30-11-2002

Christmas Carol Service

Mountmellick Community School will host a Christmas carol service in St Joseph's Church on Tuesday, December 10, starting at 8.30 pm. All members of the local community are invited to attend this event.

I.V.E.T.A. Dinner And Social

The annual dinner dance and social of the Irish Vintage Engine and Tractor Association will be held on Sunday, December 1.

The venue for the social this year will be The Manor Hotel, Abbeyleix commencing with dinner at 2 pm. A very relaxing and enjoyable afternoon for all the family is promised, with music and spot prizes galore. Santa will be arriving during the afternoon with gifts for all the children. Valuable prizes can also be won in the annual raffle which takes place on the day.

Tickets for the social are available from the committee members or from R McEvoy, secretary.

Meanwhile we congratulate our national winners at the NPA championships at Ballacolla: Sean Wisely from Rosenallis, the winner of the IVETA trophy for the best vintage tractor; Billy Carter from Portlaoise, winner of the Richard and Margaret Moynan trophy for the best stationary engine and Tom O'Brien, from Stradbally, the winner of the Higgins trophy for the best farm machinery exhibit. Well done.

Maniax Foroige Club

On, Tuesday, November 5 the club committee went to officer training in Ballyroan. The club then met on Wednesday, November 8. Two new members attended Plans are in progress to launch the results of our ongoing wheelchair project.

Embroidery Classes

Mountmellick embroidery classes continue every Tuesday night from 8 pm to 10 pm in the MDA offices, lrishtown All are welcome.

Parish Draw

The next parish draw will be held on Friday, November 29 at 8.30 p.m. in St. Joseph's GNS. Payment for the November draw must be paid on or before Wednesday, November 27 to the parish office.

Lourdes

Next year's parish pilgrimage to Lourdes has been booked from Saturday, July 26 to Thursday, July 31 2003. The all in fare is £595 return. Those who .intend travelling and would like to pay by installments may do so.

Christmas Bingo

This takes place in the Owenass Hall on Sunday nights at 8.30 pm. Prizes include hamper, turkeys and hams and £1620 guaranteed every Sunday.

Parish Christmas Draw

The annual Christmas parish draw takes place on Sunday, December 22 Tickets are now on sale from the parish office.

St. Vincent De Paul

The above are holding their annual church gate collection on Saturday, November 30 and Sunday, December 1 Please give as generously as you can.

Old School Whist

Results, November 21 top score - (tie 3 way) P. Dowling, N. Lalor arid E. Moran; ladies, 1, V. Hutchinson; 2, B. Thompson, gents, I F. Conroy, 2, L. Kavanagh; halves, 1, S. Duff; 2. F Gleeson and K. McHugh; best of three, K. Kavanagh.

Your support is appreciated every Thursday night. Please note our Christmas whist drive will be held on Saturday night, December21. All welcome.

I.C.A. News

There will be a committee meeting on Tuesday, December 3 at 8 pm and a guild meeting and draw on Tuesday, December 10.

The Christmas dinner will be held in ICA House on Wednesday, December 11 while the Federation dinner is in the Castle Arms Hotel on Thursday, December 5.
Thanks to Elsie McDonald and Rena McEvoy who did a good job modelling at the Federation fashion show and also to the ladies that attended the craft day in Castletown.

Mountmellick Ladies Basketball

Both Mountmellick teams had convincing victories in their league matches last weekend. Mountmellick B had a nail biting encounter with a youthful Rathangan team. The game was score for score until the final quarter when Mountmellick got the upper hand and came away with a seven point victory.

Team: Margaret Culleton, Caroline Reid, Sorcha Kelly, Ailish Dunne, Alison Doody, Martha Phelan, Anita Storey, Leanne Fallon and Sarah Dunne.

Mountmellick A had a comfortable victory over an under strength Clonaslee B team who travelled with only 5 players.

Team: Tracey Fallon, Annmarie Hourigan, Niamh Kenna, Deirdre Bloomer, Colette O'Connell, Karen Reddin and Breda Cleary.

The next fixture is Mountmellick A v Mountmellick B on Saturday, December 7 at 6.45 pm.

Community Care

The Christmas party will be held in the Hazel Hotel on Sunday, January 26, with the bus leaving the square at 1 pm. To ensure meals booking will have to be made and the money in by Friday, January 19. The meal cost £15 including bus. The meal will be at 2 pm with music afterwards.

P.T.A.A.

The regional meeting with Mass will be held in Abbeyleix on Wednesday, December 4.
The annual dinner dance held in the Hazel Hotel on November 15 was the most successful one to date. Thanks to all who donated spot prizes, especially from our own town - Dowling's Butchers, Eamonn's Fruit Shop, Ger Dunne, Margaret Bradford, Patricia Shortall, Ivor Cox, James McElwee, Doris Flannery, Fr. Gahan, the Furlong family, Shaws and Kearney Foods.

The mid Leinster first round of the Readori will take place in St Paul's School, Borris Road, Portlaoise on Friday, December 6. We are hoping the schools will supply some talent on the night as it does not stop there. Last year and the previous year, we had All lreland winners.

Retirement Group Sale

Due to unforeseen circumstances the retirement group had to cancel their sale of work last Sunday and it will now take place in the Town Hall on Friday, November 29 from noon to 4 pm.

Photographic Exhibition

There was a large turn out for the opening of Mountmellick Photographic Society's annual exhibition on Friday night last in the Community School. The Society has gone from strength to strength in their 12 years and this was very evident in the high standard of prints on show, both colour and monochrome.

The attendance and members enjoyed a most interesting and informative talk by guest photographer John Minihan and were able to view a selection of his photographs and slides. Background music and song was provided by Ameus Deus.

The exhibition was open to all on Saturday and Sunday. In previous years the annual awards were held in conjunction with the exhibition but this year they will form a separate event at a later date.

Laois Writer's Group

Laois Writer's Group will meet in County Hall, Portlaoise on Tuesday, December 3 from 7 pm to 9 pm. Members are asked to bring a Christmas story or poem for the last meeting of the year.

Appeal - Christmas Clear Out

If you have any unwanted board games, jig saws, books etc. to suit ages 8 to 15 years, please leave them into the MDA at lrishtown or contact Annmarie

Concern Fast

The annual fast and street collection for Concern will be held on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, December 5, 6 and 7. Your generous response will be gratefully received on behalf of the Third World.

Hospital Sale Of Work

A sale of work will be held in St Vincent's Hospital on Sunday, December 1 at 2 pm. Your support would be appreciated.

Community School: Ladies Football

The senior girls from the school covered themselves with glory on Sunday last when they captured the All Ireland Vocational Schools Senior A final for the first time by defeating Belmullet in Roscommon.

It was a marvellous performance by the girls and their best display to date in their march to victory. After a nervous start in which they conceded some early scores, they settled down to play fast attacking football which yielded a huge harvest of twenty six scores. The team was feted by the school at a function in the Old Mill Restaurant on their arrival back in town on Sunday night. Full report is sports section.

I.S.T.A. Senior Science Quiz

Three students represented the school in the finals of the Irish Science Teachers Association science quiz in Trinity on Saturday last. They were Edward Gaffney, Nuala Carroll and Lorna Kelleher and they finished in the top fifteen out of a total original entry of hundreds of schools.

Mountmellick Community School On The Double For All Ireland Volleyball Finals
The senior girls team had a resounding win in their quarter final clash with Callan, Co. Kilkenny by 2 sets to nil.

Opponents in the semi final were Margaret Aylward, Sec. School, Santry who proved to be formidable opposition. The Mountmellick girls rose to the occasion and deservedly won their place in the final against Mercy, Claremorris to be played on December 5.
Team: E. McEvoy (Captain), R. Farrell, A. Cleary, N. Dunphy, N. Dunne, L. Bennett, F. McEvoy, M. Dunne, P. Deffew.

The senior boys team also secured their place in All Ireland final by beating Kiltimage in quarter final 2-0 and came through a more difficult match in semi final against VEC Loughrea by two sets to one.

Team: M. Turner (Captain), R. Lawlor, D. Quigley, L. Oxley, C. Dormer, D. Conroy, R. Morrissey, M. Goodwin, T. Kearns, C. Collins, P. Gorry.
Good luck to both teams on December 5 in MCSC Mountmellick.

Laois v Westmeath

Laois senior footballers play their first challenge match under Mick O'Dwyer on Sunday next, December 1 in Pairc Acragar, Mountmellick. They take on Westmeath in an attractive fixture and the proceeds will go to the player benefit fund being organised in the town at present. Hopefully a large crowd will turn up and support this venture.

Committee Meeting

Mountmellick GAA Club hold a committee meeting on Thursday night at 9 pm in the Clubhouse. All members to attend.

Mountmellick Cemetery Committee

The above committee would like to thank most sincerely all who contributed to the recent Church gate collection. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.