PROLOGUE:  I am Harnett and proud of my name, like my father before me and my father’s father and many before.  The blood of my ancestors runs in my veins.  I am the next generation…Harnett to the core.  I stand tall, I am Harnett and proud of my name.

Ross (Fox) Harnett, Dromtrasna Collins, age 10 ( written for first Reunion in 2012).

HARNETT REUNION 2019: The hay is made, the turf is home, Tipp are bate, the forecast is for heat and occasional showers to cool us down, the welcoming signs are up, Fr. Casey is flying the Harnett colours, we have flowers, bunting and flags all over Abbeyfeale  and Harnetts,  Hartnetts and Ó hAirtnéadas are on the way for the International Reunion July 11-14.  They’re coming from NZ, Hawaii, Italy, US and Canada as well as Britain, Northern Ireland and Offaly – there’s a nest of them up there!  We have a full day of Genealogy workshops, a trip to the Flying boat museum, a concert headlined by tenor Brian Harnett and a gala banquet organised and the excitement is fierce.  A big shout out to James Harnett our friendly undertaker and the hard working committee who are all in readiness for a huge w/e and who, with the help of Chairman of Abbeyfeale Community Council Maurice O’Connell have put a lot of work into bringing this reunion to West Limerick.  Abbeyfeale’s accommodation providers will benefit from the influx of visitors as will local restaurants.    The Genealogy Day in the Devon Hotel, Friday July 12 runs from 10.00 a.m. – 6.00 p.m and is free to everyone. It has presentations from four speakers and a display of the Patie Boy Harnett Historical Collection.  The Harnett International Variety Show at Halla Tadhg Gaelach Tournafulla takes place on Friday July 12 at 8pm and is  headlined by Tenor Brian Harnett.  Doors open 7pm. Admission €10.   The trip to the Desmond Castle and Foynes Flying Boat Museum takes place on Saturday followed by the  Gala Banquet in the Devon Hotel at 7.30 p.m. Banquet menu, Reunion cake, wine and live band (The Bansha Boys) included. Tickets €40 now on sale at Ann Lyons, Abbeyfeale and Batt Harnett, Abbeyfeale and need to be purchased by Friday as numbers have to be given to the hotel on Friday.  There will be a local tour Sunday morning which will be followed by memorial Mass on Sunday afternoon in Duagh Church at 3pm.  Further information 087 2500929.

SEISIUN:  Templeglantine Seisiun every Thursday, at 8.30pm.

SUMMER OUTING:  Abbeyfeale Community Alert are travelling to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park on Tuesday, July 16.  The bus will depart from Church at 9.30am.  Tickets €40 which include soup and sandwiches in Durty Nellies, a stop in the Crescent and dinner in the Devon Inn will be  available in Ann Lyons’s, The Square and Kathleen Collins’s Foodstore, Convent St.  Tickets are selling fast so get yours asap.

MASS:  The first anniversary Mass for the late Canon James Neville will be celebrated on Monday, July 29 at 7pm. All parishioners are welcome.

FIRST FRIDAY REFLECTIONS WITH FR. SHOJI:  On the First Friday of each month, ,   Fr Shoji will lead an hour of Praise and Worship in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel beginning at 9.00am.  He will lead parishioners in reflecting on the Word of God and will conclude with the Rosary. All parishioners are welcome, especially parents and children.

SALE OF PRODUCE:  Sale of produce from the parish garden will take place after both Masses on Sunday, July 21 with all funds raised going to Fr. Tim Galvin’s South Sudan Mission.  Vegetables, Jams and preserves will be on sale.

BOOK: A second collection of short stories entitled ‘From Head to Tale ‘  been published by Newcastle West man, Pat Mcloughlin. The book is available at Anne Lyons’s shop and the proceeds will go to Friends of St Ita’s.

CLEAN UP:  Reilig Ide Graveyard every Tuesday from 7-8pm.   More help is always appreciated as the graveyard is quite large.  In order to help with this families are encouraged to maintain their own graves and one near yours if that family is no longer able to. We appreciate any help you can give.   The annual Mass in Reilig Ide will take place in August.

WEST LIMERICK SINGING CLUB: The club meet on the first Friday of each month in Philip Enrights The Ramble Inn, Church Street from 9pm.

REEK SUNDAY:  The annual national pilgrimage to Croagh Patrick ‘Reek Sunday’ takes place on Sunday, July 28.  Mass will be celebrated on the summit of the mountain on the hour with the first Mass at 8am and the last Mass at 2pm. Confessions will be available on the summit from 7:30am to 2pm.

SCHOLARSHIP:  The Danaher Trust is making number of scholarships available to students of the parishes in this area for studies at third level.  The students must be of limited means. The Danaher McGrath Trust is seeking  applications for  a scholarship. In order to apply for the  scholarship students must meet certain criteria. For information  email www.woulfemurphy.com closing date for applications is August 31.

COMMUNITY ALERT: Don’t post holiday pictures on FB until you come back, turn off your location on your smart phone so no one can check if you are out.   If something sounds too good to be true then more than likely it is so be careful out there.  Take care on the roads and make sure that you are visible to other road users so if walking wear a high viz jacket and after dusk carry a torch and if driving turn on your lights if the wipers are on.  Lock the doors of your car when you are inside, do not leave a handbag visible on the seat.  When you are at home keep the two doors locked so that if someone calls a second person cannot enter the house through the back door while you are occupied at the front door. Once you reach the age of 65 and live alone or with a person/s aged over 65 you are entitled to receive a monitored alarm system. But if you have younger people living in the house who are out for long periods of the day then because you are spending hours alone you are also entitled to the system provided that you are over 65.  The free equipment is provided by Pobal following an application from Abbeyfeale Community Alert, there will be a monitoring fee to be paid from the second year of installation to the installing company of €72.  Please note that this fee has increased by €6 and is payable in a lump sum each year after year one.  Should you not have a landline the installing company Task provide a sim card at a rate of €7.50 per month payable from day one.  Committee members are Sean Broderick, Michael O’Kelly N.T., Seamus Stack, Mossie Gleeson, Kathleen Collins, Mary McArthur, Buddy and Brenda Barry, John O’Sullivan, Billy Quirke N.T., Cllr. Francis Foley, Mary Jo O’Connell, James Joy, Denis Collins, Marian Harnett.

HELPLINE FOR MEN SUFFERING DOMESTIC ABUSE:  A new helpline has been set up and will operate 36 hours a week on 1800816588.

BRUACH NA CARRAIGE SUMMER CAMP:. The annual summer camp is on from July 15 – 26 from 10 am – 2pm for children between 6 and 15 years where they will be introduced to playing music, singing, ceili dancing, games and fun.  Each day from 2.30 to 6pm there will be solo traditional step dancing classes with Sarah and Maurice O Keeffe.   Further information from 087 2205566.

SESSION:  The Bruach Na Carraige summer Seisiun is now on, and will run each Tuesday night during July and August at 9pm.

SICAP ABBEYFEALE PARENT & TODDLER GROUP: 11am – 12.30pm every Tuesday and Thursday, St Ita’s Hall. New people always welcome. Contact Mary on 087 9382883.

GROW COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH MOVEMENT IN IRELAND.   Meet on Wednesday’s at 8pm in the Seanchaí  Centre, Listowel. This programme is open to all and is free of charge. No introductions needed. Just come along. For more information, contact Jerry, 086 0271990.

MEDJUGORJE CONFERENCE AND DAY OF PRAYER with Sr. Briege McKenna Saturday, August 31 in Neptune Stadium, Cork. Tickets €20.00 available on Eventbrite.ie . All tickets purchased included in entry for free pilgrimage to Medjugorje from Cork or Dublin. Booking fees apply. Contact Sean O’Shaughnessy 0862959380.

MASS TIME:  Mass Times in the Pastoral Area Unit; Abbeyfeale – Saturday 6e.30pm   and    Sunday   9.15am & 12noon.    Athea -   Saturday 7.30pm and Sunday 10.30am. Mountcollins   – Sunday 11am.  Templeglantine – Saturday 6pm and Sunday 10.00 am.  Tournafulla    -   Saturday 7.30pm.

ABBEYFEALE PARISH CHURCH:  Fr Tony Mullins PP 087/2600414.  Fr Brendan Duggan 087/0562674. Fr Denis Mullane 087/2621911. Fr Shoji Vargihese      089/4431922 Parish Church 068/51915. Parish Office; Open 11:00 – 1:00 p.m. Tues. – Fri. (068) 31133    Email: fealechurch@eircom.net   Limerick Social Services:  061-314111.    AA    061/311222 Al-Anon 086/8143425. Parent Support worker 068/31019.  Accord NCW 069/61000.   Samaritans Freephone 116123 or text 087/2609090 or email jo@samaritan.ie Aware (Depression & Anxiety) 1980 303 302 National Suicide Helpline (Pieta House) 1800 247 247 Irish Advocacy Network (Peer advocacy in mental health) 01 872 8684 Pieta House (Suicide & self-harm) 01 623 5606 IACP (Counselling & Psychotherapy) 01 230 3536 Shine: (Supporting people effected by mental ill health) 01 860 1620 061 – 412111 or Free phone 1850609090 A.A. 061-311222 Al-Anon 086-8143425 Bereavement Support: 068 / 31203    068/ 31262    068/51984    St Vincent De Paul    Tel 087/1213560 .  Counselling Appointment    061/314213.  Masses:   No morning Mass Monday, evening Mass at 7pm.  Saturday Masses 11am and 6.30pm.  Sunday 9.15am and 12 noon.  Mass Intentions:

AUTUMN PILGRIMAGE:  Places on the Autumn Pilgrimage to Lourdes are filling up quickly. If any parishioners are planning to go on pilgrimage to Lourdes in September they need to book in the coming two weeks. Booking forms are available in the sacristy. The pilgrimage will depart from Shannon Airport on September 19 returning on September 24.  For further information contact Fr Tony on 087-2600414.

LISTOWEL GUIDED WALKS:  The Listowel Guided Heritage Walk will take place each Saturday at 11 am during July & August.  The walk will depart from Kerry Writers’ Museum/Listowel Tourist Office in the Square.  Admission is €5 per person and includes a complimentary tea or coffee at Castle View Café.  Children 15 years and under are free.

THE HOLY LAND PILGRIMAGE:  The Killarney St. Pio Prayer Group are organising a 9 Day Pilgrimage visiting Jerusalem, Sea of Galilee, Cana, Garden of Gethsemane, Dead Sea and Mount Tabor.   Departing November 7.  Contact Michael Clifford 086 1309835.

SUPPORT WORKER:   Mary Danaher, the parish parent support person, works from the parish  office building 4 day a week Monday to Thursday. She is always available to help, listen, encourage or support parents.  Tel her office on 068/31019 and leave a message if she is not in.

PILGRIMAGE TO MEDJUGORJE AND SAN GIOVANNI Leaving Dublin September 15 for 6 nights (3 nights at each shrine). Contact Michael Clifford (085 1309835) or Marian Pilgrimages (01 8788159).

RAMBLING HOUSES:   Monagae 2^nd. Monday of the month.   Knockalougha, Duagh on the third Tuesday of every month.

MY STORY WITH GOD:  A talk will take place in Killarney Plaza hotel on Saturday July 20th at 8pm called ‘My story with God’. Three young people will give their testimony, detailing how the Catholic faith helped them overcome issues in their lives. All are welcome to attend

MEDJUGORJE MASS in Our Lady & St. Brendan’s Church, Tralee on Thursday 11th July at 7.30pm, followed by exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. Everyone Welcome.

LOUGH DERG PILGRIMAGES Friday, August 9 – Sunday, August 11. Fare €140 including coach, boat and island. To book you seat contact Fitzpatrick’s of Listowel on 087 3966399 (9am to 6pm).

PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND led by Fr. Pat Crean-Lynch.  September 24—October 2.  For further details contact Fr. Pat Crean-Lynch on 087 220 0114.

PROLOGUE: Happiness is not the absence of problems, it’s the ability to deal with them.”
Steve Maraboli
HARNETT REUNION 2019:   Harnetts from all over the world are travelling for this gathering and will be arriving from this coming weekend.  The town has been decorated with flags and bunting and all is in readiness for a great weekend.  [...]