FORGE: At the site, of the old village forge, the work saw the preparations for the re-construction of its original frontage that commences in two weeks’ time. It involved the removal of the wall and flower bed, levelling of the site and the excavation of the foundations. In a token of appreciation of the volunteers work, ninety two year old Maureen Ryan came out to make the tea for the workers who were operating just across the road from her house.
LINK WALK: Just up the street, local resident Kathleen O’Shea took a trip over the new link walk from the upper village to the lower village that has been in the melting pot for the past three years. Made possible by the retiring Parish Priest Fr. Nicholas Flavin who walked the overgrown terrain organising its route in its planning stages and then observed its birth from the Church grounds. The work involved clearing the undergrowth and trees to make the pathway, digging out a foundation, rolling out an anti-growth barrier and laying the pathway of stone chippings. In addition it was made buggy accessible as the entry and exits were filled up and graded out. Its completion gave more options than foreseen as car parking for large church services and hurling games, a safe pathway from the school to the church and back were added to giving exposure of the historical aspects of the village by linking the amenity walk to Calvary Grotto walk. In its initial stages it was traversed from the lower side by the incoming Parish Priest Fr. Fergus Farrell. The walk will be opened to the public when the signage is erected in three weeks’ time.
SPECTATOR FACILITIES: At the hurling club stalwart Pat Walsh led a team of workers pouring concrete in preparation for the arrival of more hurling Walsh’s in Tullaroan's famed Tommy and Tullougher Rosbercon’s Walter to do championship battle in Windgap in a few weeks’ time. The project also involved making the public area of the club room’s totally wheelchair accessible from all sides and also the provision of additional under cover seating for spectators. Within a day former club player Dick McKenna had provided two bench seats that were used by the spectators for Sundays Camogie game.
BANTER: The will to “work on” was evident as the demands by each work group to keep the walkway and concrete work progressing saw keen competition between the volunteers for the digger and loaders. When the heavy work was done and the concrete and stone for the pathway arrived, the thought of a breather was unthinkable as the wheelbarrow or shovel being used would be gone in a willing hand to work at another part of the site. Throughout the week kitchen in the clubrooms was in full flow as morning, evening and lunchtime teas were organised by Nicky Hawe.
DEDICATION: Thanks are extended to the time of Pat Walsh and Paraic Walsh who gave up their valuable time for three days Shay Power for his time and machinery and the work of volunteers Joe O’Shea, Nicky Hawe, Dermot Houlihan, Pat Cooke, Enda Hawe home on holidays from New Zealand, Julie Walsh, Ned Moloney, PJ Culleton, John Ryan, John McKenna, Jimmy Walsh, Noel Ryan and Willie Fitzpatrick. This was allied to the contribution of those who provided machinery, diggers, dumpers, power tools, term, stone and the hauling of the rubble and filling for the pathways. The public response with offers of help from visitors has been refreshing. With more work to be completed on each site, contributions of stone or donations of or for signage, ready-mix or mortar and lime mix would be greatly appreciated by the organisers.
REFLECTION ON DREAMS: During the time it was reflected that many members of the crew who first came together for the building of the handball alley over thirty years earlier, had seen the little acorn they had planted grow to deliver its first Féile Handball title just a week earlier. The dream, at the time was to provide modern playing facilities to maintain the long tradition of the game in the area that was in danger as the local one wall alleys in the Slatequarries and Windgap were going into decline. Over the years the on-going work of the various handball committees’ and the many trainers has led to the clubs first Féile team title.
INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL: Gerard Purcell was a member of the Kilkenny football panel defeated the holders Scotland to win Kilkenny’s inaugural All Britain Junior Football championship final in Edinburgh on Saturday last. Gerard entered the fray after half time when the side strove successfully to hold a slender half time lead whilst facing a strong wind. The win sees the side qualify for the All-Ireland Junior semi Final against the Connaught winners.
NEW BEGINNINGS: On Sunday morning Fr. Nicholas Flavin bade his final Sunday morning goodbye at the local masses in Tullahought and Windgap. After three years in the parish the black and amber and tricolour flags outside Tullahought Church flew straight up the village street. The strong breeze pointing them in a northern direction towards a new beginning for the progressive and popular Parish Priest in his initial parish of Kilmoganny and Dunnamaggin. At the same time a miraculous text, in an area of extremely poor indoor coverage, arrived from the direction of the warm breeze faraway south of the equator. It related to a new beginning for another parish stalwart that would normally be up to his eyes in the weeks sporting and development activities. Its contents announced the wedding just hours earlier of Simon and Doreen Brophy in Kampala. Best wishes for the future are extended from one and all to Doreen, Simon and Nicholas.
MYSTERY CAR: Concern was increasing at the weekend about the silver 05 D Ford car left on the roadside opposite the village school in Windgap. With no firm knowledge available of the reasons why it was left or who the owners were there were fears amongst local residents that the owner may have got injured or fallen sick on a walk in the area.
TIDY TOWNS IN TULLAHOUGHT: Work continued at the new wall below the forge whilst the painting of Powers Public House in the village was completed by the Power family. Elsewhere hedge, flower and grass maintenance was carried out.
TIDY TOWNS IN WINDGAP: Thanks to the ESB personnel three rotten poles that provided the street lighting on the main road at the Glanbia store were removed. The lights from them had been removed to adjacent poles recently. As a result the area now looks a lot tidier and is safer. In their time they were used as a shaky anchor for bunting to celebrate parish victories. Nearby more work to make the roadside margins more serviceable by levelling, de-stoning and reseeding was carried out. In the village an array of painting of residences and the provision of flower boxes, window boxes and planting tubs at the hall have provided summer colour.
CAMOGIE SENIORS WIN: In the St. Canices Senior Camogie All County League Windgap recorded a 1-10 to 0-4 over Muckalee in Windgap on Sunday morning. In the twelve a side game the star of the show in the first half was Lisa Phelan at centre field for Windgap. The scorer of 1-1 that included a classy solo goal Lisa was the main difference between the sides. In the second half an early Muckalee point and a saved late penalty that were interspersed with a series of Anne Marie Phelan points and a fine last minute Joanne Cody point off the sideline saw Windgap collect both league points.
DEVELOPMENTS: Windgap Community Development held a committee meeting in the Club Rooms on Tuesday evening when all aspects of the on-going improvements were discussed. It commenced with a stroll over the link walk that had been completed earlier in the day. On Thursday evening the group re-convened at the Hall.
TOURNAMENT WIN: Windgap junior hurlers had a fine extra time win over Erin’s Own of Waterford in the final of the home side’s annual tournament played in Poleberry on Saturday evening. Level at 0-9 at the break and 0-16 at the final whistle the match went to extra time. In the first period of extra time a 3-4 blitz though a brace of goals by Matthew Enright and one by Conor Lonergan saw the side go ten points ahead. In the final period an Erin’s Own rally saw the leader reduced to five points at the final whistle.
LEINSTER FINAL: Plans are being put in place to run a club bus to the Leinster finals in Croke Park on Sunday next. For further details contact Tom Egan.
CLOTHES COLLECTION: Windgap Camogie Club are fund raising and are holding a clothes collection on the 4th July so make space and fill a bag and leave it in the G.A.A. club rooms any Monday evening from 6pm to 8pm or contact any club member to arrange collection. Your support is very much Appreciated
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 and photos visit the local website windgap.ie