St. Johns Parish Heritage Group.

Occasional Publication No. 4

St. Johns Community Centre

Annual Report

2011

Produced and designed by Liam Byrne January 2012.

Introduction. The year 2011 was a busy and exciting one for St. Johns Community Centre. Long established activities continued while new ones brought many new faces to the Centre for the first time. Availability. The main hall and meeting rooms are available by contacting Kevin on 085 1741855 between 7 pm and 9 pm any evening. 55+ Club The 55+ club started during the year. Eamonn Beegan was elected Chairman. Meetings are held regularly in the Centre and a very enjoyable Christmas get-together was held. Meetings are advertised in the church newsletter and local notes in the newspaper. Montessori Preschool The Montessori Preschool is open from September right through the school year. Contact Mary on 087 7987565. Coffee Morning and Book Exchange A coffee morning is held in the Community Centre on the first Monday of each month from 10.30 to 12.30 and has proved extremely popular. A book-exchange is also in operation during the coffee-morning and a wide range of titles are available to suit every taste. Activity / Contacts: Brownies Scouts Cubs Judo Scr Indoor Hurling Jenny Darcy Paddy Quinn Marie Lough Tony Ryan Padraig Corcoran Sylvia Kilcline Sinad Connaughton Joe Connaughton

The Centre held a successful auction in February and hosted the parish final and the south county final of Scr na ng. The Community Centre Committee thanks everyone who helped in any way to make the year a successful one for the Centre. If you have any ideas or plans please contact any member of the committee. New members always welcome. Painting the Community Centre.

In September a small but industrious group responded to the call to paint the Community Centre. After about five hours hard work on the outside and the same on the inside the painting was finished and the Centre once again looked spick and span. Well done and thank you to everyone who came out to help. Photos show some of the volunteers. (More photos on page 8).

Fashion Show A very successful Fashion Show was held in the Centre on Sunday 30th October with more than 400 people attended the event. Five shops from Roscommon and five from Athlone provided the mens, ladies, childrens and wedding clothes worn by the models and the award winning hats which provided an added splash of glamour to the occasion. All the models were local and great credit to them for putting on a splendid show. A very successful raffle was held with high quality prizes. Thanks to the ticket sellers, the buyers and the shops who provided the excellent prizes. The organizing committee would like to thank the shops for taking part, the models, those who decorated the hall, those who provided the refreshments, Magic for the lighting and sound, the ticket sellers and anyone who helped in any way to make the event such a success.

Launch of Rindoon Journal Vol. 3. St. Johns Parish Heritage Group launched Volume 3 of The Rindoon Journal in the Centre on 27th November. Almost a hundred people turned out on the night, despite several competing attractions. The book was launched by Fr. Ray Milton PP Knockcroghery, Rahara, St. Johns. Half the print run was sold by Christmas. The income from this publication will go towards the refurbishment of the upstairs rooms in the Centre by St. Johns Parish Heritage Group. Earlier in the year the upstairs meeting room in the Centre was refurbished, painted and fitted out by the Group as a library and archive. A large selection of books and magazines on history, archaeology, genealogy and folklore are now available. In addition the library holds a collection of CDs and DVDs of local heritage interest. St. Johns Parish Heritage group can be contacted at;

stjphg@gmail.com

Christmas Fair On 3rd December the first Christmas Fair to be held in St. Johns Community Centre was a outstanding success. An estimated several thousand people attended during the course of the day to visit more than 45 tables. Vendors supplied a wide range of Christmas fair and no one left without finding something special for their Christmas stocking. People came from far and near to sample the fare. The committee would like to thank all the vendors who participated. Thanks also to those who decorated and prepared the hall, those who provided refreshments during the day and everyone who contributed in any way to making the day so special. A special thanks to Eugene Murphy of Shannonside Radio for his promotion of the event. The overwhelming response at the end of the day was well be back and the organizers hope that the Market might become a regular event on the local calendar.

Christmas Choral Festival A Festival of Christmas Liturgy, Hymns and Carols was held on 18th December in the Centre. Fr. Ray Milton officially opened the event, with na Feeley as MC. The choir was under the direction of Mary Mullally Keane and the musicians under Jenny Darcy. The choir consisted of singers and musicians from Knockcroghery, Rahara and St. Johns and the event was an outstanding success. Audience participation was encouraged and the night was made complete with the arrival of the man in red. Special thanks to the singers and musicians who practiced faithfully over the weeks leading up to the event, to the sound-man Magic, the narrators, the children who brought up the gifts and those who helped with arrangements in the hall. Thanks to those who came out on the night to support the event. Moneys raised have been distributed to Midland Simon, the Saint Vincent de Paul and the Community Centre fund.

Parish Party The annual parish party for 2011 was held on 8th January 2012. Over eighty people attended. Mass was celebrated by Fr. Ray Milton PP. The reader was Christopher Keane and a local choir, led by Jenny Darcy accompanied the service. A three course meal was provided with turkey and ham as the main course. Wine was available for those who enjoyed a tipple. Tea was served afterwards. Entertainment on the day was provided by Frank Kelly, with Sarah and Christopher Hurley showing off their dancing skills. Following the party an impromptu sing-song began which continued until late. A great time was had by all. Well done to the caterers, the waiters, those who conducted the draws, the helpers, the musicians and singers and everyone who helped out on the day. Thanks also to those who contributed prizes and to those who supported the venture financially. Heres looking forward to more of the same in 2012.

Painting the Community Centre 2011.

All photographs in this booklet by Mai & Liam Byrne. Used with permission.

NOTES

 St. Johns Parish Heritage Group 2012.