SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN - Ballybunion News
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Issue 41 Volume 10 : Thursday December 10th 2020
SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN
Santa in Ballybunion last year
Around this time every year, the great man himself, Santa Claus arrives
in Ballybunion on his sleigh, to meet the local children and to turn on the
Christmas lights, which is always a great occasion with festive music
and fun that is enjoyed by hundreds of people.
Sadly this year, because of the ongoing pandemic, we cannot have
such an event, as gatherings of this nature are not permitted, and alt-
hough there won’t be a “Meet & Greet” or family pics with Santa, I can
assure you that he IS coming to town, on Thursday evening next around
5.00pm.
Santa will arrive on his sleigh along with his Disney friends including
Mickey & Minnie Mouse, and they will parade all over the town and visit
every housing estate from where the children will be able to see him
from the safety of their own front doors/gardens.
The sleigh will be all lit up with fairy lights and playing Christmas music,
so it should make for a great evening.
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A Note from the Editor
Hello and welcome to another edition of
Ballybunion News.
We are heading rapidly towards Christmas and
its great news that Santa will be coming to
Ballybunion on Thursday next, so I’m sure that
everyone is looking forward to it.
The Community Christmas Market on Sunday last
was a great success and very well run within the
Covid regulations, so well done to all concerned.
Our main story last week has prompted a response
to the plight of the Community Forum and a
number of generous donations have been made to
their Go Fund Me Page since then, but there is
still a long way to go, towards reaching their
target.
The Covid situation is improving all the time
especially here in Kerry and with the beginning of
the roll out of the vaccine very close, I think we
have a lot to look forward to in the new year
when hopefully everything will go back to the
way it was before.
Stay Safe Everybody,
Ger
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NEW FESTIVE MENU AT THE VIRUS NUMBERS DOWN
LOUNGE AGAIN ON PREVIOUS WEEK
The number of new cases of Covid-19 Corona
Virus for the past seven days up to midnight last
night (Wednesday) is slightly down on the previous
week, and on Thursday last, the daily figure of 193
was one of the lowest for months.
Nationwide, new cases for the past seven days
totalled 1,893 which is down by 35 on the previous
week, while the number of deaths in the past
seven days was 31 compared to 43 the week
Christmas is a truly magical time and now that before, and there were two days in the last week
restaurants are open again, David & Geraldine where no death was registered.
McCarthy and their staff at the Lounge in
Ballybunion Golf Club have done their very best to The situation in Kerry is ever-improving with less
create a spacious, relaxing atmosphere for diners than 20 new cases in the past week compared to
who can enjoy one of the best views in Ballybunion. 33 the previous week, while on two of the past
seven days there were no new cases recorded.
They are currently launching a brand new festive set
menu of three courses for €45 which will be From having one of the worst incidence rates per
available on the following dates: 100,000 people, in September and October, Kerry
is now among the five lowest in the country.
• Saturday December 12th
Let’s keep on doing what we’ve been doing.
• Saturday December 19th
• Saturday December 26th
• Thursday December 31st
You can enjoy an intimate meal for two, a family
meal, or invite some friends (max six at one table
from three different households).
Non-members are welcome and advance booking is
essential as there will be just the one sitting nightly
at a time of your choice, and with a limited capacity,
you can also enjoy an unhurried meal, where time
limits can be extended. 7.45am to 8.00pm Mon to Fri
9.00am to 8.00pm Sat & Sun
The winter bar menu is also available daily Monday
to Thursday from 9.00am serving breakfast and
lunch with last orders at 4.30pm) while on Friday,
Saturday & Sunday they are open from 9.00am till
late with the new set menus also available on
Saturday nights.
For bookings, please call 068 27146 (EXT 3) or 087
2058460.
You can also email info@dgcatering.ie, visit the
website www.dgcatering.ie or check out the
Facebook page :
The Lounge at Ballybunion Golf Club
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This amazing image was captured by local photographer Tom Mulvihill on the beach last Thursday
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COMMUNITY FORUM NEWS
with Gráinne Gleeson
The Christmas lights and trees are up and they are
really great, so thank you to Cormac & Elaine Cahill
at Super Valu for the amazing trees, and to Paul &
Phillie Blake for preparing the holes in the ground
for the new trees which can be safely covered and
re-used for years to come.
Thank you also to Padraig O’Donnell and his team
of electricians who worked so hard through some
bad showers to make our town look amazing and
commendations to the businesses and the
households for their Christmas windows which are
so bright and festive.
One of our current projects is keeping the lights on
the beaches and Castle Green turned on, so that
people can safely walk them in the evenings and
our Chairman Donal Liston regularly checks that
everything is in order.
We are about to upgrade two of our lovely walks in
Ballybunion, the Lahardane walk up by the hill and
the Long Strand Loop. Walking is so good for you
and it certainly brings many people to Ballybunion
for the fresh air and exercise which has a knock on
affect to our lives and businesses all year round, so
we want to make sure that everyone who is walking
is safe, happy, and they know where they’re going,
therefore a safety analysis is needed, along with
appropriate signage and maps.
As both of these walks are included on the popular
website www.irishtrails.ie, they will be audited by
Sports Ireland in the early Spring, so if anyone is
interested in helping out on this front and the future
plans for walking in Ballybunion and North
Kerry, please get in touch with us as it would be
much appreciated.
The Christmas Market was a fantastic success,
really well managed and very safe, giving people a
few hours of festive fun and allowing many small
businesses to showcase their products. All thanks
go to Billy Jo O’Connor and Rena Blake for this and
all of their fantastic community markets and to the
general public for the generous contributions
towards the Christmas lights in the donation
buckets.
We were delighted to roll out the town’s PA system
again, which was a wonderful support for singer
Brenda Jean O’Connor and also to play some fab
Christmas tunes from Ger Walsh’s Christmas
Album at the market. Remember the PA is
available for town events, so just ask.
Continued on page 8
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BALLYBUNION GOLF CLUB OFFICIALS 2021
Captain & President
Mr Kevin Barry & Mr Ger Walsh
Lady Captain & Lady President
Mrs Olga Kiely & Mrs Katherine Tangney
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Continued from page 6…..
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Our “GoFundMe” page is going really well and a
huge thank you to Ger Walsh for his thorough
account in last week’s Ballybunion News.
We would also like to thank sincerely everyone who
has supported us, both near and far and we are
asking you all to continue to support the appeal,
either through the GoFundMe link, which can be
found on all of our social media or through the
buckets at the tills in Cahill’s Super Valu.
This is a continued investment in your town, in your
community and every little helps. We are most
grateful and we will continue to keep in touch with
Claire Nash Tom Scanlon
you all both here in Ballybunion news and through Wed Dec 9th Wed Dec 9th
our @Ballybunion tourism social media.
Gráinne
CREDIT UNION OPENING
HOURS
The Ballybunion Branch of Listowel Credit Union
has re-opened after the lifting of level five
restrictions and the office will operate on Thursdays
and Fridays for the present only, under level three, Joby Costello Marian Dee
but normal office hours should be resumed Thur Dec 10th Fri Dec 11th
whenever lockdown measures are lifted for good.
The following are the current opening times :
Thursdays : 9.30am to 12.30pm & 1.30pm to
3.3pm
Fridays : 9.30am to 12.30pm and 2.30pm to
6.00pm
BEALE GAA DRAW
To kick off the Festive season Beale GAA are Teresa O’Halloran Jack Blake
launching a massive Christmas Draw and a Wren Sun Dec 13th Sun Dec 13th
Walk (details later) .
The draw will take place on Sunday December 20th
and among the top prizes are a Huge Christmas
Hamper (sponsored by Cahill’s Supervalu), a trailer
of turf (sponsored by Fergus Stack), a voucher for
the Ballybunion Golf Club shop, a membership of
the Ballybunion Health & Leisure centre and much,
much more.
Club members will be selling tickets outside
Supervalu every Friday, Saturday & Sunday
between now and December 20th priced at €2 Caroline Brosnan Elida Zeilerbauer
each, 3 for € or 7 for €10. Sun Dec 13th Wed Dec 16th
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Cahill’s
Main Street Ballybunion
Proudly Supporting 48 Local Jobs
Home Delivery Service Available Tel : 068-27244
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SQUAT CHALLENGE RAISES
€2,700
In a bid to raise funds for Breast Cancer, members
of the Ballybunion Leisure Centre took on a
challenge for the month of November which saw
them doing 100 squats each per day, for the whole
month.
Eric O'Connor, Lyndsay O'Connor, Damian
Meehan, Mairead O'Neill, Joanne Stack, Siobhan
Gleeson-Walsh, Anne-Marie Jones, Finola
Mulvihill, Cats Kennelly, Anna Marie Buckley,
Caroline Kennelly, Aine Lynch, Mags Buckley, Una
Ryan, Elaine Cahill, Goretta O’ Connor, Dominic
Butler, Caroline Duane & Kayleigh Whelan all took
part and completed the challenge on the beach on
Monday November 30th (above).
The group set themselves a target of €2,000 but
exceeded it, by raising a whopping €2,702, with all
monies raised going through their “Go Fund Me”
page to the Mater Foundation in Dublin.
Well done and congratulations to everyone
involved and its great to see a wonderful charity
like breast cancer receiving much-needed funds.
BALLYBUNION NEWS
CHRISTMAS ISSUES
As Christmas Eve falls on a Thursday this year,
there will be no Ballybunion on the 24th.
The final issue before Christmas (No 42) will be
published on Thursday next December 17th and
advertisers and contributors are asked to kindly
have their content in to us by Wednesday
December 16th at 6.00pm.
Normal service will resume with Issue number 43
published on New Year’s Eve December 31st.
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GIVE A LOCAL VOUCHER CHRISTMAS DAY PLUNGE
THIS CHRISTMAS WILL BE VIRTUAL
Following a terrible nine months that has seen
many businesses remain closed, and others
opening and closing at the government’s whim, it is
more important than ever to support local traders,
so if you need an idea as to what to buy somebody
as a present for Christmas, then look no further
than a voucher for one of Ballybunion’s superb
restaurants or local businesses ?
The Lounge at Ballybunion Golf Club, Kilcooly’s,
the Marine Links, McMunns, Teac de Broc,
McMunns, Cliff House, and Wilde all have
Christmas Gift Vouchers which would make an One of the highlights of Christmas in Ballybunion is
ideal gift, while a voucher for Supervalu, Culloty the Christmas Day plunge where up to four
Crafts, Bunyan’s, East 73rd, the Golf Shop at the hundred people take to the icy waters of the
Golf Club or a fuel voucher from Buckley’s filling Atlantic around noon to work up an appetite for the
station or Lynch’s Oils are most acceptable also. Christmas Dinner and raise some much needed
funds for the Ballybunion Sea & Cliff Rescue.
Vouchers make fabulous gifts, they take the hassle
out of Christmas shopping and best of all, they can Sadly, this year for the first time since the event
be used at any time over the Christmas period or began in 1985, there won’t be an actual swim due
well into the new year, so before you buy a gift of to Covid restrictions on the gathering of large
something that may not ever be used, numbers of people, but there will be a virtual swim.
consider a gift voucher.
Virtual is the buzz word since the outbreak of the
Its nice to shop local and this Christmas its more pandemic in March and we’ve already had a
than ever as businesses slowly emerge from Virtual Run Ballybunion, a Virtual MOYA Festival,
lockdown and could do with your support. a Virtual AGM at the Golf Club and now the swim.
How its works is that you can take a plunge in the
ocean anywhere in the world and at any time you
wish, then simply take a photograph of yourself
entering, exiting or in the water and share it on
your social media with the hashtag :
#ChristmasPlunge
But don’t just do it alone, why should you suffer ?
Make your friends join in also (whilst maintaining
social distancing of course) and everyone who
donates €20 and sends their pic and details of the
swim to the Ballybunion Sea & Cliff Rescue, will
receive a medal and a certificate.
Sadly, the loss of the money generated by the
annual swim through sponsorship and the
Christmas Day Bucket collection on the beach is
going to hit hard on the Rescue crew this year, as
they depend totally on fund-raising events and do
not get any kind of government funding.
They provide a wonderful service to the town, the
hinterland and beyond, so please if you can, take a
jump in the water and donate this year or you can
just donate without getting wet at all. See their
Facebook page for further details.
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St John’s Parish News with Fr Seán Hannafin
A MEMENTO OF
BALLYBUNION THIS
CHRISTMAS
A bespoke local Christmas card is keeping
Ballybunion to the forefront of people’s minds as the
festive season approaches and as many of our
family and friends might not make it home this
Christmas due to travel restrictions, people are
being encouraged to send them a little piece of
Ballybunion as a memento in the form of a card.
The recent photo of the Bill Clinton Statue,
celebrating President-Elect Joe Biden’s election
success in the USA captured a lot of people’s
imaginations, and it is proving to be very popular
especially on social media, and it has been shared
all over the world.
The picture which also recently featured in popular
Irish Times, journalist, Miriam Lord’s column has
now been modified and adapted into a Christmas
Card which on sale locally at €3, so if you have
family or friends who cant make it home this
Christmas, why not send them a little piece of
Ballybunion with this card ?
They are on sale in a number of outlets locally or
you can call 068 27112 or 087 2828696 and they
will arrange pick up/delivery.
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St John’s Parish
St John’s News
Parish withwith
News Fr Seán Hannafin
Fr Seán Hannafin
Anniversaries : Ita O’Connor, Bridie Curtin, Jack & Mary Walsh, Christy Walsh, Carmel Higgins, Murt
Scanlon, John-Pat & Eileen Scanlon, Ned & Joan Kissane and Fr Gerry Carroll (Month’s Mind).
Prayer Services : Prayer services will be held each Monday and Friday in the church at 10.00am while
Rosary will be said in the church each Wednesday also at 10.00am and these services can be viewed
live on Facebook.
Masses will be offered for the following :
Friday 10.00am : People of the Parish
Saturday 7.00pm : Murt, John-Pat & Eileen Scanlon, Ned & Joan Kissane, Monica Walsh & Deceased
family members
Sunday 11.30am : Carmel Higgins
Monday 7.00pm : James Sugrue
Tuesday 10.00am : The People of the Parish
Wednesday 10.00am : Michael “Mickey” Mulvihill of Doon Road
Attending Mass : If you would like to attend one of the masses this week, please phone 087-7121497
which is a dedicated number exclusively for this purpose and the phone will be answered daily between
10.00am and 1.00pm by a Parish Volunteer. When you call, please indicate which mass you would like to
attend as places are offered on a “first come-first served” basis. If for any health reasons it is unsafe for
you to attend, please pray at home until it is safer. Remember there is no obligation on parishioners to
attend mass during Covid-19 and it is reasonable to pray at home and follow mass on television.
Mass : Weekday masses for intentions will be said privately while Saturday night’s vigil mass (7.00pm)
and Sunday morning mass (11.30am) will be streamed live on the St John’s Facebook page
Parish Office : The Parish office on Church Road remains open on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from
10.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. Tel : 068 27102.
Thank you for your continuing co-operation, stay safe, stay healthy and God Bless.
Priest on Duty : Fr Anthony O’Sullivan of Lixnaw Tel : 087-2461749
The Christmas Crib : The photo captures the Christmas crib with the manger still empty waiting for the
time when we celebrate the birth of the Infant Jesus. Every Church is
building it's crib for Christmas and cribs vary in the number of animals
and figures they have around the manger. However, all cribs in churches
will leave the manger empty until Christmas Eve.
The empty space waiting for the infant is a symbol for us to create space
in our hearts for Jesus and however well our cribs look and are
decorated, it's our hearts that are important, so the more Christians that
have hearts like Jesus, then the more he will be present in the world of
2020.
Our lives are overwhelmed with the virus and the fear of getting it and
trying to keep the community safe. Together with all our personal issues
our lives become burdened. Advent is the time to find Jesus within. The
more we imitate his simplicity, humility and the other values he came to
show, then the more He will be present to our families, community and
society. Please make some space for Jesus this Advent.
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PICTURE PARADE
Local artist Kerry McCaughey working on her seal sculpture for Kilconly School
The Finished Product
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PICTURE PARADE
Máire Griffin with her range of Organigo Health products at the Community Christmas
Market on Sunday
The Marine Hotel Crew
Catherine Collins, Derek Nagle, Laura Bennett & Elaine Bennett at their stall in the
Ballybunion Community Christmas Market on Sunday
1920
Burger & Chips on the Main Street in the late 1960’s or early 1970’s
Ballybunion’s First Takeaway (Mrs Gleasure’s Chip Wagon) is on the extreme left behind the Volkswagen Beetle
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PICTURE PARADE
Ballybunion Golf Club Junior Boys Mary-
Mary-Chris O’Gorman strikes a pose at
Captain for 2021 James O’Callaghan the Christmas Market on Sunday
Passing the Baton at Ballybunion Golf Club
2020 Lady Captain Mary Horgan with 2021 Lady Captain Olga Kiely
2223
Accountants Car Repairs & Dismantlers
Hannan & Culloty, Church Road Dirra Cross Motors
Tel : 068-27428 Asdee
Tel : 0863510478
Bars
Credit Union
Courtney’s, Main Street
Tel : 068-28038 Listowel Credit Union,
(Ballybunion)
The Exchange Inn, Main Street Main Street
Tel : 068-27123 Tel : 068-27685
Liston’s Bar, Main Street Dog Grooming
Tel : 087-2265932
Magic Coat Grooming, Listowel
Mikey Joe’s, Main Street Tel : 068-22040
Tel : 068-27288
Electricians
The Railway, Main Street
Tel : 068-27303 Stephen O’Connor, Lisselton
Tel : 087-8382166
B & B / Guesthouses
Financial Advice & Services
Beasley’s 19th Lodge,
Golf Links Road Eoin Liston, McGuire Liston
Tel : 068-27592 Financial
Tel : 087-1341500
Cashen Course House,
Golf Links Road Filling Station & Convenience
Tel : 087-2898453 Store
Courtney’s Bar Buckley’s, East End
Main Street Tel : 083-3921792
Tel : 068-28949
Hair & Beauty
Liston’s Bar
Main Street Girlie’s Beauty Lounge, East End
Tel : 087-0962387 Tel : 083-3523278
Building & Carpentry Services Magic Scissors, East End
Tel : 068-27568
N & C Courtney, Main Street
Tel : 087-2471670 Rose’s Hair Studio, Main Street
Tel : 068-28898
James Fogarty, Doon Road
Tel : 087-9154265
2324
PICTURE PARADE
Two Crafty Ladies : Sisters Rita & Sandra Brosnan at the Community Christmas Market
on Sunday
Grá Photography
Grainne Toomey at her stall in the Ballybunion Community Christmas Market on
Sunday
2425
Looking Down on Ballybunion from the top of Cnoc an Fhómhair
Pic by Mia Ryan
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Hotels Physical Therapy Clinic
Kilcooly’s Country House, Main Deirdre Mulvihill, East End,
Street Tel : 087–4683588
Tel : 068-27112
Manual Solutions
The Marine, Sandhill Road Sandhill Road
Tel : 068-27139 Tel 087-9271996
McMunn’s, Sandhill Road Sports & Recreation
Tel : 068-28845
Ballybunion Health & Leisure,
Wilde, Sandhill Road Tel : 068-28111
Tel : 068-27942
Taxis/Hackney
Music & Disco
Billy Brosnan, East End
Ger Walsh Tel : 087-2577737
Tel : 087-6061822
Liam & Rose Enright, Ballyeigh
Painting & Decorating Tel : 087-2604113
Tommy “Tucker” O’Connor Veterinary Surgeons
Tel : 087-2924214
Joe O’Connor,
Pharmacy Island Veterinary Clinic, Listowel
Tel : 068-22040
Ballybunion Pharmacy
Supervalu Complex, Main Street, Upholstery Services
Tel : 068– 27437
Peter Sheehan, Lartigue Road
Photographers Tel : 086-8240457
Francis Bennett, Ahafona
Tel : 087-2460491
John Kelleher Photography
Tel : 087-6428411
Marie Rohan, Lisselton
Tel : 086-3681022
John Stack, Listowel
Tel : 087-6020990
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