“Are you going racing?” was the common refrain last week during the 7-day festival meeting at Listowel.

Traffic in the town was bumper to bumper every day throughout the week, and racing tips were being flung about the place like confetti.

There was a ‘certainty’ floating around on Wednesday from someone who knew someone who spoke to someone who is related to someone who overheard someone say that the trainer’s mother’s aunt’s nephew said that the horse would not be beaten. To my certain knowledge, he is still running!

Listowel used to be a three-day-meeting up until 1970. The second day was the big one with the Kerry National being held. We travelled back by train but were more interested in Bird’s Amusements in the Market Yard. The Bumpers and the Chair-o-Planes took most of our meagre pocket money, while the remainder was squandered on bottles of Nashe’s red lemonade and an endless and sickening supply of fresh cream buns.

As we got older, we travelled back to the dances at the weekend when the indomitable Bunny Dalton would take centre-stage and entertain us with all of the top ten hits from England as well a few home-grown ballads and polkas, and numerous Sieges of Ennis which was all most of us were able to dance at the time.

The Royal Showband with Brendan Bowyer had their first big hit, “Kiss Me Quick” back in 1963 and it was played incessantly through all the speakers in the Market Yard until we were almost singing it in our sleep.

The meeting has now expanded to seven days which many claim is too long. However, the crowds still throng the Island Field and the craic is reported to be as lively as ever.

Long may it continue.

Meanwhile, back in cloud-cuckoo land, the Irish Rugby Team at the World Cup are coming under intense pressure, mostly from their own fans.

We have a saying in Abbeyfeale; “Our own were always the worst to us.” This is being born out by the fans’ reaction to the poor displays by the men in green. It is perhaps hard to blame these same fans who have spent a lot of money following their team.

Ireland must now beat Argentina and score four tries to advance further.

Munster did it twice in vital Heineken Cup games. But Munster played with a pride and a passion that is strangely missing from the Ireland game at present.

Is there something amiss in the Ireland Camp? Are we seeing echoes of Saipan? Methinks it will all come out in the wash over the next couple of weeks.

And Ireland’s reward if they succeed against Argentina is a quarter-final clash with tournament favourites, New Zealand!

Might they be better off folding their tents and stealing quietly away?

Paddy Power bets 4/6 Argentina and 5/4 Ireland. They go 5/1 Ireland to qualify for the quarter-finals.

Time to do our patriotic duty and have the few bob on at 5/1. You could spend it worse!

COME ON IRELAND! You can beat this crowd in your sleep!

LONDON CALLING!

The Abbeyfeale Association annual dinner dance takes place in Camden Town Irish Centre, London on Saturday 6^th October. This is usually a gala occasion with all Abbeyfeale immigrants getting the opportunity to meet together and reminisce about the good old days back home. A large contingent from Abbeyfeale usually travels over, and this year will be no exception. Contact Sean Broderick for further details. Hopefully, we will have news and pics from the event on Abbeyfeale On Line in the coming weeks.

ICA:

The next guild meeting will be held at the Vocational School on Tuesday 2^nd October at 8pm.

PILGRIMAGE:

The Legion of Mary pilgrimage to Knock takes place on next Sunday 30^th September. A bus will leave Mountcollins at 6.45am and travel to Knock via Abbeyfeale at 7am. Tickets are available from Sean Broderick or Peg Murphy.

GAA:

Fr Casey’s drew with Bruff in the semi-final of the Limerick MFC at the weekend on a score of 3-10 each. The Fealesiders led by 3-10 to 2-9 in the closing stages but a well taken goal and an injury time point from Bruff forced the replay

And can we belatedly congratulate Fr Casey’s Ladies Team who won the county junior football championship last week at their first attempt. Well done to all concerned.

SOCCER;

Abbeyfeale Utd B defeated Kilcornan 3-2 at Riverside Park on Sunday afternoon. The A team game against Kildimo was postponed. Next Sunday Abbeyfeale play host to Munster Senior League Division 1 side, Tramore Athletic in the first round of the Munster Senior Cup. This is a huge game for Abbeyfeale and is certain to attract a large crowd as well as massive media interest. Check back here next week for further news of this attractive fixture.

RUGBY;

Abbeyfeale defeated Castleisland 13-0 in the second round of the Munster Junior Challenge Cup at The Grove on Sunday. They are away to Kinsale next Sunday in the third round. And there was a huge turnout in Jack O’Rourke’s last Friday night for the Donkey Derby in aid of under-age rugby.