31-05-2003

Children Celebrate Communion

The following children of the parish celebrated the sacrament of First Holy Communion on Saturday, May 24 at 11 am.

The Rock NS: Conor Allen, Paul Allen, Chelsea Carroll and Karen Rivillas. St. Joseph’s GNS: Kelly Ann Barry, Marguerite Barry, Daphne Behan, Melissa Bergin, Shauna Blake, Bronwyn Conroy, Amanda Conroy, Niamh Coss, Krystal Deegan, Amy Dempsey, Eimer Dempsey, Katie Donoher, Joyce Dunne, Rebecca Dunne, Sarah Dunne, Hannah Finn, Rachel Forde, Laura Glynn, Ruth Hanrahan, Claire Horan, Louise Jones, Ailish Kavanagh, Hayley Keogh, Grace Lalor, Eimer McCrohan, Grainne McEvoy, Stacey McEvoy, Ceire Molloy, Laura Murphy, Sarah Murphy, Patricia Murray, Ellen O’Shea, Rebecca-Anne Payne, Katie Phelan, Georgina Rankin, Rebecca Reddin, Grainne Scott, Jessica Whelan, Deborah White, Niamh Williams and Ruth Williams.

Scoil Naofa Phadraig: Liam Turner, Tim Body, Christopher Brennan, Ross Brennan, Gary Brophy, Jason Brophy, Emmet Comerford, Liam Conroy, Adrian Coss, Alan Coss, Ryan English, Darryl Flynn, Daryl Garty, Eoin Joyce, Robert Kelly, David Lee, Jordon Masterson, Jason McInerney, Jason Murphy, Adam O’Reilly, Ger Quinn, Jonathan Reddin, John Joseph Smith, James Strong, Cian Thompson and Adam Strong.

Special Olympics

Meetings of Mountmellick host town committee members, families and volunteers will continue each Monday night at

8.30 pm in the Macra Hall, Patrick St, until the Peruvian delegation arrive on Sunday, June 15.

The Rock Juvenile GAA

Training times for Juveniles, U8, U10, U12, U16, Monday nights at 7 pm. U14’s Tuesday nights at 7 pm. New players are welcome to come along for all age groups.
ICA MASS: Mass for members and deceased members of the ICA will be held in ICA House on Thursday, May 29 at 8 pm.

Game Preservation Association & Gun Club

The above will hold a meeting for new members in the Owenass Hall on Friday, June 13 at 8 pm.

Laois Citizens Information Service

The above will be in attendance every Wednesday at MDA Irishtown from 10 am to 12.30 pm or else may be contacted at the Portlaoise office. Anyone who would like to help with tax problems, social welfare entitlements, health, housing, or any related problem are welcome to attend.

Juvenile GAA

The U12 hurlers had a great win over Clonad in the League in Acragar with a final score line of Mountmellick 4-3 and Clonad 3-2. The panel were M. Dowling, M. Cleary, S. George, M. McDermott, L. Reidy, E. Melia, A. Dunphy, D. Whelan, K. Donoher, P. Keating, R. Dowling, G. Dunne, T. Keating, J. Quigley, L. Kenny, D. McGuirke, G. Conroy, C. Dunne, G. Brennan, K. Dunphy and D. Brennan. In U10 hurling with a very young team Mountmellick travelled to Clonad and came away with a great win. Scoreline-Mountmellick 4-3 and Clonad 2-2. Panel: M. Dowling, A. Conroy, K. Dunphy, D. Garty, C. Kenna, C. Dunne, M. McDermott, T. Keating, J. Pimm, T. Dowling, G. Conroy, E. Dempsey, and E. Quigley. Children interested in playing hurling are welcome to Acragar on Wednesday at 6.30 pm.

Football training-U8 and U14 training on Thursdays from 7-8 pm. U16 on Thursdays from 6.30-8 pm. U10 and U12 are now training on Thursdays from 7-8 instead of Fridays.
Hurling training-U16 on Mondays from 6.30-8 pm. U8, U10, and U12 on Wednesdays from 7-8 pm.

Lough Derg

A three day pilgrimage to Lough Derg will take place on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, July 4, 5 and 6. For further details contact Maura. A deposit is required.

Ann Farrell, Donal Fenlon And Alan Burke Memorial

his annual 15km event took place in Mountmellick on Thursday, May 15. This was the 11th annual Ann Farrell race to be held in Mountmellick. Ann was a past member of Mountmellick Athletic Club. The Donal Fenlon and Alan Burke Memorials had been an annual event held previously in Ballybrittas and came to Mountmellick in 2002. Both Donal and Alan were also past members of the Ballybrittas and Mountmellick Athletic Clubs. Despite the bad weather there was a good turn out from both athletes and walkers. The race began and finished outside the MDA building while registrations and the prize giving took place in the Owenass Hall. Everyone who finished the race was awarded a medal and the prize categories and winners were as follows: Senior Men-Donal Fenlon Memorial presented by Marie, daughter of the late Donal Fenlon; 1st Colm Burke, St. Abbans; 2nd Tony Reilly, North Laois; 3 Jody Reilly, Tullamore Harriers. Senior Ladies-Ann Farrell Memorial presented by Michael, brother of the late Ann Farrell; 1 Ann Carroll, Tullamore Harriers; 2 Collette Brennan-English, St. Abbans; 3 Jacinta Rigney, Portlaoise. Vet Men: Alan Burke Memorial presented by Ann, mother of the late Alan Burke; 1 Martin McDonald, Portlaoise; 2 Liam Dunne, Tullamore Harriers; 3 Jimmy Keenan, Portlaoise. Vet Women: Ann Farrell Memorial presented by Michael, brother of late Ann Farrell; 1 Anne Kavanagh, Mountmellick; 2 Barbara Connelly, North Laois; 3 Eileen Quinn, Portlaoise. Juveniles presented by Buddy Bloomer, chairperson of Mountmellick AC; 1 Tony Keenan, Portlaoise; 2 Jessica Brennan, Portlaoise.

All entrants were thanked for participating in this event and special thanks were given to the sponsors-Con Ward, Midland Recycling; Mountmellick Credit Union; Michael Kinsella; Thirsty Nellie’s Ballybrittas; Tom and Darren Burke and the Druid Inn, Mountmellick.

And thanks were also given to all the committee members of the athletic club and the women’s mini-marathon group-Linda Dunne, Ann Mortimer, and Eileen Dunne, Gerry O’Flaherty, and Paul Dempsey, Chernobyl Fund, Civil Defence, Gardai and John Turner.

Mobile Blood Bank

The mobile blood bank will be at St. Patrick’s BNS on today, Wednesday, May 28 from 4.30-9 pm. All are asked to avail of the opportunity to give blood and those over 18 years of age are reminded that they can also donate.

First Year Maths Competition

The Irish Maths Teachers Association held their annual competition in St. Andrew’s College, Booterstown on Friday, May 9. The staff and pupils of Mountmellick Community School congratulate David Dunne who represented the school in the competition and received a certificate for his excellent achievement.

Community School Ladies Football

Congratulations to the Laois Ladies minor team who won the Leinster final against Meath on Saturday, May 17 in Newbridge. This was Laois’s first victory in Leinster since 1999. Meath have won the title in 2000, 2001 and 2002 and were heading for four in a row. Well done to the entire team and particularly to the players from Mountmellick Community School who played a huge role in the Laois victory.

Cassie Dunne was in brilliant form in goals. Nicole Dunphy and Deirdre Halley both did very well in defence. Emma McEvoy as usual covered area of ground in her midfield role while up front Aoife Cleary, Claire Conlon, and Aileen McLoughlin made big contriubtions in attack. It has been a marvellous year for the footballers of the school and this win brings to three the number of Leinster titles picked up by these girls in the current school year. Laois now go on to meet the Munster champions later in the summer.

Schools Super Seven

Well done to the first year boys of Mountmellick Community School who won the county final Blitz in the football section at Portlaoise GAA grounds on Thursday, May 15. Over the last few weeks a football League for first year students was held after school and after some excellent matches a winning team emerged to represent the school in the finals.

On the day they were grouped with St. Fergal’s Rathdowney, Heywood CS and Portlaoise CBS. In the first game they played a strong Portlaoise CBS side and in a high scoring game the Mountmellick team were defeated by6 5-8 to 5-5. They defeated Rathdowney in the next game by 5-3 to 3-3 to qualify for the final. In the final Mountmellick once again faced Portlaoise CBS and with limbs getting weary they were up against it. However, the lads dug deep and produced a memorable victory with a score of 3-2 to 2-3.

As school winners they were presented with polo tops and as county winners they received fleece tops, which they now wear with pride. Well done to the lads who won but also to the first years who played in the School Leagues and the fourth and fifth year students who helped run it.

Team: Colm Coss (Captain), Sean Lawlor, James McRedmond, Shane Dowling, Paul Dunne, Sean Culliton, Darren Kenny, Shane O’Connell, and coach Teddy O’Shea. Thanks to Ciaran Muldowney who organised the competition at local level and to the Leinster Council.