Issue 1337 December 20th 2020

CHRISTMAS MASSES in Church of Our Lady, Blessington

Due to the restriction on numbers allowed to gather indoors, access to the Christmas Masses in Blessington is by TICKET ONLY. We are sorry to say that you will have be turned away if you don’t have a ticket.  There are no tickets left for any of the Christmas Masses.

Tickets are available now from the Parish Office for Masses on 26^th & 27^th December 2^nd & 3^rd January

Mass Intentions this Week:

Pearl Tipper (RD) Tallaght, Michael Behan (RD) Blessington, Kate Riordan (RD) Drimnagh, Maeve Conlan (RD) Kildare Town

Saturday 6pm: Christy, Kathleen & Goo Nolan (Rem) Jimmy, Maisie & May Nolan (Rem) Mary & Tom Tivnan (Rem) Eddie Conroy (Rem) Jimmy O’Leary (1st A)

Sunday 10am: Maisie Monaghan (Rem) Pete Nolan (Rem) Derek Larkin (1st A) Bridget Norton (Rem) Kathleen Smith (A) Sheila Zeller (Rem)

We also remember: Peg & Paddy Eustace, Margaret Roche, Karen McEvoy, Jim, Joan & Eilish Bird, Deceased Mem of the Kelly Family, Deceased Mem of the Higgins Family, Deceased Mem of the Halligan Family, Ned, Rosemary, & John Walsh, Thomas & Ann Eustace, Thomas & Susan Eustace, Dec Mem of Tipper & Mahon Families, Simon, Rebecca & Maisie Hopkins, Charles & Catherine Doran, Dec Mem of Harkin & O’Connor Fam, Dec Mem of Hayes & Bell Families, Claire Twyford, Gemma Hanlon, Gerry Foley, Jimmy Heeney, Betty Heeney, Mick & Julia Tyrrell, Eileen Clifton, Joe Nugent

Monday: Mass offered for all the Blessington List of the Sick

Tuesday: Francis Sheridan (A) Margaret Roche (A) Claire Twyford (A)

Wednesday: Barry O’Donnell (Rem) Ken Geoghegan (RD) Regina Duffy (1^st A)

4^th SUNDAY OF ADVENT 20th December 2020. Mary accepted the life of God into her womb through the power of the Holy Spirit thus bringing God’s salvation into the world. Let us open our hearts to welcoming Jesus

Blessington Parish 2^nd Annual CHRISTMAS CRIB EXHIBITION in the Coimín Centre Blessington. December 19th 11am to 6pm, December 20th 11am to 5pm. Over 100 exhibits of “Cribs from around the World” Some beautiful new additions this year.

►Saturday 19^th December: Mass at 6pm

►Sunday 20^th December: Mass at 10am

►Daily Mass at 9.30am, Monday to Wednesday

All Masses & Services still available via Webcam www.blessingtonparish.ie

Blessington Parish Office will close for Christmas on Wednesday 23^rd December at 1pm

You may still call or email if you wish to have someone prayed for at Mass. Email: office@blessington.info Office: 045 865 327.Blessington Parish Christmas Mass Bouquets, Christmas Cards and other gift items on sale.

St Vincent de Paul local number : 087 181 1579

Donations can be left in the Parish Office

St Marys’ Schools & Blessington Parish Lotto This week’s Jackpot is €3375!! That would cover the Christmas shopping! If you’re not in you can’t win! Text the word Blessington to 51444 or go to www.blessingtonparish.ie

The Blessington Interfaith Group is organising the next event, hopefully sometime around Easter, if circumstances permit. We will be in touch regarding the details. In the meantime, if anyone is interested in meeting on line we would like to hear from you. Call us on any of the numbers below.  Many thanks to all who have supported us over the years & we wish you & your families every blessing for Christmas & the New Year. Anton Trant: 086 3389553 – Grania Glancy: 087 125 3190 – Joan Griffith: 087 9704832 – Gerry Curran: 087 284 1009

Comhghairdeas le gach buachaill agus cailín i nGaelscoil na Lochanna! Congratulations to the Boys & Girls who received 1^st Holy Communion last Sunday 13^th December in Church of Our Lady, Blessington

Blessington Library is Open. Our usual opening hours apply: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday: 10am to 5pm Tuesday & Thursday: 10am to 8.30pm The library is open for browsing and borrowing only. Study spaces & computers are not available.

Gaelscoil na Lochanna- Oíche Oscailte agus Chlárúcháin, 14ú Eanáir 2021 Our Open/Enrolment night for places in school for next Sept is on 14th January 7:30pm by Zoom Webinar. Webinar will be open from 7pm. Please see our website to click and join the Zoom, www.gaelscoilnalochanna.com Enrolment period lasts from 14th Jan to 3th Feb, 2021. We have a new website for parents FAQ about joining a Gaelscoil: www.gsnl.info 087 938 8651 for any enquiries.  Fáilte!

CONGRATULATIONS to the Winners of the final Valleymount Private Members Draw this year

€1000 winners:  May Nolan, Tony & Regina Clarke,  Jenny & Glen Cullen,  Kathleen Clarke, Johnny O’Reilly

€ 500 winners: Alice Stones, Catherine O’Mahony, Seamus McDonald, John Holmes, Jane Broe

€ 200 winners: Rose Zeller, Paddy Broe, Anne & Jimmy Flynn, Fiona & Tom Guing, Ann & Martin O’Connor

€ 100 winners Patricia & Frank Donnelly, Fr Richard Behan, Scruff Farrington, John Balfe Lodge Lane, Don & Mary O’Sullivan, Jacinta Shannon, Marie & Peter McDonald, Lilian & Chris Pocock, Mary & Jack Paton, Alice & Peter Byrne

Fr Kevin’s Homilies are always available on our website: https://blessingtonparish.ie/homilies-year-a/

The Blessington and District Forum would like to thank the communities of Blessington and Lakeside for their continued support this year. The generosity shown in both the Switching on of the Christmas Lights and the Toy Appeal has been phenomenal. We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy Christmas and a Healthy and Safe 2021.

Good Dry Kindling for Sale at Blessington Men’s Shed – €3 for 1 Bag. €10 for 3 Bags. For collection information phone: John Flynn at 087 297 7678. All money raised for upkeep of Shed during these difficult times.”

Calling all Local Businesses, Artists & Crafters! Community Pool for West Wicklow are hosting an online Christmas Market and we would like you to be part of it! Every day from early November we will be posting a new video to our social media pages, like an extended Advent Calendar. Each video will showcase a different local business or artist and their products. We hope that our online Christmas Market will help to encourage people to shop local and support local businesses this Christmas. If you think this is something you would like to get involved in, then email us at poolforWestWicklow@gmail.com

SUPPORT OUR LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES THIS CHRISTMAS: follow our New Instagram page BLESSINGTON BUSINESS WOMEN.  A page set up for women in business & also other local  businesses in Blessington & surrounding areas to network, connect & support one another. Find out more about all the amazing small businesses we have in our fantastic village from highly talented nail salons, beauty salons, hair salons, make-up artists, eyelash specialists & holistic therapists, our local cafe & health shop. Or introduce yourself to some of the top fitness specialists, nutritionists, dance & yoga studios, photographers & nutritionists. We even have our very own Doula! Take the hassle & stress out of Christmas Shopping this year and help to support our community by treating someone special to a Gift Voucher for some wonderful pampering or buying a gift from one of our many talented businesses.

Senior Line If you are an older person and would like someone to talk to, consider phoning Senior Line.  A National Confidential Service for Older People. Open every day from 10am -10pm.  We are older people too, trained to listen & support.  Freefone 1800 80 45 91

Crosscare Appeal for Support this Christmas as their normal food collections have been cancelled. Crosscare is appealing to people to support them online this Advent as they will be unable to hold their annual Parish Food Collection for those most in need. Every December, Crosscare collected thousands of Euros worth of non-perishable foods to restock their foodbanks and support their community cafés. This year, due to Covid 19 restrictions Crosscare will not be able to launch a food collection in the Diocese of Dublin as usual. However, in order to ensure they have adequate supplies, they are asking people to support them by making a donation online to make sure families struggling to cope can have food on the table this Christmas. Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has appealed to priests and parishes to encourage those parishioners who would ordinarily have supported food drives and the unwanted gifts appeal to go on line and make a donation www.crosscare.ie

Courses in the Further Education & Training Centre Blessington We are currently enrolling for courses for our new term starting in January 2021

Part Time Courses (Day and Evening) Looking to up-skill or learn something new whilst gaining a QQI qualification? Our part time courses are two days a week and are either day or evening. We have part time courses available in the following starting this January: eBusiness  (Day course) Tourism with Business (Day course) Healthcare  (Evening course) Employment Skills  (Day course) Horticulture (Day course) Office Skills  (Day course) For further information please contact Anne McGrath or Karen Townsend on 086 850 3833 or 045 891 099 or blessingtonfetc@kwetb.ie