Those of you who succeeded in giving up sweets for Lent will be now checking the old jam-jar which should be overflowing with penny bars and Peggy’s Legs and lollipops and assorted melting toffees of every size and description.

They say that the sun dances on Easter Sunday morning, and there have been many sightings of this strange phenomenon down through the years, mainly from people who have become delirious from severe sugar deficiency due to the giving up of the sweets as mentioned above.

The Ospreys visit Limerick on Sunday to play Munster in the Heineken Cup quarter-final at Thomond Park. Paddy Power offers a miserly 2/7 on Munster reaching the semi-final. (Paddy is obviously feeling the recession)

Leinster are 1/1 to see off Harlequins and set up a mouth-watering encounter with Munster in Croke Park, although Brian O’Driscoll would appear to have a ‘previous engagement’ on his mind at the moment. (women will be the ruination of all of us, so they will – but we wish him well.)

The Munster match kicks-off at 1pm on Sunday, and if you don’t have a ticket and plan to watch it in one of our many fine hostelries, you should go early as every place will be packed.

Incidentally, Munster are now 13/8 favourite to win the Heineken Cup, with Toulouse at 4/1 and Cardiff Blues 6/1. Leinster are 11/1.

Finally, we send Easter Greetings from Abbeyfeale to all our visitors, whether online or those who have returned home in person to spend time with family and friends. Enjoy the weekend.  COME ON MUNSTER!

HOLY WEEK;

Monday; Sacrament of Reconciliation 7pm. Wednesday; Mass of Chrism – St. John’s Cathedral. Holy Thursday; Solemn Mass of the Last Supper 8pm and followed by Adoration. Good Friday; Passion Liturgy 3pm and Stations of the Cross 8pm. Holy Saturday; Easter Vigil 9pm. Lectio Divina in St. Ita’s Hall every Monday night during Lent.

AREA COUNCIL

West Limerick Resources propose to establish five area councils based on five geographic regions in West Limerick. Representatives from community and voluntary groups from Abbeyfeale, Tournafulla, Mountcollins, Templeglantine and Athea are invited to attend the first meeting of the Abbeyfeale Area Council which takes place at the Glorach Studio, Abbeyfeale in this Wednesday 8^th April at 7.30 pm. For further details contact Eimear at 069-62222.

FLEADH;

It is now less than a month to the Fleadh by the Feale traditional musical festival which attracts large crowds to Abbeyfeale each year during the May Bank Holiday Weekend. The All Ireland Bone Playing Competition has been a unique event on the programme for the past number of years. The competition takes place on the Bank Holiday Monday and, over the years, competitors from different parts of Europe and America have taken part. The committee would like to encourage new faces and new techniques to enter this year to keep this old style of bone playing alive. There are substantial money prizes for the first, second and third in the senior category. A number of young bone players will perform on the Sunday afternoon 3^rd May for the junior title of All Ireland Bone Playing Champion. Tickets for the Four Men and a Dog Concert on Sunday 3^rd May are available from committee members.

CARDS:

Results of Meenkilly Card Game. Winners with 13 games were Ann O’Connor, Joe O’Connor and Sean O’Connor. Runners-up with 12 games each were; Seamus Lane, Lizzie Horgan and Jim Lenihan, and Hannah O’Grady, Michael O’Grady and James Keane. Door prizes were won by Joe O’Connor and Jim Sillivan. Table prizes went to Eileen Murphy, Ned Murphy and Andy Keane. Raffle ticket winners were Anton Lenihan, Michael O’Grady, Paul Weir, Seamus Lane, John J O’Connor and Sean O’Connor.

GAA:

St Joseph’s Secondary School, Abbeyfeale won the Senior Ladies Schools All Ireland Football title following a 4-8 to 3-8 win over Swinford in the final in Banagher Co. Offaly last week. Team; Caroline Scanlon, Deirdre Cummins, Sinead Guiney, Katie Mangan, Sorcha McNulty, Eibhlis Dillon, Meabh Roche, Lorraine Scanlon, Laura Sheeran, Eabhnait Scanlon, Leanne Mangan, Shauna Cahill, Brigid Cahill, Shauna McAuliffe, Carla Sheehy (Capt) Subs; Georgina Browne, Roisin Walsh, Katie McAuliffe, Shauna Riordan, Marie Lenihan, Norma Browne, Lisa Scanlon, Tara Zgaga, Mariah Stack, Christine Poff. Player of the Match; Lorraine Scanlon.

(St Joseph’s have also just won the Junior All Ireland Title. Congrats and well done. More next week.)

GOLF:

The next outing of Abbeyfeale Golfing Society is to Adare Manor Golf Club on Sat.18^th April.Tee-times are from 09.00 – 10.30. To be included in the draw for tee-times, text your name to 086-2234074 before 6pm on Wed.15^{th April}. Players are asked to be at the clubhouse 30 mins prior to their tee-times. Committee meeting on Wed.15^th in Jim Lanes at 9pm.

SOCCER:

Abbeyfeale Utd A defeated Rathkeale 2-1 in the league cup. Abbeyfeale Utd B defeated St Ita’s 4-3 in the league. Abbeyfeale Youths were beaten 3-2 by Rathkeale Youths.

GAA:

Fr Casey’s defeated Athea 0-12 to 0-8 in the senior county league.

NHL Div 1: Galway 1-15 Tipperary 1-17; Dublin 0-15 Clare 0-15; Kilkenny 4-26 Cork 0-11; Limerick 2-14 Waterford 1-13. Div 2: Wexford 5-14 Offaly 0-17; Kerry 2-11 Westmeath 0-18; Laois 0-18 Antrim 2-18; Carlow 3-18 Down 2-11. Div 3B: Roscommon 1-16 Louth 2-8; Donegal 2-22 Fingal 4-14; Longford 1-5 London 7-25. Munster U16 HC blitz: East Clare 6-9 Avondhu 1-3, North Tipperary 6-13 Avondhu 0-7, Limerick City/West 2-9 Avondhu 0-5.

RAG;

Abbeyfeale Rag Meeting will be held on next Sunday 12th April at Fitzgeralds Field, Dromtrasna. Start at 10.30 am sharp. Proceeds in aid of the Abbeyfeale Town Park.