Knock and Aghamore
Parish News 28 Feb 1996

Novena for Peace in Aghamore

The Aghamore Padre Pio Prayer Group will offer a Novena for Peace in Aghamore Church on Friday night, Ist March, at 7.30 p.m. The guest speaker will be Sr. Angela Forde from Knock and all are welcome. This is an ideal opportunity for those who were unable to take part in some of last Sunday's countrywide peace marches to come along and participate in these special Novena ceremonies.

WON TRIP TO DUBLIN

Congratulations to Martina Gaughan, Knock, who was the lucky winner of a trip for two adults and three children to Dublin and back ...courtesy of Bus Eireann. She won the prize on the Chris Carroll show on MWR last Friday. Martina correctly identified the pop group, Boney M, and the song "Rivers of Babylon". Congrats, Martina.

BEREAVEMENT

The people of Aghamore and Knock extend sympathy to Sean Byrne, Aghamore, on the death of his mother, Amy, last weekend. Sean has been a prominent player and official with Aghamore GAA team for several years.

THE STATIONS

The Stations will be celebrated in Carramore South today, Wednesday 28th, in Eden on Tuesday, 5th March, and in Churchfield on Wednesday 6th.

BEREAVEMENT

The community tenders sympathy to Robert Higgins, Cloonfaughna, on the death of his sister, Josephine, in New York.

MOBILE INFORMATION UNIT

The Citizens Information Service visits Knock tomorrow, Thursday, and will operate near the junction of Main Street and Cemetery Road from 11.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. and from 2.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. Des Gunning from Dublin will be on hand to offer free and confidential advice on a whole range of subjects such as taxation, health, and social welfare. If you have a problem relating to the above areas, or feel like seeking some advice, this is a golden opportunity to avail of this free service.

COLLECTION

The Knock Area Development Association will hold a Church-gate collection on Saturday and Sunday, 2nd and 3rd March. The recently formed Association hopes to coordinate development in Knock parish and surrounding areas and they look forward to receiving good support for their first public fund-raising venture.

PIONEERS SAY THANKS

The Knock P.T.A.A. of the Sacred Heart extends thanks to all who helped to make the recent annual dinner dance such an outstanding success. The officers, members, and friends came out in big numbers and made the event into a major social occasion in the region. The next meeting of the Knock Centre will be on Wednesday, 13th March.

COMMUNITY GAMES

The annual general meeting of the Knock Community Games will be held in the Community Centre this Wednesday night, 28th February, at 9.00 p.m. All parents are very welcome to come along and also anyone who would like to lend a helping hand for the 1996 games. * A meeting of the Knock Community Centre Committee will be held in the Centre at 9.00 p.m. on Thursday night.

MUSIC AND REFLECTION

An evening of music and reflection for Lent will be held in the Prayer Guide Centre tonight, Wednesday, from 8.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. All are welcome and especially young adults.

FORESTAY STAND

The East Mayo Producers Group will have a stand at the Claremorris Ideal Homes Exhibition at the weekend. Tom Staunton, forester, will give some detailed advice on Saturday afternoon while personnel will be available throughout the exhibition to help and advice people with queries.

MARY WAS GUEST

Nurse Mary Byrne from Claremorris was the guest speaker at last Monday night's meeting in the Belmont Hotel. It was organized by the Knock Women's Awareness Group.

Mrs Mae Kilkenny, Cloonternane, Knock

The death took place recently at her residence of Mrs. Mae Kilkenny (nee Byrne), Cloonternane, Knock. She was predeceased over twenty years ago by her husband, Anthony, a native of Killeen, Knock. Mae was a sister of the late Fr. John Baptist Byrne and the late Sr. Humiliata.

Mae died peacefully in her sleep last Saturday night week. She had attended evening Mass in Knock that evening and later watched the television programmes. And when the Roll was called up yonder, Mae was indeed ready and prepared to go.

She belonged to a family with a long and abiding association with Knock and the Church. Her great-granduncle was Fr. Patrick O'Grady, P.P., Knock, and the man who celebrated the very last Mass in the old church which was located in what we now call the old cemetery. The gable walls are still in tact.

He erected the present Church of St. John the Baptist in 1828, the same year that the Connaught Telegraph newspaper was launched in Co. Mayo. The stone on the west wall of the church bears the inscription which, in view of subsequent events 51 years later (in 1879) is quite remarkable and extraordinary: "Matt. 11 - My house shall be called the House of Prayer to all nations. This is the gate of the Lord; the just shall enter into it." - Erected by the Rev. P. O'Grady, P.P., 1828".

Mae was a wonderful and devout Catholic whose faith and convictions provided her with an inner strength and sense of tranquillity. She was held in the greatest regard by all in the neighbourhood and she will be greatly and deservedly missed by Mary Elizabeth and Padraig and by her devoted grandchildren.

The Funeral Mass was concelebrated by Msgr. Dominick Grealy, P.P., Knock, Fr. Kieran Heneghan, Knock, Fr. Billy Reilly, Irishtown, and Fr. Des Fahey, P.P., Ballindine.

She is deeply regretted by her daughter Mary Elizabeth, son-in-law Padraig Forde, grandchildren Marie, Olivia, Patrick, John, and Mark, sister Sr. Jarlath (America), relatives, friends, and neighbours.