Issue 1378 October 31st 2021

Mass intentions this week: Patrick Nolan, (RD) Valleymount, Seamus Zeller (RD) Old Bawn & Lacken, Christy Miley (RD) Valleymount, Eamon Tully (RD) Blessington

Saturday 6pm Mass: Bridie Keogh (A) Noel Keogh (A), Matthew, Michael & James Ryan (A)

Sunday 10am: Sally Egan (A) Oliver Shirran (2^nd A), Philip & Mary Creighton (A), Ann O’Reilly (A)

We remember the following: Theresa & Paul O’Connell, Pauline Curran, Noeleen Molloy, Maceinu Diliausku, Daugely Families

Monday: Mass for Blessington List of the Sick,

Tuesday: Tommy Mooney (RD), Ann Cullen (RD)

Wednesday: Billy Dalton (A), John Noone (RD)

Thursday: Birthday Intentions, Birthday Intentions

First Friday: Mass offered for all on the November List of the Dead

►Saturday 30^th October: 6pm Mass in Blessington. 7.30pm Harvest Thanksgiving Mass  in Lacken. Donations of home baking, jams, fruit/veg can be left in the Church between 3pm & 4pm on Sat or before Mass & will be sold after Mass to support the ongoing work in Lacken Church

►Sunday 31^st October: 10.00am Mass in Blessington, 11.00am Mass in Manor Kilbride, 11.15am Mass in Valleymount & 11.30am Mass in Crosschapel

►Monday 1^st November: Feast of All Saints -Mass times: 9am Manor Kilbride, 10am Crosschapel, 10am Blessington, 11.15am Valleymount, 7.30pm via webcam only for the Annual Mass of Remembrance in Church of Our Lady, Blessington

►Tuesday 2^nd November: Holy Hour & Rosary offered for the intentions of our families from 7pm to 8pm in, Blessington

►Thursday 4^th November: Holy Hour and Benediction with Deacon Gerry 7.30pm in Church of Our Lady, Blessington

►Friday 5^th November: 1st Friday of the month: Masses offered for all those on the November Altar List of the Dead. Bethany Bereavement Support will be available from 10am to 11am in the Coimin Centre, Blessington to offer confidential support. No appointment necessary. All welcome.

November List of the Dead. Envelopes available in all the Churches. Masses offered on the 1st Friday of every month throughout the year.

Blessington – Mass of Remembrance: Monday 1^st November at 7.30pm in Church of Our Lady, Blessington. During this Mass we will remember all our loved ones who have died during the past year. We invite you to join with us for Mass via webcam only www.blessingtonparish.ie Perhaps you could light a candle at home at the start of the Mass. Invite family members or friends who can’t be with you at this time to connect to the Mass as we all join together, apart, to remember our loved ones.

Lacken & Valleymount – November Mass of Remembrance: Saturday 7^th November at 7.30pm in Lacken Church on Sunday 8^th November at 11.15am in Valleymount Church. During this Mass we will remember all our loved ones who have died during 2020 and 2021

IS ALCOHOL CAUSING PROBLEMS FOR YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW? Do you want to stop drinking? Is there an alcoholic in your life? Blessington Alcoholics Anonymous Group is hosting an OPEN PUBLIC MEETING in St Joseph’s Hall, Main St. Blessington on Monday 8^th Nov at 8pm. The purpose of this meeting is to reach the still suffering alcoholic through a third party, family & friends by letting them know that AA exists, where it can be found & what it can offer. With speakers from Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon. Refreshments served. All welcome.

St Mary’s Schools & Blessington Parish Lotto. Numbers drawn 28th October:  2, 8, 9, 17  Weekly winner of €25 was Ciara Taylor Next week’s jackpot is €1425 www.blessingtonparish.ie

Community Pool for West Wicklow are delighted to announce the return of our Christmas Market to Russborough House & Park this December! The Christmas Market will take place on Saturday December 11^th and will feature live music; face painting & of course, Santa will be there too. If you are a local business, artist or crafter & would like to take part please contact us by email at poolforWestWicklow@gmail.com

Blessington FC is delighted to see the rapid growth in Girls Soccer. We now have 3 all girls teams that train weekly & play in the DDSL & MGL leagues. We have spaces in our Soccer Academy for Girls born 2014, 2015 & 2016. Our Academy runs on Saturday afternoons @3pm in the GAA Astro pitches. If you’re interested in signing your girls up you can contact our Academy Director Tony by email to academy@blessingtonfc.com

Lacken-Kilbride GAA Night @ The Races. Our annual race night is back! Are you feeling lucky….? Saturday 13^th November from 9.30pm in Zeller’s Pub ~ Lacken. Buy your horse for €20 (buy as many as you like!!) today online or in person from any committee member. For any businesses or high wealth individuals! You can sponsor a race or advertise your business in the Race Night booklet. Just €50 for a Half Page Advert, €100 for a Full Page Advert or €100 to sponsor one of ten races. Prizes to be won: Horse Winner Prize: €50, 2nd Place Horse: €30. You don’t have to in Zellers on the night, buy a horse in advance and you’re in the mix! All proceeds from this race night will be used to help develop our new Club pitch in Kilbride which will officially open to games in March/April 2022 to develop our underage academy, our male & female playing teams as well as our community walking track. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND GOOD LUCK! Contact: lackenkilbridegaaclub@gmail.com 086 311 3443 with any queries.

Wicklow Libraries and KEWTB are running workshops on UpSkilling, ReSkilling & top tips for the perfect CVs & Interviews. It’s an in-person workshop in Blessington Library on Tuesday 2^nd Nov @ 6.30pm. Spaces are limited so please contact at blessingtonlib@wicklowcoco.ie  or on 045 891 740 if interested.

Anam Cara South Dublin supporting bereaved parents, is holding its monthly Parent Evening for bereaved parents on Mon 8th Nov at 7:20pm in the Maldron Hotel, Tallaght. This event is free & open to all bereaved parents regardless of the age your child died, the circumstances of their death, or if their death was recent or not.

BYT are currently refunding tickets from our postponed March 2020 show.  For anyone requesting a refund please contact BYT on 087 465 0835. The rescheduled show will now take place in early December (date to be confirmed). If you wish to attend, your original ticket must be exchanged before the upcoming show. Thank you for your continued support. BYT

St. Mary’s Junior School. For parents considering where to send their child to school, we invite you to a Prospective Parents/New Student Intake. Open Evening in the Junior School. Thursday 4^th November from 6pm to 7pm. The Principal, Carmel Dillon, members of staff & parents of current students will be available to discuss with you how our school operates & show you around the school. For all application enquiries, please contact the Secretary at bsec@live.ie  or phone the school on 045 865 501.

Blessington Educate Together are now accepting enrolments for the next school year 2022-2023.  Enrolment forms can be downloaded from our website www.betns.ie or contact the school office on 045 865 281 or email office@betns.ie

Gaelscoil na Lochanna is now accepting places for the 2022-2023 the school year. You don’t need Irish to send your child to the Gaelscoil! Tá an FÓGRA BLIANTIÚL MAIDIR LE LIGEAN ISTEACH fógraithe anois ar www.gaelscoilnalochanna.com mar aon le foirm iontrála agus eolas faoi Oíche Oscailte Fhíorúil. (3ú Samhain, 7:30) Spriocdháta dona hiarratais ná 24ú Samhain agus cuirfear tuistí ar an eolas ar an 1ú Nollaig. Beidh ar thuistí/chaomhnóirí an áit a chinntiú roimh/ar an 21ú Eanáir 2022. Tá 60 spás sna Naíonáin ar fáil (más chuí). The ANNUAL ADMISSIONS NOTICE.with enrolment forms is now available to view on the school website www.gaelscoilnalochanna.com. Applications for spaces are due before/on the 24th November 2021 & parents will be notified on the 1^st December. Parents/Guardians will then need to confirm their acceptance of the place on/ before 21st January 2022.There are 60 spaces available in Junior Infants. For those considering the Gaelscoil there will be a Virtual Open Night on 3rd November to give everyone a chance to see how it all works in a Gaelscoil. The Gaelscoil will be hosting a series of Community Talks throughout the year around the topics of Special Education in the Gaelscoil. (Dyslexia, Autism, Visual Impairment, Down syndrome & Using Lámh, Maths, Homework, Reading strategies in the Gaelscoil). These talks will be open to everyone. For all enquiries please contact Runai@gaelscoilnalochanna.com (school secretary) or phone 045 900 525, 087 938 8651.

Lacken National School are now accepting enrolment applications for the 2022/2023 school year. Please email school@lackenns.com  or contact the school office on 045 865086.

Rugby at Russborough for age groups U6, U7, U8, U9, U10, U11, U12, U13, boys & girls! Tuesday 7pm to 8pm & Saturday 11am to 12:30. All Welcome to Blessington Mini-Rugby! blessingtonrugb@gmail.com

Vales Around Cloughlea Festival 2021: EVENT 1 CONCERT: St. John’s Church Cloughlea Fri 29^th Oct 7.30pm. Laoise O’Brien (recorders), Eamon Sweeney (early guitars and lute), Malachy Robinson (voice and bass viol) EVENT 2 GUIDED NATURE WALK: through Ballyward Forest Sat 6^th Nov at 11am. For details contact Aidan 086 3958207. EVENT 3 CONCERT Manor Kilbride Community Hall,  Saturday 6th November at 7.30pm, Dónal Lunny, Paddy Glackin & Phil Callery. Pre-booking for the above events essential. Contact Maria 087 9656257 or e-mail oldkilbride@gmail.com EVENT 4 ART & CRAFT EXHIBITION: Sunday 7^th November 12noon – 4pm. Manor Kilbride Community Hall: Music: Kilbride & Lakeside Young Musicians. All welcome to drop by. Organised by Kilbride & Lakeside Music Committee & Glen Heste Pure Mile Group. Supported by Wicklow Co. Council Arts Dept

West Wicklow Chamber Music Festival ‘Winter Weekend’ The West Wicklow Chamber Music Festival‘s inaugural “Winter Weekend”, will take place from 12^th to 14^th November at Russborough. Tickets & further information from www.westwicklowfestival.com

Thank you to all parishioners who have donated through our online donation facility so far. You can donate by simply visiting https://blessingtonparish.ie/ and click on the Donate button.

St Vincent de Paul Blessington, local number 087 181 1579

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Thompson Painting. Professional Decorating Services. Call Daniel on 085 741 1974

Blessington Airport Taxi: Standard Taxi €83 – One Way. Large Seven-Seater €93 – One Way. Minimum Charge €30 for other Taxi Journeys

Rods + Cones Opticians Blessington. Beside the GARDA station. Formerly Cullinane Opticians. Open for all your eyecare needs. FREE Eye Exam + Glasses with PRSI + Medical Card. Large selection of Designer Frames + Sunglasses, Special Offers + Discounts on 2nd Pairs, Varifocal Experts, try them with our 30-Day Guarantee. Many Thanks to all our loyal customers.Call 045 891 056 for an appointment.

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NIALL KEARNS BUILDING & ROOFING. Extensions, Renovations, Sun Rooms, Attic Conversions etc. ROOF REPAIR SPECIALISTS New Roofs, Slating, Tiling, Lead Valleys, Ridge Pointing etc. Call Niall 086 274 6969

Painter & Decorator, Interior & Exterior. Ph: Damien 085 826 0431

Gardening – For Hedge clipping, Beds overhauled, Strimming, Painting etc Phone Mark 085 133 7714

Eagle Cleaning Solutions – Chimney Cleaning, Exterior Power Washing, Window Cleaning, Gutter Cleaning and Repairs. Call for appointment: 087 247 4388. Email: info@eaglecleaningsolutions.com Find us on Facebook

German Autoworks – Service Specialist VW/Audi, Mercedes, Skoda, Seat, Opel. Call 087 286 3997  www.germanautoworks.ie

Noel Nolan – Blessington Heating & Plumbing Service  www.blessingtonheatingandplumbing.ie Call Noel: 087 243 1499 or email nolannoel2@gmail.com

Clarkes Funeral Directors I.A.F.D. Funeral Home & Office, Burgage, Blessington. All areas serviced. Phone: Tony or Regina: 087 273 9048 / 087 659 6426 www.funeraldirectorsblessington.ie

HEADSTONES – McEvoy Monumental Works, Blessington. Headstones, Inscriptions, Renovations. Serving the people of Blessington for over 40 years. Call to our workshop at Millbank Blessington or phone: Mick 045 865 487 or 086 843 8832 or Gary 087 933 3487  www.mcevoymonumentalworks.com

Newsletter Advertising Rates, For just 50c per word per week you can reach a large, local audience. Cut-off for receiving adverts is Wed 10am. You can email the copy to office@blessington.info and pay in the Parish Office, or via the Donate button on our website or by bank transfer. Call the Parish Office: 045 865 327

• PARISH INFORMATION
  

Church of Our Lady, Blessington – Mass Times: Saturday 6.00pm.  Sunday 10.00am

Weekdays: Monday to Friday 9.30am – Fr. Richard Behan PP. Tel: 045 865327

Church of Our Lady of Mercy, Crosschapel – Mass Times: Sundays 11.30am

Weekdays: Monday to Saturday 10.00am – Archdeacon Kevin Lyon. Tel: 045 865215

St. Brigid’s Church, Manor Kilbride – Mass Times: Sundays 11.00am

Weekdays: Monday to Friday 9am – Fr. Paraic McDermott C.S. Sp., Tel: 01 4582154

St. Joseph’s Church, Valleymount – Mass Times: Sunday 11.15am.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Lacken – Mass Time: Saturdays 7.30pm

Parish Office: 9am to 1pm Monday to Friday Tel: 045 865 327