Limerick CIty 50K Community Challenge - vote for Moyross

HEART BEAT & LIVING - poetry from Nadia Glasheen

LIVING 

Nadia Glasheen

They say you only live once, but I don’t think that’s true,

I think you live twice, once when you mess up and once more when everything you dreamed of comes your way and makes you happy,

There is a purpose for life and the reason for living because without a heart we are mere machines programmed to work on time.

We are our own person and we live for a purpose,

Everything happens for a reason,

so be the person who has a reason to live!

HEART BEAT

I know where I am, know when to start and when to finish,

I may stand alone, I may walk in a crowd, but I can still hear the crossing bliss of a beating heart,

I look twice but I can see, I follow the noise but its not getting any louder,

its staying at the same beat and melody.

Then I close my eyes to find the answer and I open up to reach out and touch it

- its my own beating heart calling out to say I am alive and I beat only for you.  

THE AUTHOR: Nadia Glasheen, 19, from Moyross says her poetry is "about what goes on in the heart of a teenager going through everyday life." Up to now she's kept her poems to herself. "I guess it was kinda hard to write about myself in poems but as time went on I got into the hang of it, and I never gave up," says Nadia.

She began writing two years ago: "I started when I was working with the Monks in Moyross, and they handed me a diary to write a bit about how I’m feeling for everyday, but I was getting bored of that so I said i will just write a poem."

And so a new talent is born - we'll feature more poems from Nadia next week.

Celebrating Adult Learning in Moyross

The Moyross Adult Education Project is currently in the process of celebrating adult education in the area by bringing out a book covering community education since 1979 which we hope to launch at the end of 2011.  

In preparation, we invite all learners past and present to attend the event on Thursday 16^th June in the Community Enterprise Centre at 3.30 to bring along any photos, or if you have stories to pass on.

Followed by a presentation of Fetac Awards and Participation Certificates at 5.30 by Minister for Skills & Training Ciaran Cannon.

UPDATE: The day was a mighty success. Here's one of the pictures we received on the day. We're looking for names for the caption - can anyone help? Double-click the photo to ENLARGE!

“The best solution to a problem is yourself” - INTERVIEW WITH JUAN CARLOS AZZOPARDI

BY BRENDAN MEEHAN

Juan Carlos Azzopardi is clearing his desk out after 15 years working in Moyross, but the Sligo-born community worker says it is not the end.

Juan Carlos packing up

“I don’t expect to miss Moyross, because I don’t see myself as leaving, simply expanding my work to other communities. This is not goodbye.”

His proudest moment was the change of school enrolment policies in 2005. “The Northside Local Education Committee made sure that all children got an equal oppurtunity at the same time.” Juan said there had been a “huge problem” for children applying to various schools prior to the issue being highlighted.

Juan spoke candidly of his time here: “What struck me most when I first arrived was the enthusiasm and friendliness of the people and that is still the case today. People in the area change but the area itself remains the same.”

Perhaps the latter reflects the pace of the regeneration.

Moyross faces many challenges in today’s Ireland, but the most difficult one is perhaps the sullying of the areas reputation by the national media.

“It has a very unfair reputation and as a result people get a bad impression of the place yet anyone that comes here sees the friendliness and resilience of the residents.”

ALL SMILES FOR CLASS OF 2011

BY BRENDAN MEEHAN

The young minds of Moyross Pre-School took a collective step towards academia this morning as the class of 2011 donned their caps and gowns and enjoyed a well-earned farewell ceremony.

The kids were in great spirits and their proud parents were on hand to witness the graduation. Afterwards there were food and beverages shared amongst the gathering. 

Class of 2011 awaiting their certificates

Graduates from left to right: Evan Grimes, Amber Neim, Jake Ryan

Cap and gown procession

Proud mum and daughter with certificate

Gosia asks "can my little sister graduate too?"

Teacher Lisa with two graduates

Celebrating graduation, plenty of cake and biscuits.

WHO DYED THE DOG?

The first pink dog in Ireland has been spotted in Moyross.

Either it's an unusual pedigree or someone dyed their dog.

A definite tinge of pink

The friendly black & white (& pink) doggie was spotted scouting for attention outside the 'Changing Ireland' office in Sarsfield Gardens. So we took its photo.
The fact that the dog was photographed walking past a local hairdressers is not by any means to suggest involvement on their part.
The evidence doesn't point that way since the dog's colouring clearly lacked a professional touch.
While it may have been lingering in the hope of some top-quality hairdressing, unfortunately Shona Griffin's Guys & Dolls was booked up.

Pink-tinged doggie spotted hanging around outside Shona's.
Click on the photo to see for yourself!

Meanwhile, Moyross.ie is hoping the owner could kindly shed some light on the phenomena of why the dog has pink legs? 
Could it be to do with climate change? Or from stress the dog experienced while awaiting regeneration? 
Moyross.ie would also like to know the dog's name. 
- AM

BROWNE RETURNS TO ROOTS, BURTON ON THE WAY

BY BRENDAN MEEHAN

TV show host Vincent Browne was seen admiring the Community Garden yesterday and Minister Joan Burton will visit on July 10th.

The Minister for Social Protection is coming to officially open the garden which is fast becoming a beacon of hard work and solidarity as residents continue their work on the project.

The garden currently has eight seed-beds and it’s located at the rear of the community centre.

“It’s open to all. Don’t hesitate to come along any Monday or Wednesday from 2pm,” says Paddy Flannery, Community Enterprise Centre manager. “All are welcome.”

Working hard:Community workers readying garden for Grand Opening.

Regeneration and parish history book delayed

Have you seen this book?

BY BRENDAN MEEHAN

Which came first? The chicken or the egg? While that conundrum may have passed its sell by date long ago, we may soon be asking “Which will come first - the parish history book of Moyross or the houses regeneration planned?”
Almost 12 months after we told you of the forthcoming book chronicling the parish’s history, we are none the wiser. According to Tony O’Gorman, “talks about the launch of the book are off, pending the return of Fr. Frank O’Dea”.  

He’s due to return in a matter of weeks.

Local resident Tony Lynch referred to the book at last week’s Moyross Partners community meeting, “I asked about the book almost 14 months ago and I was told they were putting names to the photographs”.

The history book began life as a parish project, overseen by a local committee, while Northside Regeneration funded a researcher to prepare the bulk of the text.

Another one hits the deck

Meanwhile, house-building in Moyross has been postponed due to difficulties encountered by the first bidder for the contract. Demolitons continue without interruption.

MOYROSS PLAYGROUND IN CONTENTION FOR PRIZE

How about a makeover?

The Millenium playground could be in line for a makeover valued at €7,000 courtesy of Brennans Bread.

The Moyross playground has made it onto a nationwide shortlist of 10 potential recipients. It is the sole representative from Limerick, so here’s hoping the rest of this great city will get behind us. Help spread the word to our neighbours in other parts of the county!

MOYROSS FOR TIDY TOWNS

BY BRENDAN MEEHAN

Winning the coveted Tidy Towns competition bestows the victor with a new lease of life, a place on the map, and a stamp of cleanliness and excellence.

This is precisely what the people of Moyross will be striving to achieve in the coming months. For hard working, environmentally minded residents, it is their moment to shine.

“Tidy Towns is built on the back of volunteerism,” Paddy Flannery told a local community meeting yesterday.
So, it is over to you, the good people of Moyross, to get this estate spic and span, so that it sparkles from Delmege to Cosgrove Park. Get volunteering and let’s get Moyross in the news for the right reasons!

WHO SAID THERE AREN’T ANY JOBS IN LIMERICK?

Group 4 Security are currently looking for part-time casual cleaners to work 15-20 hours approx to cover holidays etc. If interested, or know of anyone over 18 and interested, please email a CV to their Manager: sean.ocarroll@ie.g4s.com  ASAP!

Eileen Sheehan's story on the RTE Player

If you missed seeing the RTE 1 show featuring Eileen Sheehan last Monday, you can watch it on the RTE Player here: http://www.rte.ie/player/#v=1098494
Apart from the programme being a tribute to Eileen's "courage" as author Alice Leahy put it, the programme showed Moyross in a positive light. 
As one local put it, "They had only one shot with a horse in it and every house you saw had its windows in."
Our congratulations to Eileen who told her story honestly. She also corrected Alice when she misspelt Moyross which was funny because Alice was supposed to be helping Eileen with her writing.
As Alice said, everyone is learning.

- A. Meagher

NO CHANGE IN FIRST COMMUNIONS IN MOYROSS FOR 2012

BRENDAN MEEHAN REPORTS

Rumours were circulating the communities of Limerick like wildfire, amid fears that the holy sacrament of Communion may be abandoned next year. However the devout parents and children of Moyross have nothing to worry about, according to Fr. Tony O’Riordan, who told ‘Moyross.ie’ that there will be “no change” in this parish.

The worries of parents were offloaded to others through Facebook and other social networking sites as mothers in particular vented about the prospect of their would-be first Communicant not getting their day in the sun. One mother posted: “my little girls heart is gonna be broken she was so looking 4ward to making her communion.”

Just be glad you live in Moyross and not other less fortunate areas where there are changes afoot.

15 First Communion Children in May Procession

BY BRENDAN MEEHAN

There was both reverence and celebration at the Marion Shrine this morning as parents and Corpus Christi’s Communion group paid tribute to the fallen children of Moyross.

This year 15 children from Moyross made their First Communion and they brought out the sunshine and numerous well-wishers as they paraded down past homes and businesses in Hartigan Villas and Sarsfield Gardens.

The First Communion children came with flowers as part of the May Procession.

The Shrine, which is located in Castlepark, was erected in 1997, when a band of locals took the initiative to fill the void left by demolished houses with a picturesque shrine.

However, today was the turn of the kids to take centre stage, as they sported their beautifully flamboyant outfits and sung harmonious hymns.

“It’s a beautiful ceremony and it’s now part of the school calender,” said Tracy McElligott, estate management worker. She helped revive the May Procession which had been abandoned for the last number of years.

There are two ceremonies each year, the other one taking place on the 8th December specifically to remember every young adult and child who has died.

“Its very hard for parents to come to that one, the 8th of December, for obvious reasons,” said Tracy.

“The residents done most of the work, and the shrine honours all of the children that have passed away in the area,” she said. “There is huge respect for the shrine, the community enterprise workers keep the grass cut and the residents safeguard it.”

Fourteen years after its inception, the shrine looks as pristine as ever, as last year participants from the local youth project repainted the statue of Holy Mary.

PHOTOS (COPYLEFT) BY: ALLEN MEAGHER, 'CHANGING IRELAND'.

TONIGHT: MOYROSS WOMAN ON RTE 1 AT 7.30PM

BY BRENDAN MEEHAN

Tune in to RTE tonight at 7.30pm to see a Moyross native grace your television screens, for all the right reasons.

The new TV series called “A story with me in it”, will feature our very own Eileen Sheehan, who has overcome adversity to learn to read and write.

She concealed her literacy problems for years, but now she has scaled new heights to be top of the class at Corpus Christi National School.

Eileen told the Limerick Chronicle last week: “One of the tutors said to me that they were looking for people to do a documentary, and she said, ‘You’d be perfect for it."

Eileen is now a frequent reader of books and is “engrossed” in her friend Alice Taylor’s “To school through the fields.”

So don’t forget to set your reminders for tonight, and watch Eileen's life-changing story unfold.

CAPTION: Eileen Sheehan (right) with author Alice Taylor

Moyross is Blooming Great Summer project 2011

Order your Window boxes €10, Hanging Baskets €10. Closing date is Friday 29^th April 2011.

The aim of this project is to encourage residents to display window boxes and hanging baskets. This adds colour to our Parks, lift the spirit of the community, promote and improve the image of Moyross in a positive way.

It will be a sea of colour with a variety of flowers to choose from. It is wonderful to see so many residents making window boxes and hanging baskets. Last year residents from Moyross, Caherdavin, Shelbourne Road, Thomondgate, Ballynanty, Parteen and killaloe took part in the project. This is the 6^th year and to date the committee have filled 970 window boxes and hanging baskets.

You can place your orders in the boxes provided, along with your name, Address and Contact Details at the reception of the Moyross Community Enterprise Centre and the Credit Union Office in Moyross. Only those with orders and contact details in the boxes will avail of this offer. Get your name and address in early to avoid disappointment. After the closing date you will be contacted with the time and date to collect your order.

A project like this does not just happen without a lot of tremendous hard work and commitment behind the sense. Tracy McElligott, development worker with the Moyross Residents Forum wish to thank all the members of the Flower Project Committee for all their hard work, time and commitment, Nuala O Connell, Anna Price, Deirdre Bond Ryan, Kathleen McCarthy, Deirdre O Driscoll, Eileen Ryan and Eileen Sheehan. It is wonderful working with you all.

This project can be repeated in any community around the city or county. All it needs is a few dedicated committed residents to take it on board. Paul Partnership under Community Development funded the project in 2006 which helped to purchase the materials making this a self sustainable project. Now the project generates its own revenue from the sales. This year we acquired funding from the RAPID (Revitalising Areas by Planning, Investment and Development) to expand the project further. For more information please contact Tracy McElligott Estate Management Development Worker, Moyross Residents Forum on 0879184823

Reduce Waste Costs. Information Morning 7th APril.

HAVE A LAUGH WITH FRANKIE TONIGHT! A play about a problem-solver

BY NADIA GLASHEEN

A play called ‘Dear Frankie’ is on in Corpus Christi Primary School tonight at 8pm.

The story is about a lady named Frankie Byrne, who was the queen of the airwaves for over 20 years solving everyone’s problems on her radio eireann programme.

She was good at solving problems, she spoke the truth and she gave people hope with her good and no-nonsense practical advice.

But she could not manage to solve her own problems and that led to sadness and loss.

Nonetheless, Frankie never lost her sense of humour and she finally conquered her demons to enjoy her last years of life.

‘Dear Frankie’ gets you thinking and it’ll have people from Cosgrove to Delmege talking about it for a long time.

New worker at Community Companions Moyross!

Saoirse Keogan is the new project co-ordinator of Community Companions Moyross. She took up her post some months ago after Mo Foley departed.

To find out more about Community Companions, click here!

Vacancy for Drugs Education and Prevention Workers.

Limerick City Community Development Project Ltd.
Wish to recruit the following positions:
Community Based Drugs Education and Prevention Worker (full-time)
Youth Focused Drugs Education and Prevention Worker (part time)

The full-time position will work with Northside We’re OK Youth Initiative based in Moyross and St. Munchin’s and the part-time position will be with Rosbrien Education Substance Information Network (RESIN) based in Our Lady of Lourdes. Both projects work creatively and co-operatively to prevent drug misuse among community groups and young people in their localities as part of the Limerick City Drugs Prevention Strategy.

The successful candidates for both posts should have:
• A minimum of 2 years experience in community or youth work.
• A relevant 3rd level qualification.
• Experience in the design and delivery of drug education training.
• A commitment to community development principles and practice.

For Application Forms and Job Descriptions email: cdnmoy@communitylink.ie ph: 061 421904 Return completed forms to:
Recruitment Panel, Limerick City CDP, Moyross Community Centre, Moyross, Limerick.
Closing Date for receipt of applications is 5pm Monday 21st March 2011

Interviews on the following week. A panel may be formed to fill future positions that may arise

Limerick City Community Development Project Ltd. is an equal opportunities Employer.

The positions are funded by the Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund
at the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs
in the Department of Health and Children.
This funding is administered by the City of Limerick VEC

RTE broadcasting Mass from Corpus Christi this Sunday 16th January.

Sunday Mass from Corpus Christi - on RTE.

10.00 am Mass from Corpus Christi Church, Moyross, Limerick. Celebrant: Father Tony O'Riordan, SJ The parish adult Choir, with director and organist, Molly Prendergast July 27th, 2010 the Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs, Pat Carey, officially launched www.moyross.ie, an accompanying blog. The website was set up by the Community Development Network, Moyross to provide information about Moyross and the work of the project.

For full text of the Mass click here.