Tarbert Notes - Week Ending 25th July       HEARTIEST congratulations to the u-9 girls relay team from Estuary Athletic Club on bringing home gold medals from the national AAI juvenile championships held in Tullamore at the weekend. The team gave an outstanding display of sprinting and baton changing which left them well ahead of the opposition in the u-9 relay in a cracking time of 33.83. Eadaoin Wall from Tarbert was the first runner getting them off to an excellent start. She passed the baton to Darragh McDonnell, also from Tarbert, who ran a great race over the bend. Another good baton change to Stephanie Collins from Lenamore and she held on to their lead on the straight and then what a finish from Tara Finucane from Kilmorna who extended the lead all the way to the finish line. Sub for the relay team was Róisín Considine from Tarbert and she was one of the first on the track to share their joy. Great credit is due to these young girls as they train every week in all weather. Eadaoin also gave an outstanding performance in the u-9 60m final coming fourth in a time of 10.31. David Culhane was in hard luck in his u-11 60m final having to pull up about 15m from the finish with an injury. He won this event last year. The club would like to thank all those supporters who travelled to Tullamore and cheered the girls on and thanks to Maureen Considine for hosting a party for the girls on Sunday evening in her home. Great credit is due to coaches Niamh Wall, Breda Moriarty and John McGinley.       KILNAUGHTIN CEMETERY: A meeting will be held in the Community Centre on this Thursday night, July 25 at 9pm with a view to setting up a committee to oversee future renovations and clean-ups at Kilnaughtin cemetery. All interested people are asked to attend.       TIDY TOWNS: Tarbert Tidy Towns committee have arranged another clean up of the town on this Wednesday evening, July 24. All interested are asked to assemble at the Bridewell at 6.30pm.       DEATH: Tarbert lost one of its best loved parishioners in the death of Mr John McElligott (Johnny Mac), St Patrick’s Tce., Tarbert, which took place at the regional Hospital, Limerick, on July 18. Despite not having the best of health these past months, the news of Johnny’s death came as a shock to his family, neighbours and friends. During his illness which he bore with patience and bravery he always had the loving care of his wife Peggy and family and his son Michael, travelled home from New York on several occasions to be with his father. Johnny who hailed from Lenamore, was an esteemed and popular member of the local community and had many friends and relatives in the surrounding areas. Aged 72, he was a caring husband and father and a kind and fun loving man. A man of great faith, daily Mass and the rosary were his priorities and he will be remembered for the many funerals he attended throughout North Kerry with his wife Peggy. There was a huge attendance at the removal of the remains, shouldered by family members from St Mary’s Funeral Home to St Mary’s Church on Saturday evening. There was an overflowing congregation at the concelebrated funeral Mass on Sunday at which the chief concelebrant was Very Rev Mossy Brick, PP, Tarbert. Other concelebrants were Bishop Edmond Carmody, Corpus Christi, Texas; Very Rev Philip O’Connell, PP, Ballylongford; Fr Tommy O’Hanlon, Tarbert and Fr Brendan Coyne, Nenagh. The Mass was a moving ceremony with family members involved in the readings, prayers of the faithful and offertory procession and very emotional at the end of the Mass were the words of thanks spoken by Gerard and the tribute paid by Michael to their father. At the Mass Fr Brick delivered a touching homily on Johnny’s life and Bishop Carmody also spoke with words of comfort for Peggy and the family. Hymns were sung at the Mass by the local choir and by Idelle Vaughan, a family friend and Irish airs were played on the violin by Diarmuid O’Brien, grandson of the deceased. The burial took place in Kilnaughtin cemetery and the prayers at the graveside were recited by Bishop Edmond Carmody and Fr Philip O’Connell and in a farewell tribute Johnny’s favourite song “The Homes of Donegal” was sung by John Dowling and Mrs Peggy McElligott. Friends and relatives from many parts were among the huge attendance at the graveside where Johnny Mac was laid to rest beside his neighbour and friend, Johnny Kissane, who died the previous week. Johnny is survived by his wife Peggy, sons Michael (New York) and Gerard (Monaghan), daughters Mary O’Brien (Glin), Mairead Sheehan (Pallaskenry), Kay O’Dea (Cranny, Co Clare), Martina Garvey (Tarbert), Angela McElligott (Tarbert) and Jacqueline Stackpoole (Moyvane), sons-in-law James, Maurice, Jerry, Peadar and Noel, daughters-in-law Deirdra and Regina, brother Moss (Lenamore), sister Mrs Margaret Hartnett (Killorglin), uncle Maurice Murphy (Killorglin), 21 grandchildren, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends to whom sympathy of the community is extended.       GAA LOTTERY: There was no winner of the €4,800 jackpot in the GAA lottery draw held at Savage’s Bar on Sunday night. The numbers drawn were 11, 15, 27, 28. Lucky Dip: €30 each — Elaine Boland, Donal Keane, Jackie Henchey, Seán Walsh. Bar prize winners: Bottle of brandy, sponsored by Jerry and Joan Savage — Alec O’Donovan; €15 each — Bryce Morrou, Fergal Meade, Mary Langan. Promoters Prize: €15, Anthony Stack. The next jackpot will be €4,900 and the draw will be held at the wicked Wolf Bar on this Sunday night. All are welcome.       SPORTS STAR: Congratulations to Shane Enright, Doonard Upper, who was the Radio Kerry Bord na nÓg sports star for Kerry last week. Shane who is son of Tom and Stella Enright, plays at centrefield on the Tarbert u-14 team that won the North Kerry league title and was a member of the Shannon Rangers u-15 team that won the county championship. He has also gained success in many athletic events.       GRAVEYARD MASS: The annual graveyard Mass will be celebrated at 8pm on the following dates. August 7 at Lislaughtin Abbey. August 9 at St Mary’s Cemetery, Tarbert. August 16 at Kilnaughtin Cemetery.       COUNTY LEAGUE: Our understrength senior team went down to yet another defeat in the county league at the weekend losing to Glenbeigh / Glencar by two points. This was a game Tarbert should have won as the team were leading by five points and then in the space of five minutes in the second half conceded three goals. The team to their credit came back to cut the deficit to a single point, but could not get the vital scores to save the game. The final score was Glenbeigh / Glencar 3-8, Tarbert 2-9. The team included a number of juniors who had played on the previous evening in the county junior semi-final against Beale, this game was won by Tarbert in extra time. The team play Renard on this Sunday in Shannon Park at 2.30pm in the next round of the county league. This is a vital game for the team to win to have any hope of staying up in Division 4 of the county league.       THANKS: The Listowel / North Kerry branch of MS would like to thank very sincerely all who contributed very generously to the recent MS collection.       SYMPATHY . . . of the community is extended to the husband and family and parents of Mrs Joan Costello (nee Hanrahan), Kilfergus, Glin, who died peacefully at her home on July 19. Sympathy also to her first cousin, Josette O’Donnell, The Square, Tarbert and to all her other cousins in Tarbert. Sympathy is also extended to Denis O’Connor, Moyvane and Jim O’Connor, Asdee, on the unexpected death of their father, Mr Eddie O’Connor, Larha, Asdee. Sympathy is also extended to his first cousins Dermot O’Connor, Main Street and Fr John O’Connor, England. In is younger days the deceased was a regular visitor to the home of his late uncle, Maurice O’Connor of Main Street.       SUMMER CAMP: The summer football camp in Tarbert will commence on August 6 in Shannon Park.       U-15 SEMI-FINAL: Tarbert u-15 football team play Churchill in Ballyduff in the semi-final of the county Division 4 championship on this Friday evening, July 26 at 7.30pm. It is hoped a good number of supporters will travel to the game.       back to notes index