Vote of Confidence and a Welcome €500,000 for Abbeyfeale

Abbeyfeale, and its hinterland as seen from Hill Road, has received a vote of confidence and an injection of €500,000 recently according to Marian Harnett. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Abbeyfeale got a vote of confidence and a welcome €500,000 investment from six new and expanding businesses.

By: Marian Harnett

We would like to extend a very warm welcome and a sincere thank you to the following businesses and their owners who are either setting up for the first time or further expanding in the area.

Abbeyfeale Interior Design is owned by Wioleta Kelly and has opened on the first floor of Scanlon’s on Convent Street.

Stoves4U is owned by Kate Brislane and Darren Horan and they have opened a new showroom on the Killarney Road.

Spindoctorcycles is owned by Eamon Foley who has opened a new showroom and workshop in Mountmahon.

Krafty Klippers hairdressers owned by Kieran Riordan has opened on Convent Street.

C&R Hydraulics, owned by Duggie Roche and Larry Collins, has moved from Mountmahon and expanded into a larger site on Clash Road.

Contractors have begun renovating the Old Bank building on Main Street which, we hope, will be opened as a new E-Hub and co-working space by Christmas.

Wishing all businesses and their owners every success in Abbeyfeale.

Scam Phonecalls

We got a scam phone call ourselves and despite the fact that I’m always reporting on them I still got a fright.

I was told that €1,400 had been taken off our card and they need my details to rectify the card.

Drop the phone is the best advice I can offer.

Opening of Parish Church

For the next two weeks of July there will be a gradual opening up of the church with masses celebrated on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 7pm and on Saturday and Sunday mornings at 10am.

However, there are strict conditions to the re-opening. The maximum number of people allowed to attend is 100 and this figure includes the priest, sacristan, cantor, organist and stewards.

We are also obliged to adhere to the two-meter social distancing rule.

Parishioners need to be aware that the obligation to attend Sunday mass remains suspended.

The practice before the lockdown of parishioners attending mass on a Saturday evening or Sunday morning is not practical or safe in this circumstance.

We are suggesting that some people, come to mass during the weekdays. Some parishioners like to attend mass daily.

We are asking these parishioners to attend just once a week for the time being.  If you come to mass and discover that when you arrive that the maximum number of people is already in the church, parishioners will be able to hear mass in the car park through the outside loudspeaker system which is at the Grotto side of the church.

Holy communion will be distributed at the grotto.

Again the 2-metre social distancing must be strictly adhered to while attending mass in the church car park.

To maintain safety and prevent the spread of the virus, the church will be cleaned after each mass.  In line with HSE guidelines.

Parishioners are encouraged to wear face coverings while in a confined area. This is the responsibility of each individual.

Attending mass will see significant changes and we ask you to follow the instructions below.

There will be only one entry point to the church that is the main door at the front of the church. When you are entering the church, remember to maintain the two-meter social distance.

Stewards will direct you to the hand sanitizing stations and then to your seats.

The seats will be clearly marked. In line with social distancing the seats will accommodate three individual people and family members may sit together.

When families attend together, they will be allocated one seat to themselves.  We ask you to cooperate with the stewards.

At communion time, stewards will direct you to holy communion and at the end of mass we are asking people to exit the church gradually and safely.

Do not come to mass if you have a cough or feel you could have a temperature.

If all goes according to plan the number of masses will be increased and will be open to the public.

Meanwhile mass will continue to be broadcast masses online.