Requiem Mass at 11am on Friday 1st February followed by burial at Calvary Cemetery.

Eldoret – 31 January 2008
Good afternoon, Shane, and all your family and friends. It was great hearing from you.  When you called the first time, I was in very noisy traffic on the main street of Eldoret. Within a few minutes of your call, the whole of Eldoret closed down as a result of gathering groups of young men (mostly), gathering to protest vehemently and perhaps violently to the news of the death of the MP from Ainamoi, in the Rift Valley. The late Kimutai Too was a newly elected Member of the Opposition Party and is the second MP to be gunned down in as many days. In the first case, the death in Nairobi was probably the result of gang operation at the entrance gate to his house at about 12.30 in the morning.   Today's shooting of the MP by a police officer here in Eldoret was described by the Police Commissioner as a "crime of passion" as there was a woman also involved. I think it is often referred to as a 'ménage à trois'! She is in the hospital in critical condition and of course he is the Mortuary in the same Hospital. The policeman who shot him was later captured by his colleagues and will be charged with murder in Nakuru tomorrow. At least the Police have acted quickly this time. I am glad of that because we don't need political assassinations ever and certainly not at this time of political turmoil.  I personally believe that the Police in general have done a great job under the conditions in which they have been forced to work. It is unfortunate that they used live bullets on occasion.

When you called the second time, we were listening to a fusillade of gunfire just over the hill here in Kapsoya where I am living. It died down soon afterwards. Generally, Eldoret has been quiet over the past week or so, since the Opposition called off the Demonstrations and Mass rallies etc.  BUT, there is still a great deal of tension at all times.  It is not advisable for people to travel out at night-time and getting out of Eldoret to any of the neighbouring towns is very problematic. The negotiations are going on in Nairobi with three from each side trying to come up with a solution that will put an end to the violence.  As many people have observed, it will take more than one generation to get over the trauma of the last 4 weeks. Basically, it has been horrendous no matter how you looks at it.

On the humanitarian side of things, most of the IDPs (Internally displaced persons) have no option of going back to their homes . . . and it is sad to relate that there seems to be an element of revenge setting in . . . in places like Limuru, Kiambu, Tigoni, Karatina, Othaya, (all Kikuyu areas in Central Province). That is a very bad omen indeed.

Most schools in the affected areas are either not operating at all or are functioning with very reduced enrolment.  The irony is that from the 7th of this month, the programme of Free Secondary Education was rolled out by the Ministry of Education. Normally, it would have meant an absolutely huge boost in secondary school enrolment this term. Alas! The reality is so different, unfortunately. This had formed part of the Govt's platform during the election.  In our Patrician Primary School in Kabongo, which was badly affected, we are recovering and now have about 350 children back in class. We are trying to feed about 180 of those on a twice daily basis.  Our expected enrolment was 455.

It has become almost impossible for farmers to transport their produce to the factories or to town.  Just now the quality of potatoes in Eldoret is very poor as we cannot get them from the usual sources since Jan 1.    That really is a very minor inconvenience for people like me but form the farmer who was supplying before, what can he do?

The tea estates, along with the flower farms,  are badly affected by the trouble and that will affect everybody eventually. I could go on and on . . . but!

The BBC World Service had a very (and sad!) interesting couple of interviews this morning at about 6:30 GMT on their programme 'Assignment'.

If you can access the Internet, you may like to listen in www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/ . . . this might bring it up for you. (Of course, I don't hold any brief for the BBC or any other Media House!)

As for myself and my work here — personally I am not affected by the turmoil except being inconvenienced in terms of travel in and out of Eldoret. We don't even consider the possibility of travelling to Nairobi by car/or bus as there are illegal roadblocks in many places. And we have no passenger train service from Eldoret since about 1988. Luckily, we have quite an efficient air service to and from Nairobi morning and evening if the need arose (which it won't for me, I hope!) 

I would like to take this opportunity to express again our appreciation to all who have been texting, emailing, phoning, and/or writing from all over the world at this time.  It just sop happens that we are in the middle of it since Jan 1 and it is very distressing to be in the middle of continuous bad news every day. But we know that many people are thinking of Kenya now and praying for a quick resolution.

May God bless you all and may He also bless Kenya and her people.

(NOTE: The Shane referred to at the top of this update is Shane McEntee who is the Member of Parliament or Teachta Dala in Meath and is a well-known native of Nobber!)

Cheerio for now, PDB, Eldoret.

Bro. Paul D. Brennan, Box 5064, Eldoret.
Email: patriciankabongo@gmail.com

Local coursing trainer prepares for ‘Coursing Week’
Well done to local trainers David and Margaret Flanagan who have two dogs participating in this year’s Open Coursing Week in Clonmel, which takes place each year on the first week in February. ‘Carroll’s Cert’ owned by Roseanne Carroll, Lonergan’s Bar, qualified for The Oaks and ‘Beauty’s Outlaw’ owned by Birdy Barrett, won the Reserve Trial Stake in Freshford and will also be making an appearance during the week. Best of luck to both dogs.

Patrician Presentation Open Day

Photographed at the Patrician Presentation Secondary School Open Day on Monday 28th January were L to R: Bridget Hayes, Pat Looby (Art Teacher) and Michael Hayes.


Members of the Parents' Association who helped at the Patrician Presentation Secondary School Open Day on Monday 28th January. L to R: Mary Healy, Marie McGrath, Maura Gorey, Joan Hayes, Rita Kenny, Jane Hayes, Finola Anglim, Valerie Rice, Veronica Fogarty and Helena O'Shea.


Students demonstrating their woodworking skills at the Patrician Presentation Secondary School Open Day. L to R: Gerry Horan, Molly O'Dwyer, Lucinda Carroll, Ronan Fitzgerald and Dylan Cahill.


Sean Whyte demonstrating sanding techniques at the Patrician Presentation Secondary School Open Day


Kate and Eamon Phelan photographed with children Andrew and Aine at the Patrician Presentation Secondary School Open Day.


Photographed at the Patrician Presentation Secondary School Open Day are Deirdre Mulhall (teacher) and John Paul Fitzgerald (Cloneen).


Molly O'Dwyer demonstrating drilling techniques at the Patrician Presentation Secondary School Open Day.

Fethard GAA Club News
Urgent Reminder — The adjourned AGM takes place this Saturday 2nd February in the Abymill at 8pm (sharp). All members and players please take notice as championships for the year are now in place with the county leagues starting shortly.

Congratulations to our fellow Gaels, Moyle Rovers, in the All Ireland Junior Hurling ‘A’ Final and to Ballingarry Junior B in the Munster Final. We wish both the very best of luck in their respective finals.

We wish Denis O’Meara, our Field Development Officer, a speedy recovery after his recent accident.

Our lotto jackpot €8,400 was not won. The numbers drawn were: 11, 22, 23 and 28. We had one ‘Match Three’ winner of €150 to Cathy O’Keeffe (39 Carrigeen, Clonmel). The €50 Lucky Dip winner was Nicky O’Shea (Tullow, Fethard). The tickets were kindly supplied by Fethard Credit Union.

Fethard Bridge Club Results
The results of our game on Wednesday 23rd January were:

1st Gross: Bernie O’Meara and Anna Cooke;
2nd Gross: Rita Kane and Kay St. John;
1st Nett: Kathleen Kenny and Breda O’Grady;
2nd Nett: Berney Myles and Alice Quinn.

On Wednesday 6th February we play the first round of the Club Championship. Anyone looking for a partner please contact Berney Myles at 32038.

Hunting News
The Tipperary Foxhounds met at Knockfee on Monday 21st January, scenting conditions were not the best. Finding in the gorse covert at the Watertower they hunted down to the old sandpit. Hunting through the gorse here they eventually market to ground. Moving on towards Morrestown a fox found by the Traas Apple Farm quickly got to ground. From the bend by Moorestown Castle little could be done with a fox found here. One from the Fort nearby was quickly lost. The day ended on a high note. Finding in the gorse under the Poulmucka Knockfee Road hounds raced across the road near the old Ballingeary School. Through Mr Hyland’s they ran towards the old ball-alley. Turning left short of here they ran back over the road at Knockfee cross. Looking as if they were heading to Moorestown Castle they swung left handed and marked to ground just short of where they found. This was a real flier of about twenty-five minutes during which the field found it difficult to keep in contact.

The Tipps did not hunt on Wednesday. From Ballinahinch on Thursday they had another good run. Finding in the bog at Con Ryan’s they ran right over to O’Dwyer’s of Tamberlane. Swinging left here they hunted through Charlie Horgan’s to Jessica Roth’s quite close to the big wood at Knockavilla.  This run, without a check, provided plenty of jumping over the big banks and also plenty of fallers.

With the White Heathers
The White Heather Harriers had anything but a good beginning to their day at Clonacody on Sunday last. Foxes were very hard to find and scent in the bright sunshine and Spring like conditions was almost non existent. Finding in the late Jimmy Ryan’s at Ballinhameen, hounds eventually got a fox to leave, running to the nearby smaller plantation he got to ground in a rabbit hole. Bolting from the strong mark hounds caught him on top after a short run. The afternoon had moved on by the time hounds drew Jack Mockler’s at 3 o’clock. With the sinking sun, scenting conditions improved considerably.  Finding here hounds hunted up across the Jossestown Road to Killerk. Across towards Lakefield they looked like crossing the Clonmel Fethard Road, turning right-handed short of the road they hunted back through Clonacody down to the golf links. From here their fox ran to Jos Mockler’s, Ballinlough. Back up to where he was found he ran to the golf links and repeated the same circuit once again back to Ballinlough bogs where they had to give him best at 4.30pm, as much through exhaustion as anything else. This was an excellent run, perhaps rather slow but featured some very good hound work as scenting conditions were still far from good.

Winners in the January Draw were: 1st prize of €200 to Amy O’Connor, Drangan and 2nd prize of €100 to Ger Manton, Fethard.  The Ballyluskey White Heather Harriers meet next Sunday, 3rd February at Downey’s Cross (Fethard/Cloneen Road) at 11am.

Fethard Athletic Club
Fethard AC activities were very slow to start this year due to many and varied problems. Over the last seven weeks a junior squad (under-19) have been under lights in the GAA Park three nights a week, with the intention of competing in the County Junior Cross Country, which would take place in late January.

Numbers varied from ten to two athletes at different training sessions but the objective of winning the County Junior always was the motivation.

As luck would have it, the Munster Junior was held at the Tipperary venue in the Turnpike, out on the Dublin road just beyond Littleton on last Sunday week. We had a team entered with three of our boys also on the Tipperary team. Unfortunately we failed to fill a club team and lost out in silver Munster second team medals, but the trio of Robert and Jerome Ahearne and Jonathan Fleming, helped Tipperary to take second silver county medals.

Last Sunday saw the squad take the road west to Hollyford to run in the County Junior. Expectations were good, to say the least, of winning some sort of medals but on the day the boys took 1st team prize on a very dry tough course on the side of a hill. For the squad of Darragh Dwyer, Jerome Ahearne, Adam O’Donnell and Jonathan Fleming (Robert Ahearne had to withdraw due to an ankle injury), it was an experience never to be forgotten — it was a day when boys became men. Well done boys, ye did the town and club proud.

On the previous Saturday, Darragh Dwyer took silver in the 1500 meters at the indoors in Nenagh. These athletes will run in the inter schools cross country in Thurles on Tuesday next. Training continues on Tuesday nights at 7pm.

Died Recently
The death has occurred on 27th January of Mrs Kitty Martin, Mobarnane, Fethard. Reposing at her family home and removal to St. Joseph the Worker Church, Moyglass, at 7.30pm on Tuesday 29th January.

Requiem Mass took place at 11.30am on Wednesday 30th January followed by interment in the adjoining cemetery.