December Mona NewsletterDonadeaTimahoeStaplestownGreenPageHome

__________ December Editorial _________
Dolores Kennedy, Chairperson

OUR BIRD AND SAVIOUR

The Tir Na Mona AGM was held on Wednesday 14th November in which the past year was judged to be a resounding success for the community. Many thanks to all involved. Also, a new committee was voted in for the coming year. Special thanks and appreciation to outgoing officers Feargal Mac Eoin and Margaret Kane for a job well done.

The new committee is now in place and the new officers are:

Dolores Kennedy - Chairperson
Pauline Finnegan - Secretary
Pat Mc Loughlin - Treasurer
Alan Byrne - PRO

The various community groups under the Tir Na Mona umbrella are always looking for new blood. You are the community and your views matter and are always welcome. If unable to attend meetings, please contact your local committee member or Morna at the Tir Na Mona office on 045 869 977.

On St. Stephen` Day, the Wren will return to Donadea Forest Park and we invite all children from Coill Dubh, Timahoe, Staplestown, Tiermohan and Newtown schools to come along in fancy dress and help in the hunt for the Wren and fight the Straw Boys. While we are popping corks and munching pud `n` pies, let us all remember the Birthday we are celebrating.

There will be no January MONA but we will be back as usual in February. I would like to wish you all a happy and peaceful Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Dolores Kennedy, Chairperson, Tir Na Mona


ALLENWOOD & DISTRICT INFORMATION/RESOURCE CENTRE

The following Services are now available to the Public:
Photocopying
Fax Laminating
C.V.'s
Typing facility
Binding
Accessing information form the internet
Scanning Services

We will provide help/assistance for people for the Motor Taxation Office, Kildare Co. Council, and Department of Social Welfare.


For further information contact Denise or Bernie at Allenwood Enterprise Park, tel. 045-870804.


CHRISTMAS CAROL SERVICE

The Rev. David Frazier warmly invites you to a Christmas Community Carol Service in St. Michael's Church, Millicent, on Sunday 23rd Dec at 7 p.m
.
COMPUTER COURSE

Now we have funding from the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs to cover part of the costs, our long awaited computer course for beginners will commence in Allenwood Enterprise Center on Saturday 12th January 2001.

The course will last six weeks and the will be a weekly charge of £5 to participants. Places are limited to 12, so contact Morna at 869977 if you are interested in taking part in the course. We apologise for the long delay involved in getting this course off the ground.


MILLENIUM CHOIR

The choirs rehearse on Thursday nights in Staplestown church. The junior choir meets from 7.30 - 8.30 all children from 6 -12 years are welcome. The senior choir meets 8.30 - 9.30 and new members, male and female from 14yrs and upwards are most welcome.


PARENT & TODDLER GROUP

Don't forget that the Parent and Toddler group meets every Tuesday morning from 9.30 - 12.30 in the drama room at Elaine Kane's in Hodgestown.


PHARMACY IN PROSPEROUS

The community in Prosperous is currently gathering signatures for a petition in support of the application by Philip Blake to open a Pharmacy in the village. Copies of the petition are in the local shops and post offices so be sure to sign (once only) if you would like to see this service available in the locality.


SANTA

Children, don't forget to write your letters to Santa!


SCOUTS
Don't forget that enrolment for scouts is on Dec 15th between 11-12 noon in St. Kevin's GAA clubrooms, Staplestown.


SLOVAKIA

Slovakia is a small country in central Europe, bordered on the north by Poland, on the east by Ukraine, on the south by Hungary, on the southwest by Austria, and on the northwest by the Czech Republic. Its capital is Bratislava. For many centuries Slovakia belonged to the kingdom of Hungary; more recently it was part of Czechoslovakia. It became independent on January 1st 1993. Susan Mihalcikova from Slovakia is presently living and working with the Presentation Sisters at Shalom, Kilcock. In this article she shares with us some of her experiences of life as a catholic in Slovakia. I come from Slovakia, a small country in the heart of Europe.


We have lived here for 90 years under the totalitarian communist regime. World War 11 finished in 1945. In April 1945 Slovakia was occupied by Soviet Troops. The election of 1946 was won by the Democratic Party, who tried to stop the influence of Catholics. Catholics comprised that time about 80% of the population of Slovakia. In February 1948
the communists seized control of the government. From then until the late 1960's both the Slovak and Czech lands were ruled by a rigid Stalinist dictatorship. Following the brief thaw of the 'Prague Spring Government of the Slovak reform communist leader Alexander Dubcesa (1968), the USSR imposed a new hard-line communist regime. The communist system was finally abolished in the 'Velvet Revolution' of 1989 and Slovakia became independent on 1st January 1993.

During communism the official ideology was both atheistic and materialistic. All the Catholic organisations were abolished. There was very strict censorship of the press - no spiritual literature was allowed. The Catholic news was under the control of the government.
Crosses were taken from the schools and hospitals. The Priests' Association, "Pacem in Terris" arose. There the communists tried to get the priests to collaborate with them. They tried to divide the priests and prevent communication with the Vatican. The communists controlled what the priests spoke about in the church. They controlled most very active priests. In 1950, the communists closed all the churches for men and women. The Greek catholic church was closed too. The government closed 13 diocesan seminaries. They reopened 1 seminary in Bratislava under the control of the government. Many Catholic people had to leave the schools, the universities, the offices, the research institutes. Many bishops, priests and lay people were put in prison. Some of them died there. The church was silent and suffered. Religious lessons in the schools were in the evenings. The children and parents who visited the religion lessons or went to Mass were all the time under pressure from teachers and government.

Everybody who wished to study had to write about his ideology (materialistic or idealistic). Many young people couldn't stay or be active because of their faith and conviction. In this situation a very active underground Church arose. There were many priests, lay people, nuns, brothers and some bishops too. They worked and lived like ordinary people, but during the evenings and the nights they fulfilled their mission very secretly. They were very faithful and brave people. Many of them were persecuted and died. I remember my secret first Holy Communion. I was about 13 years old. One evening we went with my parents and godmother for Holy Mass outside my town. Nobody knew except the priest and us, that it was my first Holy Communion day. My mother was a teacher. She could not officially go to the church, so we went with my parents, brothers and sister every Sunday for a holy mass outside my town. My mother taught in the secondary school, but because she went to the church, she had to leave her school and changed for a different type of school.

I'm thankful to God and to so many sacrifices of brave people for bringing a new life to my country.


ST. KEVINS G.F.C

Our Monster Christmas draw will take place in the clubrooms on Saturday 8th December 2001. The draw is being held on the same format as the previous ones. There are still a small number of tickets left so to be in with a chance of winning £10,000 for Christmas contact any committee member as soon as possible. With the number of tickets limited to only 400 the chances of winning are very high, First Prize: £10,000, Second Prize: £5,000, Third Prize: £1,500. Fourth Prize: £1,000, Fifth Prize: £500 plus five prizes of £250.
This year the club has thankfully finished on a high note celebrating some marvellous wins. Our U/15 team won the U/15 league on Sunday the 25th November. They beat Caragh in the final. Congratulations to Danny Lane, Frank Kilcoyne, John Casey & Niall Carew who were selectors of this team. The main congratulations however goes to the team themselves, they played very throughout this league & deserved to bring the cup home. Well Done also to Alan Mitchell who received the 'Man of the Match' award on Sunday.
Our Intermediate team also beat Caragh recently. This was probably the most important game of the year for this team, they had to win so that they would stay in Division 2. They finished convincing winners beating Caragh O-11 to 0-7.
A date has been set for our 2001 A.G.M. It will be held in the clubrooms on the 13th January 2002. All members are asked to attend & anyone who is new in the area & would like to come are more than welcome to attend. With our improved facilities it is now even more enjoyable to be a member of the club.
Thank you to all who worked so hard throughout the year for the club from doing officials during matches to just coming to the clubrooms for a drink. All support is greatly appreciated and it all helps in every way. A very special thanks to Pat Cosgrove, for the sponsorship which he gave the club this year also, both underage & senior. Also to Sean Flannery for the sponsorship which he gave. To thank everyone would be difficult but it does not go unnoticed!

Best wishes to all for the 2002 maybe this time next year we will be finishing with some more silverware in the club. We wish you all a very Happy Christmas & a Peaceful New Year.


COILL DUBH - ST. KEVIN'S LOTTO

From 7th January 2001 our Lotto prize-money & prizes will change. This is due to the Euro Changeover.

Tickets will be €1.50 =£1.18 (previously £1)
4 weekly winners will win €35 = £27.56 (previously £25)
Jackpot will start at €1,500 =£1,18135 (previously £1,000)
Rising weekly, if not won, by €150 = £118.13 (previously £100)

Rules presently in place still stand. For any enquiries please contact any member of the lotto committee. We would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank buyers and sellers for their continued support.


STAPLESTOWN MILLENIUM CHOIR

The junior and senior choirs are holding their annual christmas celebration in the church on saturday 8th december At 8.00 o'clock.
They will be joined by a group of musicians to make what they hope will be a night to be enjoyed by all their family and friends
Admission is free.
We look forward to your support.


THOUGHTFULNESS

 

Can you spare a moment?
Have you time to care?
Comfort for one who's lonely,
Someone's sorrow share?
Friendly thoughts are priceless
In this world today.
Spread a little kindness
As you pass this way

WORDS TO REMEMBER

To live long is everyone's wish
But to live well is in the ambition of a few.

TIMAHOE DRAMA WORKS

Timahoe Drama works is taking a break for Christmas and will resume on Sat 12th Jan 02. Happy Christmas to all the children and their parents.


TABLE OF EVENTS IN THE COMMUNITY

8th Dec Millennium Choir Christmas Celebration @ 8 pm.
8th Dec St. Kevin's Monster Draw.
12th Dec Staplestown Village meeting @ 7.30.
15th Dec Sign-up for Scouts in St. Kevin's @ 11-12 noon.
16th Dec Newtown Senior Citizens Tea Party 2.30 - 6 pm.
19th Dec Timahoe Active Age Christmas Party.
23rd Dec Carol Service in Millicent Church @ 7 pm.
26th Dec Wren Boys Concert Donadea Forest Park 2-3.30pm.
12th Jan Computers for Beginners course starts.
12th Jan Timahoe Drama Works recommences.


Articles for the MONA Newsletter can now be dropped into the Tir Na Mona office at St. Kevin's G.A.A. club, Staplestown. Tel 045 69977.

If possible please supply articles on disc in Microsoft Word format. If you have an event happening during the first week of the month please let us know about it in time for the previous issue as it take approx. 10 days to produce the MONA.


If you have an article, advertisement or news item you would like to include in this newsletter, please contact:
  • Staplestown, Mary Murphy 869416,
  • Timahoe, Hugh Maher,
  • Timahoe, Bernard Owens 863676,
  • Coill Dubh, Rosaleen 860023 (school),
  • Donadea, Bernadette Crean 869118,

    Email:pgmhr@indigo.ie



The views represented in this Newsletter are not necessarily the views of the MONA committee. While every attempt is made to print factual information, we are not responsible for third party information that may be incorrect at time of going to press. Where errors occur, every attempt will be made to redress and amend. All parties have the right to reply within the MONA Newsletter.

Thank you.



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