For All Souls, Monday 2 October: Windgap, 9.30 a.m. Tullahought 7.30 p.m.
Masses for November: Windgap: Tuesday, 9.30 am; Friday, 9.30 am (first Friday)
Tullahought, Thursday, 7.30 pm
Windgap: Readers: Oct. 31, Rita Phelan; Nov. 7, Martin O'Shea; 21, Michelle O'Brien; 28, Sean Foley; Dec. 5, Larry O'Shea
Eucharistic Ministers: Oct., 31, Ann O'Shea; Nov. 7, Breda O'Shea;14, Margaret Mackey; 21, Joan Watter; 28, Liz Jackson.
Tullahought: Eucharistic Ministers: Leo Conalty; Patricia Power; Mary Walsh; Eileen Grace.
Mission List for the Dead: If you wish to have your loved ones who have passed away remembered during this month of November, please leave your list in the basket on the altar. They will be remembered in the masses celebrated during the month.
Collection: Sincere thanks for your generous response to the Mission Collection which came to €517.10.
November Offerings: A Gentle Reminder that the November Offerings are now due.
1 Samhain – the first day of Winter in the Celtic calendar - Imbolc (1 Feabhra or Lá Féile Bríde), Bealtaine (1 May) and Lughnasa (1 August) mark the other seasons.
Annual Fair Camphill, Kyle – change of date: The Annual Fair of the Camphill Community, Kyle, Coolagh, will take place on Sunday, 15th November 2015, from 1pm to 5pm. Crafts, Wheel of Fortune, Children’s games & activities, vegetable stall, live music etc.
Knit and Stitch Show in RDS: A Bus will be travelling to the Knit and Stitch Show in the RDS on Thursday, November 12th. Cost, €30, including entry fee.
Mental Health Talk: Dr Fergus Heffernan will speak on “The Crisis in Mental Health in Ireland Today” at St. Fiacre’s Church, Loughboy, at 8.00pm on Tuesday, 3rd November. His focus will be on the reasons why young people seem to find so difficult to cope today and what support and guidance should be given them. Adm €10.00. All proceeds to the Irish Pilgrimage Trust bringing young people with special needs to Lourdes at Easter.
St. Brigid’s College, Callan 5k Fun Run: Sun 8th Nov at 12.30. Registration from 10.30 am. Beat radio are hosting the event with giveaways, face painting and promotions; it promises to be fun for all with refreshments and prize giving afterwards.
Progressive 25 cards for Hurling Club – Guinan’s, Friday, 6th November, at 9pm.
Irish Catholic: Please note that from 1st October the price of the Irish Catholic has been raised to €1.80.
Mount Carmel Open Day: Mt. Carmel is holding its Annual Open Day on Sunday 15th Nov. 2-5pm; with music, refreshments, raffle etc.; admission €2; the McCarthy Cup will be there with some of Kilkenny heroes reliving their experiences ar páirc na himeartha.
Jubilee Year of Mercy: Three talks in St. Patrick’s Parish Centre, Loughboy at 7.30 p.m. each night: Wed. 4 Nov. Fr. Chris Hayden – “Mercy in the Bible”; Wed. 11th Nov. Fr. Albert McDonnell – “the new, less cumbersome marriage annulment process as ‘justice tempered with the sweetness of mercy’”; Wed.18 Nov. Fr. Sean McDonagh – “Pope Francis’ Encyclical on caring for the environment ‘Laudato SI’”; admission free.
Course for current and new Readers: St. Patrick’s Centre. Loughboy, 7.30 pm, Tues. 24 Nov. & Tues. 1st Dec.. The same course is being offered in Mullinavat Church at 7.30 pm Mon. 23 & 30th Nov. and Ballyragget Church: Wed. 25 Nov. & 2 Dec..
St. Mary’s Cathedral Fundraising: The Diocesan Draw is doing reasonably well and should bring in about €150,000 in its first year. The Monster Bingo of 18 Oct 2015 realized €2,750 profit. A Monster Auction will be held on 29th November, at a venue yet to be finalised. Advertisements for the auction book and lots for sale are being sought costing €100 for full page, €60 half page and €40 quarter page. Concerts are planned for 2016 in Langton’s, John Street, Kilkenny, on 19 February, 15 March, 28 April and 18 May.
Suicide Grief Awareness. The six-week course run by Kilkenny Bereavement Support at Villa Maria, Talbot’s Inch, Freshford Road, Kilkenny, at 8.0 pm, continues on 3rd Nov. Enquiries to Kilkenny Bereavement Support 056-7756538.
Special Collection: My sincere thanks for your generous support for the Special Collection and a gentle reminder to those who are about to send in their contribution.
Priests of Windgap: Dr. William Phelan was appointed Parish Priest of Windgap and Dunnamaggan on 19 July 1772. He was born in Kilmacshane, Inistioge, about 1741. He studied in Rome and was ordained in Rome in 1767 by Cardinal Mark Antonio, Bishop of Adrianopolis. About the same time or shortly afterwards he took out the degree of DD (Doctor of Divinity) and was appointed Protonotary Apostolic. On 6 December 1769 he was appointed parish priest of St. Patrick’s and on 19 July 1772 was translated to Windgap and Dunnamaggin. On 10 August 1773 he took out a lease on 51 acres, 1 rood and 19 perches in Coolhill, for a term of 31 years at a yearly rent of £35 19s 2d.
Dr Phelan was appointed Canon of Aghoure on 17 January 1774 and Chancellor of the diocese on 26 August 1777. It was during his time as parish priest that a new chapel was built in Windgap, replacing the old chapel at Coolhill While parish priest of Windgap and Dunnamaggin he lived in Kilmoganny in a house that he had built – a house that is now St. Joseph’s Home for the elderly.
Fr Phelan was translated to Thomastown and Tullaherin on 10 November 1783. From Thomastown he appears to have gone on the missions for a time without Episcopal ‘warrant’. He was in Halifax in Newfoundland in 1786 and was placed in charge of the mission at Arichat in Cape Breton. He resigned the parish of Thomastown the following year but how long he remained in Newfoundland is not known. He seems to have returned to Ireland and may have retired to his land in Coolhill in Windgap.
Placenames: Butlerswood, in Irish, Coill an Buitléaraigh. The name goes back at least to 1559. Peter Butler was associated with it in 1563, and in 1660 we find returned exile Col Richard Butler, associated with it. In 1838 the name is given as Coill a Bhuiltéaraigh. Barnabreac comes from bearna (gap) and breac (speckled) and means the speckled gap (marked by bushes of different colours).