Sixmilebridge Notes

Listening to our future
Sixmilebridge is once again championing the cause of the youth through a series of talks, tailored to alert them to the risks presented in every day life during adolescence.
Parish priest Fr Harry Bohan explains that while parents are primarily responsible for their children, there is an onus on the community as a whole to create a healthy, positive and supportive environment for young people to grow up in.
These issues are being addressed through a series of gatherings, the first of which, Aware Together – Grow Together, was held this week.
The second talk, Listening to our Future, will be presented on Tuesday night, March 15 by Dr Mary Surlis. The venue is the parish church starting at 7.30pm.
Dr Surlis is attached to NUI Galway and is director of Living Scenes, a scheme through which secondary school pupils get to meet regularly with older people. It was prompted by the changing nature of families, in particular the demise of the extended family. She has been running a number of programmes in recent years throughout the West of Ireland.
She was also involved in the programme at St Flannan’s College and St Joseph’s Secondary School in Tulla and has a lot of practical information to offer parents on the transition and issues young teenagers experience in moving from national to secondary school.
Parents, teachers and the wider community are encouraged to attend the meeting.

Wearing of the Green
The fifth annual parade to celebrate St Patrick’s Day will be held in Sixmilebridge this Sunday.
The parade starts at the Mount Ievers housing estate, on the Kilmurry Road, at 12.30pm and an invite has been extended to all, young and old, to don their green finery and come and enjoy this free entertainment and community celebration.
The parade cumulates with the traditional refreshments and craic in the community park near the playground on the Shannon Road.
Organised by The Bridge Complex, some expense is incurred as the parade is led by visiting bands.
To help offset these costs, a quiz night will be held on Friday, March 11 in The Mill Bar. This promises, as always, to be a good night of fun and organisers would welcome community support for the event.

Viewing of DVD
The Shannonside Winter Music Weekend in January was a special weekend and this year, for the first time, a camera caught the sights, sounds and atmosphere of the festival.
People can relive the excitement, or find out what the fuss was about, on Tuesday night, at the first showing of the festival video at The Mill Bar, starting at 8.30pm. The video provides a suitable starter for a musical evening topped off by a gig from an exciting bluegrass band from the Water Tower Bucket Boys from Portland, Oregon, USA.
Admission to this night of memories and hoedown is free.

Cúpla focail
To get in the mood for Seachtain Na Gaeilge, Spraoi Chainte, the Irish social club in Sixmilebridge is encouraging everyone to use their “cúpla focail” in everyday lives.
Not sure if “do chuid Gaeilge” is good enough, then come along to Spraoi Chainte on Monday nights at 8pm at Teach Na Chuirte, Sixmilebridge where everyone is welcome, no matter how rusty their Irish may be.

Competitive Season Starts
Sixmilebridge Hurling Club will once again field two teams in the U-21 championships which start on St Patrick’s Day. Indeed, both teams will be hoping to go one better than last year where defeat was their lot at the final stage.
Preparations have been going well for the A squad under the command of team manager Paddy Meehan along with selectors Niall Gilligan, John O’Meara, Jnr. and Leo Quinlan with challenge matches being played against the likes of St Thomas’s and Turloughmore (Galway) and the University of Limerick. Tulla will be the likely venue for their quarter-final game with Clonlara at 12 noon.
Meanwhile, the second string will take on Tulla at Hamilton Park, Kilkishen with the throw-in at 4.30pm.
Meanwhile, club membership is now due and needs to be paid before March 31.  All new members are more than welcome and payment can be made to any club officer.

Apostolic Display
The Parochial Hall will house the display of work for the foreign missions by members of the Sixmilebridge Apostolic Work Society this weekend.
Members of the public are encouraged to attend the display which opens after 7pm mass on Saturday night and again on Sunday after 11am mass. It will remain open to the public to 5pm.

Bereavement Support
Sr Fionnuala Glynn will be the guest speaker at this Thursday night’s meeting of the Bereavement Support group, which has just been established in the community. The information talk will be held in the parish office at 7.30pm and all are welcome to attend.

GAA Club Shop
The club shop is open again every Friday evening in the GAA complex from 7pm to 9pm.
In addition to the usual range of club gear, the club is now stocking hurleys and helmets, kit-bags and the new supporters jersey. Further details are available on www.sixmilebridgegaa.com or from Ruth on 087 6996298 or Grainne on 087 2634371.

ICA Guild
These are hectic times for member of the local ICA guild with various demonstrations in addition to finalising arrangement for the guild’s annual summer outing in June which, this year, is to the Bloom Garden Show.
Merry O’Higgins was the guest speaker at the March meeting and she imparted her immense knowledge on tapestry weaving to members which was much appreciated.
The VEC stitching classes are ongoing and are held each Wednesday night at 7pm in the Credit Union Rooms.
Meanwhile, the ICA’s 10k sponsored walk for cancer care is on Sunday, May 8. The starting point is the Wells church and further information is available from Geraldine Hassett on 061 369616.
Several members are planning a night of cookery demonstrations by Liz Ronan from Cratloe on April 7 and anyone interested in joining the guild should contact Martha on 061 369633, Christine on 061 369905 or Ann on 061 369190.

Through in Scór
The ballad group of Louise Corbett, Zoe Crowe, Carol Glynn, Orla Liddane and Hazel Touhy has qualified for the Munster final of scór sinsir.
The county champions came through their semi-final heat at Cappaquin, Waterford last Saturday night and can now look forward to the Munster final on Saturday, March 19 at Templemore.
Anyone interested in attending the finals should contact Sean Corbett on 061 369089 as it is an all-ticket affair.