
Mass Times: Windgap: Saturday, 7.30 p.m. Tullahought: Sunday, 10 a.m.
Windgap, Tuesday, 9.30 a.m.
Windgap: Readers: October: 3, Sylvia Culleton; 10, Tom Mackey; 17, Emer O’Shea; 24, Ann Foley; 31, Rita Phelan.
Eucharistic Ministers: Joan Waters; Liz Jackson; Bridget Comerford. Catherine Meagher; Ann O’Shea.
Tullahought: Eucharistic Ministers: Leo Conalty; Patricia Power; Mary Walsh; Eileen Grace.
Mission Sunday Collection: Thanks to all who contributed so generously to the Mission collection.
Tullahought Walking Group: The Tullahought group of walkers are going for a walk in Curraghmore Estate, Portlaw, on Monday, 26th October. For those interested the walkers will be meeting in Tullahought at 1.30 p.m.
Windgap N.S. Parents’ Association – Hallowe’en Party: The Parents’ Association will hold a Hallowe'en Party in Windgap Community Hall on Friday, 30th October from 6pm until 7:30pm; cost - two euro per child, adults free, all are welcome; there will be prizes on the night for the best dressed boy and girl. On 14th November the Parents’ Association will be holding the annual Tractor Run in aid of the school; more about that in a later issue.
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.
Annual Fair Camphill, Kyle: The Annual Fair of the Camphill Community, Kyle, Coolagh, takes place on Sunday, 8th November 2015, from 1pm to 5pm. Crafts, Wheel of Fortune, Children’s games & activities, vegetable stall, live music etc.
Monster Auction for Cathedral funds: A monster auction to raise funds for the Cathedral project 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. Advertisements will cost €100 for full page, €60 half page and €40 quarter page.
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.
Irish Catholic: Please note that from 1st October the price of the Irish Catholic is being 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 – on the new, less cumbersome marriage annulment process in “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.
Readers: Course for current and new Readers: St. Patrick’s Centre. Loughboy, 7.30 p.m., Tues. 24 Nov. & Tues. 1st Dec.. The same course is being offered in Mullinavat Church at 7.30 p.m. Mon. 23 & 30th Nov. and Ballyragget Church: Wed. 25 Nov. & 2 Dec.
Nota bene: Summer-time ends this weekend – clocks go back an hour on Sat. night.
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. A series of concerts is planned for Langton’s, John Street on 19th February 2016, 15th March 2016, 28th April 2016 and 18th May 2016.
Suicide Grief Awareness. The six-week course run by Kilkenny Bereavement Support at Villa Maria, Talbot’s Inch, Freshford Road, Kilkenny, at 8.00pm., continues on the 27th Oct. and 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 do so.
Canon Patrick Brennan: The funeral of Canon Patrick Brennan (brother of the late Dr James Brennan, PP Dunnamaggin) took place in his native Gathabawn, on Sat., 24 Oct. He was laid to rest in Muckalee of which he was PP from 1989 to 2003 after a prayer service in the church. Fr Paddy, as he was affectionately known in Windgap, was born on 14 April 1929 in Gortnamuck, Gathabawn, in the parish of Lisdowney. Educated in Gathabawn N.S., St. Kieran’s College, Kilkenny (1944-48) and St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth (1948-55), he was ordained in Maynooth on 19 June 1955. He spent the following year as a postgraduate in Maynooth studying for a Higher Diploma in Education and lecturing in Greek.
His first appointment in the diocese in August 1956 was as chaplain to the De la Salle monastery in Castletown. The following year he was appointed to the staff of St. Kieran’s College where he taught English, Maths, Latin, Greek and Religion. Having spent three years in the college he was appointed CC Windgap on 1 Sept.1960 – much to his pleasure. This was his first pastoral appointment and he succeeded Fr. Pat Corcoran who had gone to Tullaherin. Fr Paddy lived in the curate’s house in the village (now Purcell’s). He involved himself immediately in all aspects of parish life, spiritual, temporal and sporting, and quickly endearing himself to the community. The outstanding legacy of his three years in Windgap was his leadership in organizing the Windgap Group Water Scheme which brought piped water to the village and transformed the living standards of thirty families. In the absence of machinery trenches had to be dug voluntarily and here he showed his skill with a pick and shovel. By the time of his transfer to Durrow the scheme was almost complete. He returned, amidst thunderous applause, to perform the official opening. He was the last curate to live in the curate’s house; his successor, Fr. Brian Flynn, took up residence in the Parochial House.
After his three short years in Windgap Fr Paddy was CC in Durrow (1963-69), Rosbercon (1969-71), Thomastown (1971-75) and Aghavillar (1975-82) before being appointed Parish Priest of Ballycallan in 1982. He would have liked to return to Windgap as parish priest in 1986 but this was not to be. In 1989 he was appointed parish priest of Muckalee. He retired to his native Gathabawn in 2003 and was succeeded in Muckalee by Fr Larry Wallace. Fr Paddy served the people of Gathabawn for the next eight years until his health no longer permitted him to continue his ministry. He celebrated the diamond jubilee of his ordination to the priesthood last June in the nursing home in Crosspatrick. Ónár gcroíthe amach guímid go mbeidh a anam dílis i bhfochair Dé agus i gcomhluadair na n-aingeal agus na naomh uile ar feadh na síoraíochta.
Anniversaries Windgap: Michael and Nora Barry, Meallaghmore; Mrs Honora Williams née Kickham, Catford, London; Sean Ryan, Windgap;
Tullahought: James & Brigid Delaney, Slatequarries