Lorrha Notes

Don’t forget to purchase your copy of the 2021 Lorrha parish calendar while it is still available. You can purchase the calendar in the shop in Lorrha village, Mulrooney’s at The Ferry, O’Meara’s Super Valu Portumna, Boathouse, Salmons, Heenan’s Borrisokane, Flynn’s of Carrigahorig, Buckley’s Super Valu, Birr. The calendar as usual is packed with photos from the past and the present and makes a lovely gift for anyone whether living at home or abroad.

Rathcabbin Funding.

Funding to stabilise the ruins of the medieval Pallas Church near Rathcabbin was welcomed by Whitten Gill when he received the news recently. Whitten has been lobbying for this funding for some time so he has been very relieved to see work commencing on the project before Christmas. The State funding of €34,500 for the medieval ruins was granted under the July Jobs Stimulus package. It is expected that the improvements work will be completed later this year.

Church News.

With Level 5 restrictions back in force, religious services move back on line. Both Lorrha and Rathcabbin churches will remain open for anyone wishing to pray privately. Weddings can have up and six guests and funerals can have ten people.
Masses are available online as follows:
Live at Borrisokane mass times- 7pm Saturday and 10:30am Sunday- and a recording from Fr Michael from Terryglass. Please check the following links: www.twitch.tv/borrisokaneparish. www.killaloediocese.ie/parish/borrisokane/. www.terryglass/kilbarron https://bit.ly/3bhnxfj
Weekdays Masses on Webcam 10am.Tues, Thurs, Fri. from Borrisokane.

Anniversary Masses.
Anyone wishing to book an anniversary mass please contact the Parish Office on 090-9747009. Both Fr Tom and Fr Michael are happy to include anniversaries in their weekend masses, in Terryglass by audio on Saturday evenings and on webcam on Sunday mornings in Borrisokane.

Marriage Preparation During Covid:

Accord CLG is providing a 4 hour facilitated virtual interactive programme for couples preparing for marriage. See Accord.ie or phone 01 5053112.

Support.

A Covid-19 support line is available for older people and is managed by ALONE, a national support line and additional supports for older people who have concerns or are facing difficulties relating to the outbreak of the Coronavirus. Professional staff are available to answer queries and give advice and reassurance where necessary. The support line is open seven days a week, 8am – 8pm, by calling 0818 222 024. You can also contact the Samaritans: Ph: 116,123, Text 087 2609090, email jo@samaritans.ie . Pieta House: Ph 1800 247 247, text HELP to 51444. Aware: Ph. 1800 804 848, email supportmail@:aware.ie

Back Again.

If anyone needs a helping hand during this latest Level 5 restrictions, Lorrha GAA club would like to offer their services whether it’s to collect groceries, collect prescriptions etc. Ring Joe Dolan (0879673124), Maureen Guinan (0872426965), Niall McIntyre (0857623158), David Fogarty (0872681134), Colm Kennedy (0868170633) all of whom will be happy to help.

Ireland numbers among highest on planet.

Since it was made known on Sunday last that Ireland announced more Covid- 19 cases in the past two weeks than in the first eight months of the pandemic, it means that our country is now reporting as one of the highest rates of the virus on the planet according to a public health expert.
There was 61,484 cases reported in the previous 14 days up to last Sunday, much higher it seems than anyone had feared. The numbers have been rising much faster than other European countries we are told which is rather worrying. At this rate of going, is the worst still to come or are we on the home stretch?. The present restrictions could last well into February or maybe even March if the numbers of confirmed cases continues to increase. Despite the vaccines on the horizon and many of our front line workers and elderly already having received their jab, we are far from out of the woods yet. Recovery begins with us and believe me, you do not want this virus. Stay safe.

GAA News.

Club facility and gym: Is closed for the time being due to the seriousness of the virus.

Euro Millions: The club will be re-running the Euro Millions lotto fundraiser some time this year. There are 2300 people in the syndicate and members will be made aware when we are re-launching it later in the year.

Lotto: There was No Winner of this weeks lotto jackpot of €12,150. The numbers drawn on 11 January were: 5-9-20-26. No Match 3. Lucky Dips: Margaret O’Brien, A&B O’Meara, Joseph Sherlock, Mike Power.
Promoters: Noreen Houlihan, Liam Reddish, Internet.
Next Monday’s draw will be for a jackpot of €12,300 with a Match 3 pot of €120. Team 6 in charge of the draw. Thank you for your continued support.
The jackpot is at €12’300 with a Match 3 pot of €100. You can play online at clubforce.com. Lotto envelopes can be dropped off at the clubhouse, at Mulrooney’s, Kelly’s, or at the Scéal shop. If you need Lotto envelopes, contact chairman Joe Dolan (0879673124), Hubert Duggan (0872185995) or Kevin Molloy (0876738986).

Helping hand: Contact Joe Dolan (0879673124), Maureen Guinan (0872426965), Tom Kennedy, (0879191689) , Louis McCormack (0868493595), Colm Kennedy (0868170633) if a helping hand is needed.

Sympathies: Sympathies to club physio Triona Cleary on the death of her granny Esther Cleary (nee Slattery).