HERITAGE OF WINDGAP: Opening with haunting fiddle music and superbly narrated by Frances Brett the story of the heritage of the Windgap area on a recently released CD takes the listener from pre the Egyptian Pyramid times through the local hills and vales with a fantastic mix of song, story, religion, politics, history and folklore right up to the present day.
Sold out at the Summer Gathering, a limited number of CD's of the Heritage of Windgap are now available for €8 from Simon Walsh in Brett’s store in Kildrummy. The entire proceeds are going to support the St. Nicholas national school building fund.
GAP IN THE WIND: Celebrating the "Gap in the Wind" where the natural passing place occurs between the Bearna Breac and Carraig na gCapall the story includes inserts from the parish choir along with those of Mary Ann Quann and John Comerford re-reading their riveting contributions as collected from them by their teacher Mrs. Jones for the Folklore collection back in 1937. It wraps up with the appropriately named "The Climb" from Miley Syros as recorded in studio by St. Nicholas school choir.
HERITAGE SITES: Amongst the many areas visited on the CD are the largest Calvary Grotto in Europe, the Slatequarries, Ahenny, Killamery of the High Cross, and Brooch and the Coshel in Knockroe. In them the diverse skills with marble, slate, silver, glass, stone, animal husbandry and cosmos alignments carried out to exceptional standards over thousands of years are to be seen to be appreciated.
Included too are the melodious list of the towns lands of the area, old wives tales, piseogs, and the local traditions of the May Bush, St. John, St. Brighid, St Martin, the predictions from the contents of a Shrove Tuesday pancake and a note of the prayer of King Malachy the High King of Ireland well over eleven hundred years ago
SIGHTS ANSD SOUNDS: Amongst the many items included to awaken the senses of the area are the imagined sounds of St Gobáin leading a thousand monks in chanted prayer in Killamery, to recent ones focused on the many country roads where John Doran’s traveling shop was a welcome sight and the sounds of Nick Dempsey’s Cart on the way to the creamery were recalled. Capturing it all with an international flavour is a verse written by a former Windgaponian Lydia Phelan now residing in Switzerland that flowed.....
Windgap is a place of sounds,
of breezy gaps and creaking mounds,
a place where times and sounds lie still,
a place of memories and sloping hill….
Produced in the studios of Community Radio Kilkenny on the Hebron Road the CD was sponsored by Brett Brothers.
A HIDDEN GEM: The brainchild of Kate Moloney and the Gathering Committee the CD has provided more than enough appetizers to whet the appetite to visit and see the many sights. It also provides an invitation to delve further into the past, to share and celebrate the heritage of the area and to retain and protect it for future generations.
PROGRESSIVE 25: The next Hurling Club Progressive 25 card drive takes place in Guinans on Friday 24th of January and all are welcome to attend.
BRIDGE: Winners at the Killamery Bridge Club game held in the Olde House were 1st. Noreen Hayes and Annette Meagher. Best Gross: Kathleen O'Shea and Moira Hickey. 2nd Peggy Vaughan and Gracie Landy. 3rd Sarah Crowley and Elizabeth Lanigan. 4th: Margaret Comerford and Pat Arrigan
YEAR BOOK ARCHIVES: All editions of the Kilkenny GAA Yearbook from 1972 to 2012 are now online on the County website kilkennygaa.ie under the Resources tab. The valuable archive has been provided compliments of Gerry O'Neill and the County Year Book and IT committees
CAMOGIE: Former Windgap camogie player Alison Walsh now teaching in St. Mary' secondary school in Glasnevin saw her side qualify for the Dublin county final when they defeated Loreto college on the Green, by a single point in the semi-final. The achievement occurred on the schools very first time to enter a team.
FOOTBALL: The throw in for the 2014 junior football season takes place on Sunday at 2pm when Windgap travel to play Carrigeen in Carrigeen. The games continue over the following three weeks with Tullougher Rosbercon at home in Windgap followed by a visit to Graiguenamanagh and a visit from Muckalee for the final round.
CLUB MERCHANDISE: Currently available in most sizes are Club Hoodies, Jerseys and Hurling Balls and Helmets at cost price. Also available in time for the new season training are large red training jerseys, adult togs at cut prices along with and a number of rain jackets. For further details contact any committee member or call 051 648366.
LOTTO This Weeks Winning Numbers were 11, 17, 18, 21 and Bonus number 5. Next Weeks Prize fund is €4,950.00. Willie Moloney was a recent match three winner.
NOTES: Contributors and Clubs are invited to email items for publication with a name and contact number to windgapnotes@gmail.com by Sunday evenings at 6pm. For all the local news visit the parish website windgap.ie