Moate Matters

Moate Museum plans Heritage Week events Moate Museum will be opened from 3pm to 6pm from Monday to Friday, August 25-30 for Heritage Week 2008. The Museum has over 1000 artifacts covering the Folk History of the town and the surrounding countryside in the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries. Displays include farm tools and equipment, an old farm kitchen, church and school through the years, a jail room, an archaeology room, the Old Forge, Tradesmen"s Tools and a documents archive. On Wednesday evening the opening time will be extended for a guided tour of the Museum to be held between 7.30pm and 8.30pm. Guests for the evening will be Charlie Finneran and Ned Lynam. Charlie owns and runs the Derryglad Folk Museum, Curraghboy which houses a unique 25-year collection over 3,000 items, that deals with the farm and folklife in Ireland from the 18th century to the recent past and will take questions and queries on items in Moate Museum of similar nature. The Lynam family, who for generations were the blacksmiths in Moate, donated all the items that make up the Forge area of Moate Museum and Ned will be on hand to field any questions in that area. Entry is free. However, donations for the upkeep of the Museum are very welcome. For other event being held around the country log on to www.heritageweek.ie. Carmelite Notes One of the darker sides of our humanity is our tendency to be exclusive. We build our own little world and God help those who disturb it! We also tend to join exclusive groups. New members are only grudgingly accommodated. Thanks to God for being the exact opposite! God is totally and forever inclusive. All humans are God"s beloved children. If some are not, its their decision, not Gods. To God there are no outsiders. He loves us all, and he pursues us relentlessly. The poet Francis Thompson called God 'The Hound of Heaven'. He pursues all of us and never gives up. Sunday Mass Schedule The Sunday Mass schedule shall be changed as and from September 7. The 8am and 9:30am Masses will be combined into a 9am Mass on Sundays. The remainder of the schedule will be Mass at 10:30am and 12 noon. The Vigil Mass will be as usual on Saturdays at 7:15pm. Carmelite Pastoral Centre The Centre is available at very reasonable cost to groups for meetings, retreats, retirement group activities, courses, lectures, AGMs, Art exhibitions, talks, etc. It is a designated centre for bereavement counselling. The Centre"s Mission statement reads 'Carmelite Pastoral Centre is a place of welcome and service which aims to provide support for the pas­toral development and community needs of the people of Moate and surrounding area' All are welcome. The Centre is open Mon to Fri 9am to 5:30pm 090-6482147/ 087- 2805414 Dancing for Fun It"s that time of year again when the thoughts of how to fill the long winter evenings are in the air again. The Ganly School of Dancing will be resuming in Dun na Si on Tuesday September 9. This year Joe Ganly is also holding a class for those who have went away from Irish Dancing and would like to keep in touch without being involved in competition. This class will take place on Friday nights and will start on September 12. The idea is aimed at those who want to dance for fun, to help those who want to dance for a variety of reasons - fitness, social, a show, a wedding or any other occasion. This will be a social situation which is an ideal opportunity to resume an association with Irish Dance. Carers Association Concert The Westmeath Longford Carers Association will be the beneficiaries of a charity concert which will take place in the Greville Arms in Mullingar on Tuesday next August 26. Billy Mac and friends will gather for the 4th year in succession to raise much needed funds for this worthy cause. A terrific array of artists will be performing on the night including Ray Lynam, Paschal Brennan, The Legends (Ricey, Frankie and Chuck), Paschal Brennan, Mick Foster, Moyra Frazer, Ollie Kennedy, Ben and Ray Dolan, Simon Casey, Greg Traynor(Elvis) and many more. MC for the evening is Noel O"Farrell and the show starts at 8pm. All are welcome. Library Open for Heritage Week Moate Library will be re-opening on Monday, August 25. The library will be open in time for Heritage Week, which will focus this year on the life and works of Liam Cox, who would have been 100 years old this year on September 9. Dun Na Si News The heritage park is open to the public from April to October. Guided tours will be catered for by appointment only, seven days a week all year round. Our Weekly Seisun on Sunday night has now finished. Friday Night Set /Céili on Friday September 5, Dancing 10pm to 1am with music by John Davey. Emperor Rules in Longford Congratulations to local owner Benny Smyth and trainer Michael Gleeson who were successful in the final of the Longford GOBA/Stephen Shanaghy A6 525 when Woodhill Emperor came home almost five lengths ahead of Maritas Gold. These two dogs were the market leaders and started as the 6/4 joint favourites. Not for the first time the bookies read the situation accurately and after a fast start it took a fine effort from Woodhill Emperor to break clear of Maritas Gold and secure the €1,500 first prize. The time of 28.72 was impressive and continues this dogs unbeaten run which now reads ran four, won four. Moate Show Draw The members of the Moate Agricultural Show Society are currently promoting their draw which will take place on September 5 in the Grand Hotel. With the difficulty they have encountered with the weather this year and the resultant extra expenses the draw can be a great help to the committee. Your support would be appreciated. The committee of the Moate Agricultural Show Society are to be complimented for making such an early decision on this year"s show. With the condition of the ground and the bad forecast they were left with little option other than to postpone. With a little luck the new date in September could prove to be a much better option. Lotto Bingo The jackpot was not won, numbers drawn 4,6,19,20. There were six match three winners, Mary Allen, Boston, Moate; Patricia Rafferty, Fardrum; Joseph Stone, Ballinamuddagh, Moate; Emer Robbins, Moate. Hall winners, Mike carroll and Esther Byrne, Tullamore. Next week"s jackpot will be worth €4,200. Draw will be held on August 28th. Moate GAA Lotto Draw held in Vincents, jackpot €5,200, numbers drawn 7,11, 22, 25, no jackpot winner, six match threes, David and Amanda, Mary Molloy, Mary Cunningham, Kevin Flanagan, Kevin Madden, Betty Curtin. The draw next Monday will be held in Coffey"s.