Moate Matters

Plenty of local Hospice Coffee Mornings The South Westmeath Hospice Foundation is delighted with the response to their appeal for hosts for the annual coffee morning fundraiser. In Moate, Mary Allen will be hosting a coffee morning in Bo Allens lounge from 10.30am to 12.30pm tomorrow, Thursday, September 18. Mary Cunningham is hosting a coffee morning in Vincents lounge, Church Street, Moate from 11.30am to 1.30pm, also on Thursday September 18. In Rosemount, Maureen Kinahan is hosting a coffee morning on Thursday, September 18, from 10am to 12 noon. On Saturday morning from 11am to 1pm Katharine Ross will host a coffee morning in her house across the road from the Carmelite Church. In Mount Temple, Geraldine Geoghegan is hosting a coffee morning on Saturday, September 20, from 10am to 1pm at her house in Laubawn. The staff of Moate Community School and the Convent Girls Primary School are also lending their support for this great cause with both schools promoting the coffee morning at their morning break. Foróige On Thursday September 18 there is a meeting in the upstairs room of the Community Centre for anyone interested in volunteering an hour and a half a week to help the Foróige Club stay open. The club currently have only four leaders and would appreciate help from anyone over the age of 18 years. The meeting commences at 8.00pm. Parents are urged to get involved as it would be a shame for the club to have to close due to a lack of leaders.  Carmelite Notes The Triumph of the Cross In Ireland, there are at least two small specimens of what is believed to be the true cross in Holy Cross Abbey in Tipperary and in Holy Cross College, Clonliffe, Dublin. The Feast of the Triumph of the Cross commemorates the finding of true Cross in the year 325. Tradition tells that Saint Helena, the mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine, found the cross during a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The story goes that she found three crosses but was unsure which belonged to Jesus. To find out the three crosses were held over a sick woman. When the true cross was held near her, accompanied by deep prayer, the disease left her. Whatever about the veracity of the story, we do know that the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was built on the site and that from its earliest days a relic of the true cross was venerated there. To venerate the cross of Jesus is to see a cause of suffering for Jesus and by association to see our own cross, our own suffering. By looking upon it, we do not run away. Instead we come to see the dynamic of Gods salvation. Sunday Mass Schedule Please note the new Sunday Mass schedule which has now started. The 8am and 9.30am Masses are now combined into a 9am Mass on Sundays. The remainder of the schedule is Mass at 10.30am and 12 noon. The Vigil Mass is as usual on Saturdays at 7.15pm. Carmelite Pastoral Centre The Centre is available to groups for meetings retreats, retirement group activities, course, lectures, AGMs, Art exhibitions, talks, etc, It is a designated centre for bereavement counselling. The Centre is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5.30pm. Phone 090-6482147/ 087 2805414 for further details. All are Welcome Carmelite Lourdes Invalid Fund The Carmelite Lourdes Invalid Fundraising Committee wish to thank all those who generously donated to their recent Church Gate Collection. Dun na Sí Moate Branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Eireann would like to congratulate Padraic Keena and Audrey Murphy on their recent success in Fleadh na hEireann in Tullamore. Classes in Ceili and Set Dancing will take place in Dun Na Sí on Monday nights from 8.30pm to 10.30pm. Beginners and advanced. All are welcome. Ganley School of Dancing The Ganley School of Irish Dancing continues on Wednesday nights, in Dun na Sí, Moate at 7pm. This is the ideal time for beginners to start. Dancing for Fun classes commenced in Mount Temple Community Hall on Friday last, new members are welcome to come along for the "craic". Enquiries to Joe at 087-6473497. Caring for Kids Project The Caring for Kids Project group were forced to cancel their annual Vintage Fun Day on Sunday last at Dun na Sí. This great day out for all the family was another victim of the torrential rain that has caused havoc with so many events this year. Lotto Bingo This week"s jackpot will be worth €4,350. The next draw will be held on September 24th. Irish Music Lessons Lessons are now available on keyboard/piano for beginners, intermediates or advanced students. Children and adults are welcome. Traditional Irish music taught on a one to one basis or as part of a group. Contact 090 6482228 or 087 2113079 for further details. Karate Resumes in Community Centre Karate classes have resumed in the community centre on Saturday mornings after a short summer break. Please note the new time, Saturday mornings from 11am to 12.00. The teacher is Alan Smith, a 3rd Dan black belt and an Irish international. Everyone is welcome. For further details contact Alan at 087 9012447. Moate Boxing Club Training for the new season has resumed and is open to boys and girls from age 11 and upwards. Training takes place at the Courthouse Gym starting at 7pm on Monday nights. Beginners are welcome to come along and give it a try. Activities are strictly graded and newcomers will be made to feel very welcome. Scór na nOg Winter is definitely here when I am writing about Scór na nOg again. The trend in recent years has meant an increase in numbers participating and auditions will take place next Tuesday night in the Grand Hotel at 7.30pm. There will be a quiz next Tuesday to select the club representatives in Trath na gCeist and auditions will also be held to select entrants for the solo singing, the ballad group and if a suitable novelty act can be found we will also enter this competition. The success of the club in Scór na nOg in recent years is based upon enjoying the participation and striving to achieve as high a standard as possible. All are welcome to come along and find out about the various activities. Participants must be under 17 on January 1, 2009. Local Winner at Virginia Show Browsing through the Anglo-Celt recently I was delighted to see a picture of Tom and Anselm Fitzgerald from Mount Temple who won the Austin Soden Memorial Cup at the prestigious Virginia Show. The Austin Soden Memorial Cup is awarded to the best pure bred Hereford heifer. Congratulations Best wishes to Tom and Olivia (Dolan) Callaghan on the birth of baby Conor Martin who has brought great joy to both families. Speedy Recovery Joe Berry from Mount Temple is recovering from a serious back operation which was performed in Cappagh Hospital. We wish Joe a speedy recovery and while I am at it belated wedding congratulations to Joe and his wife Stephanie Fahy from Ballymore who were married last June. Greyhound News Another excellent week for Chuck Kelly with wins in Harolds Cross and in Galway. On Friday night Headford Classic and Honcho Freddie were in action in the Puppy Derby heats at Harolds Cross with Headford Classic first in action. A bad start to the evening saw Headford Classic knocked completely over when the dog running behind him Valustud, caught his back legs and caused a spectacular tumble. Classic managed to finish the race and appears to have suffered no lasting injury. Compensation was not far away when Honcho Freddie timed his final burst beautifully to overtake long time leader Droopys Bocelli in the final straight and win by one length at odds of 9/1. Further enquiries revealed that Tony and Martin Kelly were handling the dogs on Friday night which might explain the generous starting odds. In Galway on Saturday night Cooldown Jasper brought Chuck Kelly to the winners enclosure once again when Cooldown Jasper was an impressive winner of The Tyrur Lee A4 525 Round 2 heat, the last race of the night in a time of 29.36, almost a half second slower than the round 1 time of 28.96. What made this win so impressive was the fact that Cooldown Jasper was baulked on the first bend and appeared to be out of contention, a tremendous burst of pace down the far side of the track and a strong final bend saw Cooldown Jasper home in first place by an surprising distance of five lengths. The starting price this time was 1/1. Commiserations to Pat Buckley who was at Shelbourne Park and saw the Derby final snatched away in the final stride as the result of the photo finish showed that Shelbourne Aston has snatched victory by a short head from long time leader Slip The Lark.  Woodhill Emperor ran in the final of the Shelbourne Park A3 525 which is a €4,000 race. Woodhill Emperor was going nicely when he was bumped at the third bend and faded to finish fourth. Luck in running which was evident in his five wins in five races went missing in both the semi final and final at Shelbourne Park. Returning to Galway on Saturday night the final of the Shauna Nugent Surgery Appeal A3 525 took place and the Joseph Mc Mahon owned and trained Baylin Breeze finished in a creditable third place, maintaining that position for most of the race.