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Friday, February 20, 2015

Still Further Visitors from Far Away!

W E L C O M E,
and thank you,
down there in 
S W A Z I L A N D
for your visit some hours ago
and you down in
Z A M B I A 
a short few hours earlier!
Our Pageviews total
is now rapidly approaching
100,000!

Thursday, February 19, 2015

NEW VISITOR

Thank you, over there in
B E L I Z E
(east coast of Central America, by the Caribbean Sea)
for your visit some hours ago,
along with others, viewing simultaneously,
from
Germany, USA, Canada, China, 
Netherlands, Philippines, Italy
and Ireland!

(62% of you using the Firefox browser, 15% using Chrome,
and 11% using Internet Explorer)


Wednesday, February 18, 2015

The Late Lord Waterford


To you abroad and far from home, who may not be always up-to-date with local happenings, with much regret we bring you the news of the recent demise of Lord Waterford, as he was usually known.  John Hubert de la Poer Beresford,  8th Marquis of Waterford, passed away on February 11th last and was laid to rest among his ancestors and relatives in Clonagam cemetery on Saturday, February 14th, following a memorable ecumenical service in Clonagam church.  

Chief celebrant at the service was Canon George Cliffe,  recently-retired rector of the Fiddown Union of Churches. Canon Cliffe was assisted by the newly-appointed, part-time priest in charge – Revd. Mellissa Jeffers, and down especially from Athy, Co. Kildare, came the now-retired Dean of Cashel, Revd. Philip John Knowles, who played the organ during the service. Revd. Philip has made many visits to Portlaw in recent years, coming especially to play the organ in Holy Trinity church. There being no electricity, ever, in this church at Clonagam, a generator was in use for the occasion to power the instrument.


Participating also at the service, and representing the R.C. community, were Rev. Fr. Richard O’Halloran, C.C., Portlaw;  Very Rev. Fr. Ned Hassett, Parish Priest of Abbeyside, Ballinroad and Garranbane;  Very Rev. Fr. Pat Geer, P.P., Ballyneale, also a representative from the Rosminian community at Glencomeragh House, Carrick-on-Suir.  

The content of the service included that popular excerpt from the Old Testament – Ecclesiastes – “For everything there is a season . . . “, read by Camilla Beresford;   a tribute to the late Marquis by John Perceval Maxwell; an excerpt from Psalm 118 – “The Lord is my strength and my song . . . “, read by Charlie Beresford;  a New Testament reading, from John Chapter 14, by Revd. Mellissa Jeffers; Hymns 366 – “Praise my soul, the King of Heaven” and Hymn 659 – “Onward Christian soldiers”.  
 
                                                                             

Particularly touching was a poem read by Carolina Beresford, which ran as follows:
                                                                   

Remembrance is a golden chain

Death tries to break,

But all in vain.

To have, to love, and then to part

Is the greatest sorrow of one’s heart.

The years may wipe out many things

But some they wipe out never.

Like memories of those happy times

When we were all together.

The service concluded with the entire congregation reciting that well-known Gaelic blessing –

“May the road rise up to meet you” etc. 


'Laid to rest among his ancestors and other relatives' directly in front of the church.

(To ensure the grass is kept low, sheep are allowed into the cemetery once or twice a year)


Because of the very large attendance, many had to remain outside the building for the entire service. 

"The End of an Era!". . . remarked a bystander near me, as the burial concluded.

                                                                                        
ClonagamChurch.

Further text to follow.

Image No. 854 shows Lord Waterford outside Clonagam church in June 2008, on the occasion of the visit of the Bishop of Cashel, Ferns and Ossory, Revd. Michael Burrows.


   

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

NEW CAFÉ



Named The Square Coffee Shop, Portlaw has at long last got a place where locals and visitors alike can go and have a tasty snack right at Malcomson Square, the town's focal point.  For years, visitors to the town have been seen wandering aimlessly around seeking somewhere to eat, having visited Curraghmore estate, the local Heritage Centre, the numerous local woodland walks and country lanes, checking out the unique architectural heritage of the planned town, or maybe even Orienteering in the Tower Hill area. The Coffee Shop is right on the eastern side of the roundabout beside the local library. Sandra, Lisa and Sharon will make you most welcome! There is a very useful information panel a few metres from the coffee shop entrance, pointing out local places of interest. Others can be found at (1) the junction of Queen Street and William Street, also (2) near the bridge end of the riverside walk.  Locals will be only too glad to direct you! 

Email:   thesquarecoffeeshop@gmail.com 


Sandra says:  Living in Portlaw 9 years, we  - mother and daughter, Sandra and Lisa, with the help of sister Sharon, opened on the 2nd of October 2014. We have always wanted to open a coffee shop and felt Portlaw was in desperate need of one. We chose the name The Square Coffee Shop, as our location in the town has been known to locals as the Square and wanted to keep within the history of Portlaw. All the soup, brown bread and cakes, etc. are homemade. We have an all-day breakfast menu starting from €2. We also do sandwiches, wraps and paninis fresh to order ranging from €3.95 to €4.95. We also offer baked potatoes with a range of fillings. We offer a catering menu and can make occassion cakes to order. Our opening times are Monday to Saturday 9.30am to 4pm.



Pictured above: Sandra of left; Lisa on right. 

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