PEACE AND TRANQUILITY: Since the opening of the Loop Walks in Windgap many visitors have visited the Grotto and describe it as a hidden gem that we should all be proud of the unique feature and should help in keeping it as a place of great beauty. On Saturday last a group of walkers from Waterford visited the area and completed both of the full loop walks and were amazed by the beauty of the Grotto and the peace and tranquillity that was described as something to behold
SCHOOLS FINAL: Nowlan Park is the venue on Thursday evening at 5.15pm for the Cumann na mBunscoil County Final when St. Nicholas National School line out against St. Canices B side. The side under Simon Brophy, Jimmy Purcell and Tony Doyle qualified when they defeated St. Patricks B in Danesfort on Monday evening. All support is required for the players who will play on the pitch that will also host All Ireland Hurling Champions Kilkenny and Football Champions Dublin in the coming days.
FUN RUN: The Hurling and Camogie Clubs 5KM Fun Run has been re-arranged for Sun 19th June. Further details to follow.
GREAT OCCASION: The Michael Lyng Motors Intermediate Hurling league between neighbours Carrickshock and Dunnamaggin in Windgap on Sunday afternoon grabbed the imagination as both sides level on points and scores in the league attracted a fine crowd. The derby clash played in great weather saw the border townsland of Carrigatna make the parish bulletin as Sagart Paróiste Fearghus Ó Fearghaill continues his articles on Placenames meanings. Located just inside the Carrickshock bounds between Castlehale and Hugginstown the townsland that reaches to a hilly outcrop was deemed by translation from its Irish format to be a rocky surface that was exhausted or difficult or wearisome to work or plough. After Tullahought Mass reflections by former Windgap player Mike Purcell of the great games that he saw in his youth between the same sides in the Windgap Fetes were recalled. Played in Walsh’s bog field they were the All Irelands of the time and attracted all of the top sides. Linking them was the attendance of Noel Rohan home on holidays from Toronto. A native of Carrigatna the All-Ireland minor hurling medal winner in 1960 had his own memories. Having travelled as a fourteen year old to see both sides play in Windgap fifty seven years earlier, he had to line put at corner back for Carrickshock owing to a scarcity of players. Attending Sundays game with his brother PJ and Richard O’Gorman he lamented the lost skills of ground and overhead hurling and the tendency for scrums as he follows the inter-county hurling scene from afar on TV. With both sides having been in the Senior Grade in recent times and laden with intercounty stars the performance of Noel Hickey and Michael Rice were among the highlights as the game was in the balance up to eight minutes from the end when Carrickshock landed the crucial scores. At the game where the tricolour flew at half-mast a minutes silence was observed for former GAA President Joe McDonough. With a fine turn out of club members for stewarding the work of Simon Brophy and Michael Micklas in having the playing surface and grounds in top class condition was widely acknowledged
HANDBALL: Best wishes for a speedy recovery are extended to local handballer and hurler Pater Landy who suffered a sporting injury during the County Final during the week.
SUBMISSIONS: Over 600 submissions have been made to date on the Tipperary Draft Tipperary Renewable Energy Strategy which will be incorporated into their County Development Plan as Variation No. 3.contesting the changing of the status of land from unsuitable for Wind Turbines to be rezoned as suitable. With the closing date on Monday 23rd of May it is expected the number will rise when the submissions made online are included.
TIDY TOWNS; Both Windgap and Tullahought villages have entered this year’s Tidy Towns competition. In Windgap great progress has been made over the past two weeks weeding and planting flower beds in preparation for the event. Work will continue each Tuesday commencing at 6.45 pm and extra help would be appreciated. On Tuesday next 31st of May the volunteers attention will focus on the flower beds in the Grotto and if anybody with surplus plants or shrubs or would like to donate some they would be very welcome. In addition the group awaits a replacement for Tús worker Pat Houlihan who done great work looking after the village for the duration of the one year Tús contract. In Tullahought Fás worker Michael Holland has the place spick and span as the June judging date arrives. Work has commenced in the village on the creation of a 1916 commemorative area.
LOTTO: Numbers 5, 6, 12, 23 and bonus number 7. Next week’s prize fund is €4,850. Tickets at €2 are available from any club member.
CAMOGIE NEWS: The under eights travelled to Danesfort on Saturday last to take part in a blitz against Graiguenamanagh, Danesfort and Erin’s Own. The side won two of the games and drew the other one. The Team was Kate O'Brien, Lilly O'Shea, Jessie White, Elena, Saunders, Ona Kennedy, Rachael Cullen, Anna Miller, Tamara Whelan, Mya Egan, Grace Lahart and Shauna Hayes. The under tens have a blitz in Windgap on Saturday next 28th May The Seniors are playing Dicksboro in the All County Senior League on the same day at a venue to be decided. In the next Round of the Senior League/Championship Windgap play Muckalee on the 19th of July.
CLOTHES COLLECTION: The Camogie Club is are holding their Annual clothes collection, so please fill those bags, Collection date in next week’s notes
HURLING CLASH: The 3rd round derby game at Junior level between sister clubs Galmoy and Windgap takes place on Saturday 28th in Galmoy.
HURLERS DRAW: A prize fund of €110,000 including four cars is on offer for the annual Hurlers Co-Op Draw. Tickets cost €50 and can be purchased from any committee member or player or online on kilkennygaa.ie and selecting Windgap as the benefitting club.
CHANGING TIMES: On Monday evening the side that played Piltown in the Junior B Hurling league in Piltown was Alan Hearne, Pa Moore, Paraic Walsh, Ronan Molloy, Aidan Mackey, Matthew Enright, Edward Cunningham, Adrian Landy, Patrick Grace, Tommy Fleming, Noel Power, Gerard Purcell, Vincent Purcell, Michael Power and James Culleton, Luke Ward, Paul Comerford, PJ Barron, James Murray. Best wishes are extended to Paraic Walsh who travelled down and back by bus from his exams in Dublin for the game and who travels with Pa Moore to the US for the Summer and also to Stephen Purcell who has transferred to Brussels since the side’s last game.
NUACHLITIR: Notices for the weekend Masses can be emailed to [email protected] or dropped into the Parochial House by Thursday evening. Fr. Fergal’s Mobile number is (085) 8830756.
NOTES: Contributors and Clubs are invited to email items for publication with a name and contact number to [email protected] by Sunday evenings at 6pm. For all the local news and photos visit windgap.ie