IT'S BEGINNING TO FEEL A LOT LIKE .....

CAROLING ON HORSEBACK: Friday 21st: 2.30pm. Liskennett Farm: Residents & Staff welcome you to their afternoon of Christmas Carols, to get us truly into the spirit of Christmas.. If all goes according to plan, they will be singing on horseback. Not only that but the ' Liam McCarthy' Cup will arrive around 3pm. Light refreshments served and all welcome.

CHRISTMAS MARKETS: Thursday 20th, Dec, 10.30am - 12.30pm. Farmer's market will be held at the Garden Centre, Bruree. Shop local and get some lovely home crafted Christmas gifts in the well stocked shop as well home baking, smoked salmon, breads & pastries. Local artisan traders will showcase wonderful handmade craft, art, horticultural produce and seasonal treats to get shoppers into the Christmas spirit: - Sunday 16th-24th - Cruise's St. Christmas Market. Friday 21st - Christmas Milk Market - 10am to 3pm Saturday 22nd & Sunday 23rd - Christmas Milk Market - 8am to 3pm Monday 24th - Christmas Eve Milk Market - 8am to 2pm

CHOMHBHRÓN:

Our sympathies to Kevin Sexton and his family on the death of his father, Seamie, at St Michael's Nursing Home, Caherconlish. Predeceased by his wife Esther and sons Noel and Thomas. Deeply regretted by his loving sons Mike, Martin, Patrick, Kevin and daughters Eileen Cunningham and Trish Ahern, relatives and friends. He was reposed at Hawe's Funeral Home on Tuesday 11th, with Requiem Mass at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Bruree on Wednesday and burial afterwards in Bruree New Cemetery. Solas na bhFlaitheas ar a anam.

CHURCH CALENDAR: Christmas Eve, Monday 24th: Mass in Granagh at 6.00pm and in Ballingarry at 8.00pm. Christmas Day, Tuesday 25th: Mass in Granagh at 9.30am and in Ballingarry at 11am.

CHRISTMAS WISHES: Wishing all our parishioners a Peaceful and Happy Christmas. Welcome home to those on holidays and hope they enjoy the break. Thinking of all those who are away at this time, unable to come home. Special thoughts for those who have been bereaved, those suffering with mental health problems, the homeless and those in direct provision. May the New Year bring Good Health, Hope and Happiness. Many thanks to the Staff of The Observer Paper, for all their help during the year. It is a wonderful publication, which allows every parish contribute their news, events and photos. Not even technology can beat, sitting down looking through the photos and reading other parish notes. There is so much happening around the county and to have it all contained in one paper, is fantastic. To celebrate a great sporting victory in Limerick, The Observer changed their banner from blue to green, which was a brilliant gesture.!! So, on Wednesdays, put the phone aside and buy The Observer, for a great read as well as supporting local jobs. “ Nollaig Shona agus Athbhliain Faoi Mhaise dhaoibh go leir”.

COOLRUSS CHRISTMAS LIGHTS: Congratulations to the Carroll family on achieving third place in the Energia 'Most Christmassy Home' competition. Thanks to everyone who voted for them, with the result that they received a €1,000 prize, which will go towards their three charities.

KING OF THE HILL: St. Stephen's Day. !!!! Registration at the Rock Bar, 8.30am to 11am. Teams of three - thirty euro. Rules provided on the day, plus two sliotars, bring your own hurleys. The team that completes the course with the least number of pucks wins the perpetual trophy.

USED STAMPS FOR MISSIONS: Just a reminder - don't throw away those used postage stamps.!! The Mission centre in Dublin, can use these stamps to help fund their many projects. Drop them into Mary O'Regan.

GRANAGH PLAYERS: Jimmy Sheehy is always ahead of the posse or else he has a source in Hollywood !! The play he has chosen - ' The Informer ' , which was made into a film by John Ford in 1935, has just been inducted into the National Film Registry in the USA. The movie was added to the US registry run by the Library of Congress in Washington, alongside My Fair Lady, Jurassic Park & Brokeback Mountain. Selection to the registry ensures, that the films will be preserved for all time because of their cultural, historic and aesthetic importance. In 1936, ' The Informer ' won four Oscars: Best Director for Ford, Best Actor for Victor McLaglen, Best Writing Screenplay for Dudley Nichols, and Best Score by Max Steiner. However Nichols caused a stir when he became the first nominee to decline his Oscar, in an act of solidarity with the Writers Guild, who were striking at the time. Since his historic stance a plethora of actors & directors have gone on to boycott at the prestigious award ceremony, including Marlon Brando, Michael Caine, Eilzabeth Taylor, Woody Allen & Will Smith. 'The Informer' is the 11th film directed by John Ford to be named in the registry, the most of any other director. The film’s setting, Ireland in 1920 when the IRA and the British were at war, was especially important to Ford. In 1921 he visited Galway (where his parents were born) after his cousins, the Thorntons, one of whom was in the IRA, were burned out of their home by the Black and Tans. Ford became a strong supporter of Irish republicans and when he returned to Ireland in 1952 to make ‘The Quiet Man’ it was no coincidence that the hero (John Wayne) took Ford’s Irish Christian name of Sean and his rebel cousin’s name of Thornton. Incidentally 'The Quiet Man' was inducted to the registry in 2015.

CONGRATULATIONS: Happy 21st Birthday wishes to Loraine Power, celebrations will continue through Christmas we think. GIVE BLOOD: Friday 28th Dec: Colaiste Chiarain, Croom, 2pm - 5pm.