There were a few sore heads out in the porch during 12 o’clock Mass on Sunday morning, and the conversation was not as lively and as animated as usual. Fr John’s homily seemed overly long, and this was possibly due to the fact that it was our second sermon of the day, the first having been delivered earlier by our loving wives on the pet subjects of late nights and excessive drinking. (they hate to see us enjoying ourselves - so they do.)

Anyway, we were entitled to celebrate. It isn’t every year that Munster win the Heineken Cup - just every second year.

Much has been said and written about that unforgettable win over Toulouse in Cardiff, and anything we say here will do scant justice to such a marvellous occasion. Therefore we will not even try. As magician, Tommy Cooper once wryly observed; “My next trick is impossible - so I won’t attempt it!”

Even as we write, our victorious troops are returning home from the Millennium Stadium in dribs and drabs and with many wondrous tales to tell. (what happens on tour, usually arrives home before them!) We shall sift through all the stories and, having consulted our legal experts so as to avoid litigation, we shall probably publish a full and unabridged account of the Abbeyfeale Invasion of Wales next week. (we will withhold publication if certain monetary obligations involving envelopes, brown or otherwise, are fulfilled.)

The week began badly. The weather broke, and Dustin, the talking turkey, was (to loosely paraphrase Brian Cowen) unceremoniously “plucked” out of the Eurovision Song Contest.

And I met an acquaintance walking down Main Street on Wednesday afternoon and I asked him who he fancied to win the Champions’ League later that evening - Man Utd or Chelsea.

“Neither of them.” he replied.

It is a fact that probably the two most unpopular teams in English football contested the final. Utd are despised by all but their most loyal legion of fans, and Chelsea are nor far behind. The combination of big money and big egos seem to grate on many neutral’s nerves, or perhaps it is just plain jealously. Man Utd are rated the second richest club in the world and have now won the European Cup three times.. Chelsea are in fourth place, and have yet to win it, but their day will come - unfortunately.

Big clubs with big money and big egos tend to win big competitions.

Which makes the deeds of Brian Clough at unfashionable Nottingham Forest all the more remarkable. Forest have recently been plying their trade in the humble surrounds of Division 1, but back in the late seventies they conquered Europe twice in consecutive years. Anyone who has visited the City Grounds will know that it is a modest stadium built purely for football. There are no corporate boxes or VIP seats, and the prawn-sandwich brigade, so reviled by Roy Keane, (a former player with Forest) are nowhere to be found. They do, however, provide a decent pork pie with mash and peas, and have experienced some marvellous nights of European Football on that little playing field by the banks of the Trent.

Football is in dire need of another Nottingham Forest.

We salute Manchester Utd. They just about deserved their victory on Wednesday night. They have been the more consistent team all season, as proved by their Premiership success, and they have quality (and very expensive) players in all positions.

One must feel a certain sympathy for John Terry who missed the crucial penalty that would have given Chelsea the cup. It was an expensive miss, and one that is even more expensive when you consider that he is been paid over €80,000 per week. There are lads playing for Abbeyfeale Utd who are not getting half of that amount, and are converting penalties for fun, week in and week out!

Perhaps they play with wider goalposts in the Desmond League.

Quote of the week goes to Republic of Ireland manager, Giovanni Trapattoni. “Don’t panic!” boomed the bould Trap, after watching his side lose 1-1 to the part-timers of Lagos, a team who play to the same standard as Mountcollins B. “Don’t Panic!”

Corporal Jones used to say the same thing in Dad’s Army, only when he said it, you knew you were truly f*****!

WRITERS

Listowel Writers’ Week commences on Wednesday 28^th May and continues until Sunday 1^st June. This annual event always attracts a good gathering of literary enthusiasts from Abbeyfeale, with many of them taking part in the various competitions and workshops.

PILGRIMAGE:

A pilgrimage to Lough Derg takes place from Saturday 31^st May to Monday 2^nd June. Contact Peg on 068-31232 for further details.

MASS

The annual Mass in Killeenagh will take place on Thurs. May 29th at 8.30pm.

RUGBY;

Local rugby fans travelled in strength to Cardiff last weekend to cheer on Munster in their exciting win over Toulouse in the Heineken European Cup Final. Abbeyfeale town was draped in colourful red flags and bunting to celebrate the occasion.

GAA:

Two Abbeyfeale players, Padraig Browne and Thomas Cahill, were in the starting line-up of the Limerick team that defeated Tipperary by 1-8 to 1-5 in the first round of the Munster Senior Football Championship.

SOCCER:

Abbeyfeale Utd A were beaten 4-1 by Newcastlewest in the Premiership. Abbeyfeale Utd B drew 2-2 with Newcastlewest B in Division 1.

VEC:

Abbeyfeale Vocational School won the Co. Limerick VEC U/14 championship when they defeated Hazelwood College in the final by 3-7 to 2-9.