the Blessed Sacrament every Monday evening from 6-7pm and on Thursday mornings after the 10am Mass until 12 noon. St Anthony Novena take place each Monday evening during the 7pm Mass. Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help each Friday morning at 10am Mass. Stations of the Cross every Friday at 9.30am. Mass Intentions: Thursday 10am Eva White, Killarney Road. Friday 10am Kathleen Clarke nee Kelly, Knocknasna and Dublin died recently. No Saturday morning Mass 6.30pm Patrick Sonny O'Sullivan The Hill. Paddy & Kit O'Donovan and Family. John Brennan Senior & Junior late of NY Killarney Road and Tipperary. Sunday 12noon Mary B Kelly, Julia Kelly and Sr Maria Kelly Knocknasna. Parish Finance: Sincere thanks to parishioners who continue to support the church through their weekly offerings. Your weekly contributions enable us to keep the parish functioning and we are grateful for that. As well as using the weekly envelopes, parishioners can also use the DONATE button on the parish website www.abbeyfealeparish.ie. An increasing number of parishioners are opting to use this electronic donating system. It is a completely secure and confidential method of supporting the church
ABBEYFEALE COMMUNITY ALERT: An Garda Síochána is asking the public to be aware of the rise in investment fraud scams. Unfortunately such scams are becoming more prevalent, particularly during the pandemic due to increased online traffic and targeting of the general public by criminals using ever increasingly sophisticated means. An investment fraud scam is a fraud where criminals pose as investment managers, promise quick and high rates of return, and simply steal your money. The fraudster uses various investment schemes such as in rare metals, overseas property, and alternative energy schemes such as carbon credits and forestry. Promises are made of fast, enormous returns, once in a lifetime opportunities and can be seen to be endorsed by reputable business people or celebrities but this is without their knowledge. How to avoid Investment Fraud scams: If it is too good to be true, it probably is. Do your own research and be wary of wild claims. Always seek independent financial and legal advice before making any investments. Check the various registers on the Central Bank of Ireland's website. Use regulated investment firms where possible (Virtual assets are not currently regulated in Ireland). Do not respond to unsolicited approaches or cold-calls. Don't click on links for websites that you don't know. NEVER EVER disclose your bank account passwords or codes. NEVER allow anyone remote access to your computer. Further information on investment and other fraud types can be found on http://www.garda.ieand www.fraudSMART.ie Romance scams have also become very prevalent in the age of Tinder where relationships are built up on social media and eventually he or it could be a she will look for a loan in order to come and visit you – God be with the days of Tobin's Hall when all he'd want was the convey. Abbeyfeale Gardai can be reached on 068 30010. If the phone is unattended it will be patched through to NCW. Contact will then be made with the Abbeyfeale Gardai. When you reach the age of 65 and live alone or with a person/s aged over 65 you are entitled to receive a monitored alarm system. But if you have younger people living in the house who are out for long periods of the day then, because you are spending hours alone you are also entitled to the system provided that you are over 65. The free equipment is provided by Pobal following an application from Abbeyfeale Community Alert, there will be a monitoring fee to be paid from the second year of installation to the installing company of €72. There may be some confusion over the word free – the equipment which costs in the region of €400 is provided free of charge by Pobal as is the first year of monitoring but after that you will be charged by the installing company for the monitoring. I have not included the phone numbers of the committee in this notice but if you want to get a panic button then ring Abbeyfeale Garda Station on 068 30010 and they will contact one of us. Should you not have a landline the installing company Task provide a sim card at a rate of €7.50 per month payable from day one with a deposit of 6 months payable on the day of installation.. Then, in year two you will also receive a bill for the monitoring fee so in year one the bill will be €90 and in year two and every other year after it will €162 approx. If you wish you can arrange a direct debit and pay this amount off monthly. Committee members are Michael O'Kelly N.T., Chairman Seamus Stack, Secretary Mossie Gleeson, Assistant Treasurer Kathleen Collins, Assistant Secretary Mary McArthur, John O'Sullivan, Billy Quirke N.T., Cllr. Francis Foley, Catherine Daly, Maurice O'Connell, Assistant Treasurer Marian Harnett.
PROLOGUE: St. Patrick's Breastplate " I arise today, through God's strength to pilot me, God's might to uphold me, God's wisdom to guide me, God's eye to look before me, God's ears to hear me, God's word to speak for me, God's hand to guard me, God's shield to protect me".
DEATHS. Sincere sympathy to Dori Cotter and family on the death of her mother Eleanor Parr in Canada. May she rest in peace.
MARCH OF MANY WEATHERS: If March comes in like a lion it will go out like a lamb. Another saying is that 'the first 10 days of April are borrowed from March' so you can expect anything. John Nelligan from the Glorach Theatre sent me the following poem written by Eugene O'Neill which may or may not console you as the wind howls and the hailstones beat off the windows.
To Winter
Blow, blow, thou winter wind,
Away from here,
And I shall greet thy passing breath
Without a tear.
I do not love thy snow and sleet
Or icy floes;
When I must jump or stamp to warm
My freezing toes.
For why should I be happy or
E'n be merry
In weather only fitted for
Cook or Perry.
My eyes are red, my lips are blue
My ears are frost bitt'n;
Thy numbing kiss doth e'n extend
Thro' my mitten.
I am cold, no matter how I warm
Or clothe me;
O Winter, greater bards have sung
I loathe thee!
Eugene O'Neill
Written in early December 1912 at his parents' home in New London, Connecticut.
On December 9th of that same year, he embarked on a journey to a sanitarium in Shelton, Connecticut, to undergo treatment for Tuberculosis from which he made a complete recovery.
In the early 1900's Tuberculosis was called the great killer and was the leading cause of death in the United States. The national death rate from the disease was 204 per 100,000 population. TB is no longer the killer it once was and in the near future, nor will CoVid 19!
MARY FLYNN SAYS THANK YOU: After the unexpected closure of the late Ann Lyons shop in the Square recently Mary Flynn who worked with Ann for the past 36 years has written a letter to thank " all our loyal customers, great friends and wonderful people both young and old". She says that she was " completely overwhelmed" by all the people who queued over the days before the shop closed and who brought her " beautiful cards, gorgeous bouquets of flowers and extremely generous gifts". Mary talked too about the great friend she had in the late Ann and all the precious memories she will carry with her. Then comes the good news ending and she writes " Thankfully as one door closes another one opens and thanks to some young entrepreneurs in town I am delighted to join the team in a new shop opening shortly on Main Street, Abbeyfeale. Onwards and upwards everybody. Stay well, looking forward to better days ahead and meeting all of you soon again." Everyone in town is looking forward to the opening of the Siopa Nua and to having Mary's welcoming smile behind the counter and as Mary said in her letter " Abbeyfeale is a vibrant town, a wonderful place to live and has a huge community spirit. Even in these difficult times I am sure everybody will shop local and support all our local traders."
DOCUMENTARY on the life and times of singer Con Greaney will be broadcast on West Limerick 102 radio on Saint Patrick's Day.
GLIN CASTLE TO GO GREEN:. 'St Patrick's Festival 2021 will be marked virtually with an online programme celebrating Limerick's 'Edge and Embrace. Limerick Tourism, Culture and Arts Department are working in partnership with Failte Ireland to light up buildings across Limerick City and County from Saturday, March 13 – 20 inclusive, to celebrate St Patrick's Day'. Despite the pandemic, the show goes on, online on St Patrick's Festival TV (SPF TV) at stpatricksfestival.ie from March 12 – 17, offering more than 100 events.
THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION: The dates for the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation will be announced when restrictions are lifted. Meanwhile on Tuesday March 23the diocese of Limerick will host a webinar for the parents of children who will be confirmed this year. This webinar will assist parents prepare with their child for Confirmation. The title of the webinar is: "Confirmation: Journeying with your Child". It will be held on March 23rd 7-8pm. It is important to register for the webinar beforehand. Registration closes on Friday March 19th at 5pm.You'll find the link for registration on the page of the Diocesan website and Facebook announcing the webinar. https://www.limerickdiocese.org/news/webinar-for-parents-of-children-for-confimation
RETAIL SUPPORT TRAINING PROGRAMME: West Limerick Resources along with the Local Enterprise Office are offering this FREE Online Training to Retailers in the West Limerick area, presented by Ireland's leading consultant in the artisan food manufacturing and retail sectors, James Burke. There will be two workshops. Workshop 1 – Driving Aggressive Sales Growth will be held on Monday, March 22 from 9.00 to 1.00pm and Workshop 2 – Driving Online Sales will be held on Monday, March 29 from 11.00am to 1.00pm. All participants will be offered a free business assessment as part of the training. Please note this training is limited to 10 participants. In relation to one-to-one, group meetings and the current situation regarding Coronavirus, please see Notice to Public above. For further information and to book your place, please contact Aimee Grigg at West Limerick Resources on 069 66295 or email agrigg
CHURCH CLOSURE: Fr Tony Mullins 0872600414, Fr Dan Lane (Retired) 087/2533030, Fr Denis Mullane 087/26219. Due to current restrictions around Covid-19 parishioners are not allowed to attend Mass inside the Church Building but you are more than welcome to attend Mass in the Church Car Park in the comfort of your own car and listen to Mass on the Car Park Radio on 107fm. Due to current restrictions only 6 people are allowed to attend weddings and 10 to attend funerals. The Blessed Sacrament chapel is open every day from 11-6pm for private prayer. During Lent there will be adoration of the Blessed Sacrament every Monday evening from 6-7pm and on Thursday mornings after the 10am Mass until 12 noon. St Anthony Novena take place each Monday evening during the 7pm Mass. Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help each Friday morning at 10am Mass. Stations of the Cross every Friday at 9.30am. St. Patrick's Day Masses: The Vigil Mass on March 16 will be celebrated at 6.30p.m.in Irish. The 10.00am Mass on St Patrick's Day will be broadcast on West Limerick 102FM. Mass will also be celebrated at 12.00noon. All Masses will be live streamed. Mass Intentions:Thursd ay 10am John Joe Lane, Ballaugh. No Saturday morning Mass. 6.30pm Bridie Collins 2 Mountmahon 2nd Anniversary. Maureen & Brendan Burke and their son John and granddaughter Fiona NCW. Sunday 10am Ita O'Connell, Kilmanihan. Nora & Patrick & Betty Collins, Meenkilly.
.HELPLINES: Text 50808 to receive support from a volunteer. Hospice Bereavement Line 1800807077 Monday to Friday 10am – 1pm. Jigsaw support line is now up and running on freefone 1800 JIGSAW (544 729). It will provide free mental health support and advice to young people aged 12 to 25 years old, and parents or concerned adults who live in the Republic of Ireland. A helpline for Men suffering domestic abuse operates 36 hours a week on 1800816588. Men's Aid (Amen) 01 5543811 Monday – Friday 9-5pm. 24 hour helplines for women suffering domestic abuse 1800 341900 or Adapt 1800 200504. Limerick Social Services: 061-314111. AA 061/311222 Al-Anon 086/8143425. Parent Support worker 068/31019. Accord NCW 069/61000. Samaritans Freephone 116123 or text 087/2609090 or email Aware (Depression & Anxiety) 1980 303 302 National Suicide Helpline (Pieta House) 1800 247 247 Irish Advocacy Network (Peer advocacy in mental health) 01 872 8684 Pieta House (Suicide & self-harm) 01 623 5606 IACP (Counselling & Psychotherapy) 01 230 3536 Shine: (Supporting people affected by mental ill health) 01 860 1620 061 – 412111 or Free phone 1850609090 A.A. 061-311222. ACCORD; are now offering over the phone counselling for couples, Individuals & family members during this time of unprecedented stress & pressure during these weeks of COVID-19. Call: 01 5313331. Al-Anon 086-8143425 Bereavement Support: 068 / 31203 068/ 31262 068/51984 St Vincent De Paul Tel 087/1213560. Counselling Appointment 061/314213. ALONE; has launched a national support line and additional supports for older people who have concerns or are facing difficulties relating to the outbreak of COVID-19 (Coronavirus). Professional staff are available to answer queries and give advice and reassurance where necessary. The support line is open Monday to Friday, 8am- 8pm, by calling 0818 222 024. Hours may be extended to meet the demand.
PROLOGUE: The person who falls and gets up is much stronger than the one who never fell.
DEATHS. Sincere sympathy to the O'Sullivan family, Mountcollins on the death of Brett Audsley and the O'Connell family on the death of Peg Doody O'Connell, New St. May they rest in peace.
CLOSURE OF ABBEYFEALE BRANCH OF BANK OF IRELAND: Fintan Quirke, the last Porter in the Bank of Ireland was in touch to say that the bank arrived in Abbeyfeale in 1876 and was known then as The National Bank. The first Porter to work there was Mr. Wrenn from New Street whose son Lornie became the Garda Commissioner in the late 70's and was involved in several high profile cases. Fintan also told me that in the early years of the 20th. Century the bank had two sub offices in Athea and Brosna and travelled out to them by pony and trap carrying the cash box on the floor of the trap! Different times indeed.
EDUCATION: Kerry College will take part in a 'Career Path Expo' on Wednesday, March 10 and Thursday, March 11 from 3pm to 8pm. Career Path Expo is a free, online, virtual and interactive.
SOCIAL ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE: Are you interested in developing or expanding your social enterprise? Have you an innovative approach to addressing community needs? 'Cooperating to Succeed' is an imaginative yet practical programme designed to support social entrepreneurs, providing a year-long training and support package, tailored to your current needs. For further information please contact kmurray or 069 66294.
WANTED: Trainers & Mentors Wanted: Social Inclusion & Community Activation Programme (SICAP) is looking to form a panel of experts to support the delivery of SICAP activities. For Expression of Interest Form please visit dconlon
TAKEOUT AVAILABLE: We all need something to look forward to during these months of pandemic so why not treat yourself to a meal from Leens Hotel. Available from 1-8pm seven days a week. Special menu available for Mothers' Day. Conor Mc Carthy's Kitchen Table has also reopened for Takeaway and the Green Gourmet in Convent St. is open for takeaway until 3pm Monday to Friday.
CHURCH CLOSURE: Fr Tony Mullins 0872600414, Fr Dan Lane (Retired) 087/2533030, Fr Denis Mullane 087/26219. Due to current restrictions around Covid-19 parishioners are not allowed to attend Mass inside the Church Building but you are more than welcome to attend Mass in the Church Car Park in the comfort of your own car and listen to Mass on the Car Park Radio on 107fm. Due to current restrictions only 6 people are allowed to attend weddings and 10 to attend funerals. The Blessed Sacrament chapel is open every day from 11-6pm for private prayer. During Lent there will be adoration of the Blessed Sacrament every Monday evening from 6-7pm and on Thursday mornings after the 10am Mass until 12 noon. St Anthony Novena take place each Monday evening during the 7pm Mass. Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help each Friday morning at 10am Mass. Stations of the Cross every Friday at 9.30am. Mass Intentions: Intentions for the week. Thursday10am Lisa Doran No Saturday morning Mass. 6.30pm Pa Colbert, Killarney Road Billy & Joan Colbert , Killarney Road. Mary Clancy, New Street Month Mind. Sunday 10am Ned & Peg Leahy, The Millstream their son Emmet and Daughter Ita Kelly. Sean & Margaret and Lukeen Scannell The Hill.12noon Kitty Fitzgerald, The Railway Bar.
ABBEYFEALE COMMUNITY ALERT: An Garda Síochána is asking the public to be aware of the rise in investment fraud scams. Unfortunately such scams are becoming more prevalent, particularly during the pandemic due to increased online traffic and targeting of the general public by criminals using ever increasingly sophisticated means. An investment fraud scam is a fraud where criminals pose as investment managers, promise quick and high rates of return, and simply steal your money. The fraudster uses various investment schemes such as in rare metals, overseas property, and alternative energy schemes such as carbon credits and forestry. Promises are made of fast, enormous returns, once in a lifetime opportunities and can be seen to be endorsed by reputable business people or celebrities but this is without their knowledge. How to avoid Investment Fraud scams: If it is too good to be true, it probably is. Do your own research and be wary of wild claims. Always seek independent financial and legal advice before making any investments. Check the various registers on the Central Bank of Ireland's website. Use regulated investment firms where possible (Virtual assets are not currently regulated in Ireland). Do not respond to unsolicited approaches or cold-calls. Don't click on links for websites that you don't know. NEVER EVER disclose your bank account passwords or codes. NEVER allow anyone remote access to your computer. Further information on investment and other fraud types can be found on http://www.garda.ieand www.fraudSMART.ie Abbeyfeale Gardai can be reached on 068 30010. If the phone is unattended it will be patched through to NCW. Contact will then be made with the Abbeyfeale Gardai. When you reach the age of 65 and live alone or with a person/s aged over 65 you are entitled to receive a monitored alarm system. But if you have younger people living in the house who are out for long periods of the day then, because you are spending hours alone you are also entitled to the system provided that you are over 65. The free equipment is provided by Pobal following an application from Abbeyfeale Community Alert, there will be a monitoring fee to be paid from the second year of installation to the installing company of €72. There may be some confusion over the word free – the equipment which costs in the region of €400 is provided free of charge by Pobal as is the first year of monitoring but after that you will be charged by the installing company for the monitoring. I have not included the phone numbers of the committee in this notice but if you want to get a panic button then ring Abbeyfeale Garda Station on 068 30010 and they will contact one of us. Should you not have a landline the installing company Task provide a sim card at a rate of €7.50 per month payable from day one with a deposit of 6 months payable on the day of installation.. Then, in year two you will also receive a bill for the monitoring fee so in year one the bill will be €90 and in year two and every other year after it will €162 approx. If you wish you can arrange a direct debit and pay this amount off monthly. Committee members are Michael O'Kelly N.T., Chairman Seamus Stack, Secretary Mossie Gleeson, Assistant Treasurer Kathleen Collins, Assistant Secretary Mary McArthur, John O'Sullivan, Billy Quirke N.T., Cllr. Francis Foley, Catherine Daly, Maurice O'Connell, Assistant Treasurer Marian Harnett.
PROLOGUE: We have two ears and one mouth so we should listen more than we say. Zeno of Citium.
DEATHS. Sincere sympathy to the families of the late Brenda Aherne Woulfe, Church St. and Peg McEnery nee Collins, Knocknagoshel. May they rest in peace.
CONGRATULATIONS: Well done to the Stryker family on the big spread they got in the Farmers Journal Machinery Section of February 27. It is great to see a thriving business in Abbeyfeale employing up to 6 people. Their garage is based in Kinclonlea Upper and they specialize in Defender Land Rovers.
THE END OF AN ERA: Ann Lyons's sweet shop and small grocery, The Square, Abbeyfeale which opened for business approximately 41 years ago closed on Saturday, February 27. Christmas week 2020 had brought the shocking news that Ann Lyons was dead – Ann whose sweet shop in the Square was an institution, shelves laden with jars of sweets, stacked boxes of penny sweets at eye level, sweet cakes and buns , Brennans loaves, tins of custard, jellies, soups, Limerick ham, Charleville cheese in the fridge, rubber gloves, dish clothes, scrubbing brushes and much much more. The counter covered in Split the Bucket, C.D's, sporting books, parish magazines, tickets for socials, parish outings, afternoon tea dances, fundraisers, raffle tickets and all the minutiae it takes to keep a community going. Ann might have been confined to a wheelchair but she was always there to help out her church and her community no matter how often she was asked. Ann's support of WL102fm from it went on air first in 2005 to her death was extraordinary and she was very proud of the involvement of her nephew Liam Aherne who was one of its first sports commentators and who has now moved on to work with RTE. Her shop was a Mecca for the thousands of children who passed through her doors over the past 40 years coming from school or in town on Saturday for the weekly shopping or attending the St. Patrick's Day Parade or the Fleadh by the Feale, the Gathering, Santa's arrival in town, and all the other going's on down the years. A trip to town was no good without a call to Ann and communions, confirmations, sporting achievements were all celebrated there. Thirty six years ago Mary Flynn from Meenaline finished her Leaving Cert and took a summer job with Ann, she quickly became indispensible helping Ann with the ordering, packing shelves, serving customers and all the myriad of jobs that running a small shop entail. Mary and Ann made for a formidable twosome – there was the welcome of the world for every customer and it didn't matter whether you were coming to spend your pocket money or do your weekly shop, Ann and Mary knew your name and what class you were in or if you had moved on to college or to work or to quote Rosemary Fonseca who came to live in Abbeyfeale some years ago. "Ann Lyons' … We knew not well
a well-known landmark within the town
And as we came from lands afar
you both welcomed us with a smile
when we landed within the square
A well-known place for folks, young and old
buying candies from the jars
shelves well stocked within the store
When we met in the street
The lady in the chair
a beam that shone so bright
Upon this sweet and bountiful day
Both ………… 'Ann and Mary',
would take their time to speak to
A blow-in upon that day
Thank you for the time you took
to welcome us to the town
The times we took to step inside
You beckoned us with a smile
that made our day
It was so sad to hear
That she was laid to rest
Upon the day
The lady within the chair.
We thank you both for the wondrous times
That children had, both the young and the old
in passing time
rambling from school to home
visiting the landmark within the midst
T'is sad to hear – A landmark so dear
within the square is passing through
Hearing stories, through the vine
Will close …….. this one last time
A landmark within the town
That we now know so well
(On hearing that this shop and the people involved, has been in the town
for over 41 years) To Mary and Ann (Rip)
Mary continued to run the shop after Ann's death but unfortunately its days were numbered and it finally closed on Saturday, February 27. Thank you to Ann's family who gave away much of the stock of her shop to her customers. The love and esteem that Mary was held in was evidenced by the queues that lined the Square on Friday and Saturday from early morning to dusk with children carrying bouquets of flowers and gifts to give to the lady who always had the smile and who called them by their name no matter their age. We wish Mary great success as she begins the next chapter in her life.
Recently returned emigrant Pat Fitzgerald from the Railway put pen to paper about his memories of childhood forays to Ann Lyons's sweet shop.
Ann Lyons's Sweet Shop
There was a million things going on in the square
After school in the 80's when Florry used cut our hair
Myself and my best friend, a pound in the hand
We'd get 10p back and sweets to 'bate' the band
The BMX 20 would get tossed to the floor
We often nearly carried the two jambs off the door
To that magical world
Of sweets, crisps, lollipops
T'was a magical world
Was Ann 'Lyons's sweet shop.
We'd pick up fifty things and put back forty nine
Sure part of the joy was changing our mind
There was black jacks and golfballs, penny drinks and bulleyes
The fat frog, the banshee bones and some new fangled surprise.
The cadbury cream egg if you had financial power
But our ten p in there lasted surely an hour.
And then up to the counter to spill out our treasure
A few sweets from the jar just to add to the pleasure. Smiles and thanks from Mary, lovely Ann in her chair
Believe it or not we were walking on air!
What did you get we would eagerly ask?
If you had done better twas your moment to bask.
Will you swop this for that?
Or break me a bit off
You're getting none of my cola bottles will you ever feck off!!
We would line up our treats and decide what to eat first.
'Did you get anything at all in there to quench the thirst?'
'Never mind.. Sure tis fine.. This moment is gold'.
I'll remember this happiness when I'm grey and old
We stuffed our little faces and home to mam we'd run
"You went to Ann 'Lyons's, I can tell by your tongue"
'We didn't, I swear', we would bluff for a while
She didn't really care I could tell by her smile.
Well Ann 'Lyons's continued throughout our lives
Secondary school, immigration
Anne 'Lyons's survived
But now that I hear it will no longer be there
I just long for the square
And after school in the 80's when Florry used cut our hair. Pat Fitzgerald, Railway Road.
ON-LINE LENTEN ADORATION: Adoration Initiative for Lent and commit to that hour, text Fidelma at 086 –2603421 the following information: https://eucharisticadoration.ie/adoration-initiative-for-lent/
URGENT MESSAGE RE; PHONE SCAM: People have been receiving calls from Tel: +375602605281, Tel: +37127913091, Tel: +37178565072, Tel: +56322553736, Tel: +37052529259, Tel: +255901130460 or any number starting from +371 +375 +381.
These guys only ring once and hang up. If you call back, they can copy your contact list in 3sec and if you have a bank or credit card details on your phone, they can copy that too…
+375 code is for Belarus . +371 code is for Lativa. +381 Serbia. +563 Valparaiso.
+370 Vilnius. +255 Tanzania. Don't answer or Call back. Also, Don't Press #90 or #09
on your Mobile when asked by any caller. It's a new trick which is use to access your SIM card, make calls at your expense and frame you as a criminal.
SELLING ONLINE: Moving Your Business Online: This free course will provide you with all the information required to create a business plan for moving online with your business and is running on Monday, February 22, from 9.30am to 1.00pm. Delivered by Talent Pool and supported by West Limerick Resources and Limerick Local Enterprise Office, it is open to all new and existing businesses operating in the Limerick area. This training will be carried out through Zoom and pre-booking is essential. In relation to one-to-one, group meetings and the current situation regarding Coronavirus, please see Notice to Public above. For further information and to book your place, please contact Aimee Grigg at West Limerick Resources on 069 66295 or email agrigg
CONGRATULATIONS PADDY: Up and coming apprentice jockey Paddy Harnett from Ballaugh, son of Adrian and Louise, gave trainer John Geoghegan his second winner of the week in Dundalk on Monday evening after coming first in an eight-furlong handicap. Well
CHURCH CLOSURE: Fr Tony Mullins 0872600414, Fr Dan Lane (Retired) 087/2533030, Fr Denis Mullane 087/26219. Due to current restrictions around Covid-19 parishioners are not allowed to attend Mass inside the Church Building but you are more than welcome to attend Mass in the Church Car Park in the comfort of your own car and listen to Mass on the Car Park Radio on 107fm. Due to current restrictions only 6 people are allowed to attend weddings and 10 to attend funerals. The Blessed Sacrament chapel is open every day from 11-6pm for private prayer. Reader's lists and Missal are available from the sacristy. St Anthony Novena take place each Monday evening during the 7pm Mass. Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help each Friday morning at 10am Mass. Stations of the Cross every Friday at 9.30am. Mass Intentions: No Saturday morning Mass 6.30pm John Joe Lane, Ballaugh Months Mind. Mary O' Connor. Knockbrack Anniversary. Sunday 10am Michael and Teresa Devine. Johnny and Eily Lane, New St. 12 noon Ted Mulcahy, Dromtrasna 19th anniversary. Johnny Lane, New Street.
ABBEYFEALE COMMUNITY ALERT: Gardai are asking people to let them know when people call selling goods or offering services on 068 30010. Try and make a note of their general description ie height, accent, hair colour, tattoos etc. Write down the vehicle reg. colour and make. We are all being asked to make only essential trips to the shops, chemist etc. for the next few weeks to help break the cycle of Covid. If you need messages collected contact our local Garda Station on 068 30010 and they will organise someone to do them for you. When you reach the age of 65 and live alone or with a person/s aged over 65 you are entitled to receive a monitored alarm system. But if you have younger people living in the house who are out for long periods of the day then, because you are spending hours alone you are also entitled to the system provided that you are over 65. The free equipment is provided by Pobal following an application from Abbeyfeale Community Alert, there will be a monitoring fee to be paid from the second year of installation to the installing company of €72. There may be some confusion over the word free – the equipment which costs in the region of €400 is provided free of charge by Pobal as is the first year of monitoring but after that you will be charged by the installing company for the monitoring. I have not included the phone numbers of the committee in this notice but if you want to get a panic button then ring Abbeyfeale Garda Station on 068 30010 and they will contact one of us. Should you not have a landline the installing company Task provide a sim card at a rate of €7.50 per month payable from day one with a deposit of 6 months payable on the day of installation.. Then, in year two you will also receive a bill for the monitoring fee so in year one the bill will be €90 and in year two and every other year after it will €162 approx. If you wish you can arrange a direct debit and pay this amount off monthly. Committee members are Michael O'Kelly N.T., Chairman Seamus Stack, Secretary Mossie Gleeson, Assistant Treasurer Kathleen Collins, Assistant Secretary Mary McArthur, John O'Sullivan, Billy Quirke N.T., Cllr. Francis Foley, Catherine Daly, Maurice O'Connell, Assistant Treasurer Marian Harnett.
Virus-free. www.avast.com