Page 37 - Guerin Media Ltd | Active Retirement Ireland Members Annual 2016
P. 37
BALLYDUFF ACTIVE RETIREMENT FOCUS ON LOCAL ARAs
The group enjoys the generous support of the
parish, through an annual church-gate collection,
and receives funding from the H.S.E. From the very
beginning of the group, members decided to pay a
small weekly subscription rate as well as a single
annual membership fee, which has enabled us to fund
a wider range of activities. Weekly meetings are held
on a Monday afternoon, and start with exercise and
a discussion to plan future activities. There is then
a short break for chat and a cup of tea, when all the
members catch up on the news about what everyone
has done over the past week.
The health and welfare of our members is important
to the group. Then it is back up to the meeting room
where visiting speaker will give a demonstration or
talk about a topic of general interest, or there will be
an activity led by members themselves. These could
be about music or art, or someone’s photographs,
and we even manage to fit in the occasional game of
Bingo!
Recent events, from this summer onwards, and
concluding at Christmas have included a visit to
Kenmare, after which we viewed the incredible West-
Kerry scenery of Tousist and Lauragh, returning for
some much needed refreshment to the famous Jackie
Healey-Rae Bar in Kilgarvin, and the Motor Museum.
More recently. We keep in contact with several other
local Active Retirement Groups, and with Bridget
McCarthy, our Local Development Officer, who gave
a talk to the group a few weeks ago. This led to a
pleasant surprise as it turned out that Bridget played
music with a group of Active Retired, so we invited
them to play to our group. Their visit is illustrated in
the pictures below.
With Christmas approaching fast we have not slowed
down. We have another trip arranged, this time to
Limerick, for Christmas Shopping, which will also
include a guided tour of St. Mary’s Cathedral, and
another in the museum next door. Back at base, the
following week, we will be practicing Christmas
Carols, and performing them, a week later, at a local
nursing home. We conclude the year with the third
of our annual celebration meals, for Christmas, which
takes place just ten days before the big day, which we
always finish with a good singing session. That’s life
for the active retired in Ballyduff!
Thanks to Bob Scott for putting this article together!
Visit www.bobscottnorthkerry.com
to read Bob’s daily Blog.
www.activeirl.ie Active Retirement Ireland 37
The group enjoys the generous support of the
parish, through an annual church-gate collection,
and receives funding from the H.S.E. From the very
beginning of the group, members decided to pay a
small weekly subscription rate as well as a single
annual membership fee, which has enabled us to fund
a wider range of activities. Weekly meetings are held
on a Monday afternoon, and start with exercise and
a discussion to plan future activities. There is then
a short break for chat and a cup of tea, when all the
members catch up on the news about what everyone
has done over the past week.
The health and welfare of our members is important
to the group. Then it is back up to the meeting room
where visiting speaker will give a demonstration or
talk about a topic of general interest, or there will be
an activity led by members themselves. These could
be about music or art, or someone’s photographs,
and we even manage to fit in the occasional game of
Bingo!
Recent events, from this summer onwards, and
concluding at Christmas have included a visit to
Kenmare, after which we viewed the incredible West-
Kerry scenery of Tousist and Lauragh, returning for
some much needed refreshment to the famous Jackie
Healey-Rae Bar in Kilgarvin, and the Motor Museum.
More recently. We keep in contact with several other
local Active Retirement Groups, and with Bridget
McCarthy, our Local Development Officer, who gave
a talk to the group a few weeks ago. This led to a
pleasant surprise as it turned out that Bridget played
music with a group of Active Retired, so we invited
them to play to our group. Their visit is illustrated in
the pictures below.
With Christmas approaching fast we have not slowed
down. We have another trip arranged, this time to
Limerick, for Christmas Shopping, which will also
include a guided tour of St. Mary’s Cathedral, and
another in the museum next door. Back at base, the
following week, we will be practicing Christmas
Carols, and performing them, a week later, at a local
nursing home. We conclude the year with the third
of our annual celebration meals, for Christmas, which
takes place just ten days before the big day, which we
always finish with a good singing session. That’s life
for the active retired in Ballyduff!
Thanks to Bob Scott for putting this article together!
Visit www.bobscottnorthkerry.com
to read Bob’s daily Blog.
www.activeirl.ie Active Retirement Ireland 37
