Mountmellick notes

Public Participation Network meeting

Laois County Council is hosting public briefings in respect of the setting up of the new Public Participation Network which will allow representation for community, voluntary, social inclusion and environment groups in Laois.

The Mountmellick meeting takes place on Monday, February 2 at 7.30pm in the MDA.

Contact Georgina Ireland in county hall 057 8664074 email ppn@laoiscoco.ie

CAMERA CLUB

Mountmellick Camera Club will meet on Wednesday January 28 at 8pm in MDA. All former and new members welcome along, all skill levels. The programme of events for 2015 will be outlined.

Call Con Murphy 087 4197990 or Paul Lalor 087 264791.

A limited number of calendars are on sale at €5 each in O’Horain’s and O’Gorman’s.

TENNIS AGM

Mountmellick Tennis Club is holding its AGM on Wednesday February 4 at 8pm in the Town Hall. All welcome.

SOCIAL DANCE

The monthly social dance takes place on Saturday January 31 from 9.30pm to 12.30am in the Owenass Hall with music by Brian McDermott. Refreshments served. All welcome.

BALCONY CINEMA

Sunday February 1st 3pm The Boxtrolls.

balcony theatre

On Friday January 30, Mountmellick Folk Concert presents ‘Sweeney’s Men’ with support act from James O’Conner. Doors open at 8pm, show time is 8.30pm, in The Balcony Theatre in Mountmellick Arts Centre. Tickets €25 from O’Horain’s Newsagents, or reserve on 083-4545559.

www.frankshed.com.

CLONAGHADOO NS

The enrolling of pupils for September 2015 will take place in Clonaghadoo NS (Mountmellick Parish) on Friday January 30 from 1pm to 3pm.  Please bring a copy of the child’s birth cert and baptismal cert.

THE ROCK GAA

The Laois GAA annual monster draw is the main source of income for the club for the year and we would very much appreciate your continued support of this important fundraiser. Tickets cost €130 and are available from any committee member.  

If you wish you can spread the payments over four months at a cost of €32.50 per month. There are 20 prizes in each of the four monthly draws with a top prize each month of €10,000.

PIPE BAND

New members urgently required for Mountmellick Pipe Band. Full tuition in pipes and drums will be given. Contact Seamus 086 2392600.

MEN’S SHED

Men’s Shed is now in full swing. They will soon hold a beginners’ computer course and woodturning and guitar lessons. Other activities include pool, darts and music. New members most welcome. Meetings are held on Mondays at 8pm in the house beside St. Paul’s Church of Ireland. Contact Ray 087 6578736 or Joe 086 0760853.

ARTISTS WANTED

The library gallery is accepting applications from artists and group of artists. Contact the library for details or download an application from website.

YARNBOMB MEETINGS

All are welcome along to the yarnbomb meetings on Tuesday nights at 7.30pm in the Methodist Hall. Plans are underway for the 2015 yarnbomb. All who can knit and crochet at any level, from beginners upwards are most welcome to come along and join in the chat and cup of tea. Congratulations to the group on winning first prize in the Laois Community and Voluntary Awards 2014 recently.

HOLY CROSS ABBEY

Night to Holy Cross Abbey for devotion to Saint Pio, on Thursday February 5. Bus leaves Clonaslee at 5.45pm, collecting in Rosenallis and Mountmellick. €15 return. Tea and sandwiches €5. Contact 087 2122766.

CHOIR CD

The St Joseph’s Sunday Choir has sold over 500 CDs since the launch. All the proceeds are going to the Cuisle Cancer Support Centre. This centre has helped many cancer patients and their families in Mountmellick and throughout Laois. On sale in Parish Office, library and many local shops at €10. There are 12 hymns on the CD.  The organist and choir director is Audrey Whelan.

SOCCER CLUB STRICTLY COME DANCING

This fundraiser is on Valentine’s night February 14 in The Heritage Hotel Portlaoise. This fund raiser is primarily for the development of a new plot of ground, to be of major benefit to our juvenile and senior members. The club is growing and need to expand facilities to keep pace. The proceeds will also be used towards kitting out all teams in club colours.

Tickets for the event are on sale via our dancers and are close to being sold out. The dancers are also seeking sponsorship. Thanks to everybody for supporting the soccer club on an ongoing basis, and thanks for supporting this important fundraiser.  Get your ticket and come along to the show of the year. Countdown - only three weeks to go!

SCOUT CALENDARS

Calendars are on sale in Hanlon’s shop and O’Gorman’s newsagents at €10 each and are also available through leaders.

ACTIVE RETIREMENT

The next group meeting is on Wednesday February 4 at 10.30am in MDA.

The AGM will be held on Wednesday February 18 at 10.30 am in MDA and we trust all members will attend.

Boccia resumes in the Macra Hall on Monday February 2 at 7.30 pm with all members welcome.

The usual activities are: Mondays: Tuesdays: aqua aerobics in Portlaoise Leisure Centre at noon (free bus from MDA at 11.15am). Thursdays: music and song in St Vincent’s Hospital. New members always welcome, contact 086 0618955.

PARISH PILGRIMAGES 2015

Lourdes July 19 €799. Medjugorje October 7 €639 (Medjugorje special offer – pay in full by February 2 and save €100). Contact Eleanor 087 770915 or Rena 087 6130224. Instalments can be paid for either pilgrimage to Eleanor, Rena or in the parish office.

KNITTING GROUP

The library knitting/crochet group meets each Tuesday from 10.30am to 12.30pm. Bring along your needles and wool and join us for a cuppa and a chat.

LAOIS MARTIAL ARTS

Ladies and gents kickboxing and self defence classes, TRX suspension training and ladies keep fit classes Call 086 3399287

COMPUTERS AT MDA

FETAC Computer Courses starting soon in several levels. One to One Tuition is also provided in any area of computing. For enquiries call Imelda Burke 057 8624525 or email  imelda@mdaltd.ie 

WHIST

January 15. Old School. Top score S Wilkinson. 2 T Kearns. 3 C Martin. Half 1 C Drought. 2 V Kearns. Best of three B O’Brien. Raffle H Kelly, S Wilkinson, D Kelly & J Harrison.

BRIDGE

NS 1 A Colgan, T Joyce. 2 B Conlon, M Watchorne. 3 Sr Rosarii, I Power. EW 1 B Hourigan, H Meade. 2 C Lawlor, M Hourigan. 3 V Turley, A Rochford

GAA LOTTO

€50 J McGlynn. €20 M Conroy, P Farrell, S Kearney & T Daly.

AN SEAN CHISTIN

Set dancing Monday 8.30pm, line dancing Tuesday 11am, line dancing Wednesday 8pm (new class), sequence dancing starting soon. All abilities welcome. €5 per lesson. Call Maureen 087 6482038.

Ben & Jake Thanks

Huge thanks to Mick Lenihan and Michael Dowling of Hollow Bar for last weeks table quiz which raised a fantastic €615 for the Ben and Jake Connolly Trust, and thanks to all who supported the table quiz, from the Connolly family.