Local Notes: Reduced Garda numbers, local lotto, World Happiness report, set dancing and more
Ruby Hallinan and Kate Mannix, Dungarvan FC
Well done to local girls Kate Mannix and Ruby Hallinan who were part of the U14 Dungarvan United team who beat Herbertstown FC, in the SFAI National quarter final at Kilrush Park. The final score was Dungarvan FC 3, Herbertstown FC 1. Both girls played exceptionally well with Kate scoring two of the three goals and Ruby scoring the other. Best of luck to the girls and team in the upcoming semi-finals.
The Scór na bPaístí County final was held on Sunday, March 23, starting at 2pm in the Community Centre, Cappoquin. Also it won’t be long now until our Liverpool friends, The Bolger Cunningham School of Irish Dance, will be coming over to us for their first visit since before Covid-19. The visit is scheduled from Friday, April 11 to Monday, April 14, and we will be having an Irish night in the Park Hotel on the Sunday night which will have live music, céilí dancing and performances from both the Sliabh gCua dancers and the Bolger Cunningham dancers. A great night is in store.
A very important community meeting will be held in the Lismore Heritage Centre on April 24. The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss the reduced Garda presence in West Waterford and also how Community Alert groups can actively be involved with neighbouring groups and with the Gardaí, to assist with making West Waterford a safer and crime free place to live. We are asking as many people as possible to attend to help forge a positive way forward for all who live in West Waterford.
The global launch of the World Happiness Report 2025 was be launched this Thursday, March 20, with a series of events, live-streamed from around the world to celebrate the International Day of Happiness. This year's edition will once again feature a ranking of countries by their average levels of life satisfaction. The existence of international days predates the establishment of the United Nations but the UN has embraced them as a powerful advocacy tool. In 2023, Ireland was ranked 14th in the report, in 2024 Ireland had dropped to 17th place out of 153 countries and it will be interesting to see where Ireland will be ranked this year. The last report showed young people in Ireland being the happiest and the upper middle age group being the unhappiest. The top 10 countries for 2024 were Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Israel, Netherlands, Norway, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Australia. The United Kingdom ranked 20th and the United States Of America ranked 23rd. From 2024, the World Happiness Report is a publication of the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford, UK. If you would like more information go to https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/happiest-countries-in-the-world
The first night of the Gaelic for Mothers and Others training sessions commenced last week and there was a fantastic turn out with lots of fun for the first session. If you or someone you know would be interested in participating, come along to the hall in Ballymacarbry on Thursday nights from 9pm - 10pm. All are welcome.
The location of Waterford’s Allianz national hurling league game against Offaly next weekend has been moved from Dungarvan’s Fraher Field to Walsh Park, Waterford, with a new throw-in time of 4pm. Wishing Waterford all the best against Offaly.
Due to the bank holiday weekend, the lotto draw took place last Monday night instead of Sunday night. Results in next week’s paper.
Last week’s riddle was: I shave several times a day but I still have a beard, what am I?
Answer: A barber.
This weeks riddle is: How many letters are in the alphabet?
Answer in this column next week.
