GRANAGH NOTES - 18/ 19TH JAN.

GRANAGH  PLAYERS:

The scene is set and we are ready to roll for the first week-end of this year's play, Tarry Flynn.                                                                                 Producer, Jimmy Sheehy and his cast of twenty have put in the hours and once again have an excellent show lined up.                                   Originally Patrick Kavanagh set the play in the 1930s but we have brought it forward to the 1960s -  however, the story remains the same.            It is a moving tale of rural Irish life - a time when life and the land went hand in hand but told with the wry observation and sharp                            wit of Ireland's best loved poet.   The play is a fusion of action, song, dance, music, poetry and prayer.                                `    `    `                        Being his own autobiography, the author describes it as  " not only the best but the only authentic  account of life as it was lived in Ireland         this century " .     It was dramatised by P.J.O'Connor and produced in the Abbey in 1967 and  a second adaption was done by Conall     Morrison in the Abbey in 1997.  

Poet-farmer Tarry(Jimmy Chawke) like many a poet that has gone before and since has two great loves - nature and young women.                  The young women in this case are, the girl of his dreams, Mary Reilly ( Theresa Noonan), the readily available Molly Brady ( Carmel Clifford) and the fashionable May Callan ( Marguerite Lynch).    Tarry is the bane of his mother's life ( Marylee Stapleton) but, like all mothers she     dotes on her only son.    Much to the disgust of his two sisters Mary ( Emma Chawke) and Bridie ( Muireann O'Connor) who constantly nag     and make fun of him.    Eusebius Cassidy ( Liam Houlihan) his  so-called friend and neighbour is always hanging around, keeping an eye and an ear on everyones' business.!   Tarry's aunty Madge ( Bríd O'Gorman) who can see through all the characters, knows that Tarry and Eusebius are constantly thinking about women and talking about women but she does'nt think they will ever do anything about women.!!                               Our PP Fr. Daly ( John English) and Redemptorist Missioner ( Tony Sheahan) portray the power the Church held over their flocks and will have you sitting up straight and listening to their sermons or else ....    We have  eleven men and nine women so there has to be a little                  match-making.   Charlie Traynor ( John Bennett) does his best to get Mary interested in Petey Meegan ( Richard O'Donoghue) but it's hard going.    Alot of the play is set at the local crossroads, so there is nearly always a few fellas , up to no good,  who meet for a smoke and a chat -   Kevin Fitzgibbon, Denis Noonan and Seamus Murphy.   As usual,  there's a bit of a falling-out with the neighbours, the Finnegans             ( Patsy Power, Liam Kelly and Isabelle O'Meara).   To make matters worse, Uncle Petey ( Johnny Hanley) arrives on the scene to cause more upsets.

While the cast have been rehearsing alot of work has gone on behind the scenes.   Our  extremely talented set artists this year , have created a beautiful background for the play setting.   The wonderful crossroads backdrop and stone wall was painted by  third-level students, Emer Power and Janet Leahy .    The church scene and stained glass window were painted by Marian O'Connor.   We thank them sincerely for all their work because it makes such a difference in creating the right atmosphere.      The make-up ladies, Mary, Emma Morrissey & Lisa Simcox will have their work cut out for them again this year, with twenty faces appearing before them each night.   They thank Jimmy Sheehy for  the constant supply of work he sends their way..!!   The committee members have cleared their diaries for the next two weeks and we will need every one.    As it is coinciding with improvements being carried out in the hall, there is an amout of moving and cleaning out to be done also.   We have new exit doors fitted, the yard has been tarmaced, new internal doors, skirting /archatrive and a new ceiling in the changing room.    New lighting and sound system are being installed and we hope to have the stage curtains replaced also.    And this is all  to be ready for Saturday  ??        Finally,  we will be missing Tom Noonan, this year, but all the cast and crew send their best wishes  and will try to manage as best they can.

Performance Dates:

Saturday 21st,  Sunday 22nd & Friday 27th, Saturday 28th, Sunday 29th at 8.00pm nightly.

Adm.  Adults €10, Teens €5 and U12s Free.     Shop and Raffle each night.  

If anyone wishes to donate a spot prize, we would be only too delighted to accept.

GRANAGH UTD. F.C.:

Lotto  Results:       

Draw Result -    Friday 13th Jan.   Jackpot €10,950.00.   No Winner.   Winning Nos.  2. 7. 20. 24. 

Lucky Dips: -    Edward Houlihan, Lees Cross.   Christy Collins, Lisduane.    John Lynch, Granagh Concrete. 

Next  Week's  Jackpot is   €11,000.00 ,  with the draw to be held in Bennis's Bar.    

Tickets available at O' Gorman's Foodstore Granagh, Hickeys Bar Croom, The Rock Bar Granagh, & Bennis'  Bar  Ballyagran.

 

Sat 14th: U14 League
Kilcornan 2 -  Granagh 5
Scorers for Granagh,  Paul McMahon 2,  Richard Walsh 2 & John Geary 1.

Sun 15th: Junior League
Knockaderry 1 -  Granagh 4
Scorers for Granagh Joe Scanlon 1,  Stephen O Mahoney 1,  Kevin Fitzgibbon 1 & an o/g.

ADORATION:

Every Wednesdays there is Eucharistic adoration in Granagh church from 10 am to 8pm.

We require adorers for the 12pm – 1pm  slot.   If anyone would like to help with this hour, could they contact

Mary O Carroll on 087 1333443.

COMMUNITY  GAMES:

Draughts:

On Saturday morning last our five draughts teams made their competitive debuts in the 2012 competition. Our U/14 team,                                 both our U/12 teams and one of our U/10 teams qualified for the next round of the competition.

One of our U/10 teams was in a very difficult group and were very unfortunate not to have qualified.   This team of Padraig Mckenna,             Nessa Houlihan , Therese Noonan , Rhaonaid Ruddle , Michael Russell and Brett Shanahan played extremely well and were a credit to themselves and their parents.   Sadly this sees the end of their competitive action for 2012 but we will definetly see more of them in the         years ahead.       Training continues on Thursday night at the usual times.

Talent:      Last and final call for the talent .           Anyone interested need to contact Anne or Marie immediately.                                            Anne can be contacted on 087 9274241 .

TEA  DANCING:

Thanks to everyone who helped out at our dance last Sunday.    ' The Nightingales '  as usual provided great music and kept us on the move, which was no harm as the evening got much colder later on.     Thanks to the ladies who washed the floor Saturday, Anne, Mary and Marian and Mike who polished it up nicely.   Special thanks to the ladies who supplied the baking on Sunday, Nora, Mary, Anne and Marian, the dancers wished to pass on their compliments.     Next dance , Sunday Feb 19th, music by Mike & Chris. 

GET  WELL:

Best wishes for a speedy recovery to health again to Johnny Sheahan, Knockfierna, Mrs. O'Rourke, Doolruss and any other parishioners who are in hospital or rest homes at the present time.