Notices

On Wednesday 25th July, the feastday of St James, Monsignor Mike Walsh, home on holidays from New Jersey USA, celebrated Mass in Annaghneal Community Centre for an appreciative congregation of locals , friends and visitors. The former National School was full to hear Teresa Clohessy welcome everybody and to hear Grace, Stephen and Ronan Kennedy play appropriate music before Msgr Walsh commenced the celebration of Mass. In a few brief words after the readings of the day Msgr Walsh reminded those present that membership of the Catholic Church  does not allow us to feel entitled to any benefits but that  instead we have a mission to serve others as Christ would wish us to do.

On the weekend of 21st/22nd July we welcome Fr David Carroll as our new Parish Priest as he celebrates his first Masses in Tuamgraney and Bodyke. We wish him peace, happiness and fulfilment  during his time in our parish. Fr David will reside in the Parish House in Bodyke and we hope he will settle well in the village after leaving the large town of Birr. The people of Bodyke and Tuamgraney look forward  to getting to know Fr David over the coming months and those of our parishioners  who attended secondary school with him in Scariff look forward to meeting him again.

There was sadness in our parish on the weekend of 14th/15th July as we said a fond farewell to our Parish Priest Fr Donagh O’Meara in advance of his moving to Mullagh to take up his new assignment in West Clare. Fr Donagh had let it be known that he would prefer to say his goodbyes after Masses on his final weekend as Parish Priest of Bodyke & Tuamgraney rather than at a formal function and there was a very large attendance at these Masses in both churches.

On 19th July , as he relocated to Bridgetown, we said a fond farewell to Fr Jackie Sharpe CSSp, the retired missionary priest that we have come to know very well over the past eight years. Fr Jackie endeared himself to the parishioners of Bodyke & Tuamgraney during his summer stays in the Bodyke parish house and he willingly helped out in our parish and in neighbouring parishes any time he was needed. He had a particularly great rapport with our older parishioners and he delighted in spending time with the residents in Raheen Community Hospital and so  will be greatly missed by many people in our locality. Since Bridgetown is not too far away we hope Fr Jackie will not lose contact with us completely!

Fr. Donagh O’MearaTeresa BrowneMichael CooneyJohn HickeyEddie Mulvihil