CONGRATULATIONS to Brian and Lindsey Dunne, Erkindale Drive, Durrow on the recent birth of their daughter, Indie. Congratulations also to Nadine Martin and Adrian Sheppard, Derrywood, Durrow on their recent marriage.

DURROW SENIOR CITIZENS: The Durrow Senior Citizen’s Monday Club are having a mid-week break to Donegal from Monday June 3rd until Friday June 7th. The price is €330 per person sharing. This includes four B&B and four dinners, the bus and tips. Anyone interested in joining us, please phone Miriam at (057) 8736200 or Margaret at (086) 2662996 as soon as possible.

DURROW LIBRARY: The library opening times have been slightly adjusted lately. Tuesdays: 1.30pm to 5pm and 6pm to 8pm; Wednesdays: 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 6pm; Saturdays: 11am to 1pm.
Membership: All library memberships and events are free of charge. Fines have recently been removed completely. Call in and discover the wealth of fiction, non fiction books and huge array of online resources your library membership includes. Contact Lmoriarty@laoiscoco.ie or (057) 8736090 or call in!

DURROW TIDY TOWNS – Five Minute Sweep: DDF/Tidy Towns are asking all households and businesses to partake in a weekly five minute sweep outside their homes and businesses. This will help to keep the village looking clean and tidy and would be of great benefit to everybody in keeping Durrow looking beautiful. We appreciate everybody’s help in this venture. Chocolate Workshop: Durrow Development Forum/Tidy Towns have organised Mountmellick based Chocolatier Cocoa Couture to visit 5th and 6th Class Students in our Lady’s Meadow on the 12th April. Catherine is passionate about the environment and she will give an interactive chocolate workshop to the students which includes the history of chocolate, samples and ingredient tasting, environment, organic versus chemical and the use of biodegradable plastic. A great event just before the Easter Holidays which will put the amount of waste packaging in Easter Eggs fresh into the students minds.
Clean Up Laois Week 2019: Clean up Laois Week will take place in Durrow on Tuesday 9th April, meeting in the Square at 7pm. It is run in conjunction with An Taisce’s – National Spring Clean, and the local sponsor is AES. Durrow Tidy Towns will have the special bags that are to be used for this project. Anyone who wishes to do some cleaning in their area can contact (086) 3055157 for some of these bags and pickers. All full bags must be left to Durrow Community Centre before Wednesday 10th April as this is our date for all bags to be collected from the Centre by AES. Everyone is welcome to take part in the Clean Up. For Every Day of Lent: Durrow Tidy Towns are asking you to come on board with us to recycle your good quality items that you no longer use or need to Vincent’s Charity Shop in Abbeyleix. (Donations by 25th April). This is a great opportunity to recycle for good, a perfect excuse to downsize your wardrobe and share good used clothing, shoes, or household items to benefit others. If you are dropping your bags in please let Vincent’s know that it’s in relation to Durrow Tidy Towns as they have come on board with us to track same, they will tick a box for each bag donated so we can have count of how much has been recycled for good. A special thanks to everybody who donated to the community centre which benefits both the community centre and National Council for the Blind. We will have more collections in the future.

DURROW SCARECROW FESTIVAL: The Festival will celebrate its tenth year this Summer. If you are interested in getting involved, we’d be delighted to have you onboard. If you are making a Scarecrow, we have some Scarecrow Frames and heads that can be dressed up to assist you in your creation, please let us know if you require one as soon as possible. If you require a large space or a specific area for your creation (besides at your own premises, home or business), please also let us know as soon as possible so we can reserve it for you. Call (087) 9626350 or email scarecrow@durrow.ie for any queries or assistance. Scarecrow Making continues on Monday nights in Evelyn Clancy’s house, if you would like to get involved contact one of the committee. Any assistance would be appreciated.

ST VINCENT de PAUL DURROW: Contact us, in strict confidence on (087) 1917813.

LITTLE OAKS PARENT AND TODDLER GROUP: Little Oaks Parent and Toddler group continues to be held every Tuesday morning from 9.15am to 11am in the Library in Durrow. A good opportunity for mixing for little ones, new attendees always welcomed!

CASTLEWOOD FARMSHOP-TEAROOM: Organic meat, eggs, apple juice and local products. Farm walk by appointment. Open Friday and Saturday 10am to 5pm; Sunday 11am to 5pm. Enquiries to Dominic (087) 9694070.

NEW SOCIAL GROUP: A new Crafty Chatty Social Group is now up and running! Meet in the Durrow Library every Tuesday from 2pm until 4pm.

LIVE WEATHER DATA: Visit www.laoisweather.com online for live weather information.

CULLOHILL WALKING GROUP: Why not get out and walk in the company and safety of a walking group. Meet at Cullohill Community Centre on Mondays and Friday evenings at 7.20pm. Walks will commence at 7.30pm sharp.

RETIRED? Active Retirement Strength Class – A class aimed at the retired community that would like to improve their strength and mobility. No experience or fitness level required. The class will be supervised by a physical therapist to ensure maximum benefit. 11am in Core Health and Fitness gym every Friday. €5 per class. All queries to (057) 8740637.

SAFETALK: Laois PPN and the HSE would like to offer organisations the opportunity to host the FREE SAFETALK programme in their club, organisation or community. SafeTALK is a three and a half hour ‘suicide alertness’ programme that prepares participants to identify and engage with persons who may be having thoughts of suicide.
Participants learn how to provide practical help by using the steps of TALK (Tell, Ask, Listen and Keep-safe) and also gain information on the supports and resources available locally, regionally and nationally. The minimum number of participant required is 15 with a maximum number of participants places capped at 24. Again, this is a FREE event. For further information contact: Suzanne O’Connor – Laois PPN on (057) 8665661 or (086) 7782551 or to ppn@laoiscoco.ie by email.

ZUMBA CLASSES: Zumba Dance Class are held every Wednesday from 8pm until 9pm in Durrow’s Community Centre, regardless of age, gender or fitness level. Just grab a friend and come join us for an exciting and fun workout like no other. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t tried Zumba yet this class is definitely for you. So come and give it a try as you never know you might enjoy yourself. Class fee €5 per hour. Children go free! Hope to see you soon.

DURROW CHOIR Voicem Daru: Rehearsals continue every Tuesday evening at 7.30pm in Castle Arms Hotel. The group are preparing for a Coral Festival in Cork in May 2019 so it is very important that every member of this group attend practice nights. For details, phone Ann (086) 6045409.

PRESENTATION CENTRE: The Presentation Centre beside the Catholic Church is available for hire. For further information please contact Angela on (087) 1928522.

CULLOHILL COMMUNITY CENTRE: The Progressive 25 Card Games are held in the hall every Sunday night at 8.30pm sharp followed by tea and sandwiches. Please support!

KETTLEBELL BEGINNER CLASSES: Learn to use kettlebells safely and effectively from one of Ireland’s top ranked professional kettlebell sports and fitness instructors. Also included in the classes are bodyweight exercises as well as posture correction and strengthening techniques. Together with proper kettlebell instruction you can learn to prevent and remedy a wide range of joint and mobility issues and injuries. Places are limited so booking is essential. Contact (087) 3833258 or tridentfitnessclub@yahoo.ie by email.

STORY-TELLING WORKSHOP: Spink Comhaltas will hold a Story-Telling Workshop on April 6th in The Heritage House, Abbeyleix from 1pm to 5pm. For Spink Comhaltas members, the cost is €5 for U18, €10 for an adult whilst it is €15 for non-Spink members. The workshop is aimed at age 12 up to adult. There are limited places at this workshop and you must pre-book your place – please do not turn up at the workshop without pre-booking; there may not be a place and we do not want you to be disappointed. Check Spink Comhaltas on Facebook for details on how to book. Story-telling is a great life skill!

LAOIS OPEN DOOR THEATRE: Laois Open Door Theatre cordially invites you all to this year’s 3 Act play “Perfect Wedding” by Robin Hawdon in the Dunamaise Arts Centre on Friday 5th and Saturday 6th April at 8pm nightly. This play is a rare combination –a riotous comedy and a touching love story. It tells the story of a wedding day that goes hysterically astray when a groom wakes up the morning after his stag party in the bridal suite but it’s not his bride- to-be that is next to him in the bed and from then on it is hilarious laughs and frantic farce. If laughter is the best medicine then this is just what the doctor ordered. You won’t be disappointed. Will the marriage to be saved and the Perfect wedding take place? To find out please come to the Dunamaise Theatre on Friday 5th and Saturday 6th April.

NEXT NEWSLETTER: The next newsletter will be on sale the weekend of April 27th and 28th 2019 – weather permitting. All adverts must be booked with Angela Drennan (087) 1928522 or Mary Walsh (086) 3055157. Advertisements cost €2 per issue of Durrow Parish Newsletter and must be paid for in advance.