IrelandNet.ie

Personalities Reveal Their New Year Resolutions

Thursday, 5 January 2012

Cllr Sinead Dooley. TT0119

IT IS that time of year again when we sit down and think about all we want to change in 2012 - there is that diet that we meant to start in 2011 but just didn't get around to it. Then we must take more exercise so we invest in new tracksuits and runners. This is the year when the cigarettes will be binned for good and keeping healthy will be the goal.
The start of each new year brings opportunities to turn over a new leaf and make a fresh start. For many locals it will be a busy year with new hopes and dreams for 2012.
For Fr Sean Heaney it will be a busy year as he and his team try to encourage more people back to the church and empower those who already attend to become more involved in the parish.
'The highlight of 2011 was the fast we did,' he says. 'It created a bond between priest and people and showed them that we do understand how they feel and that we are no more approving of the hurts that were caused by all the scandals than they are. It had a great effect on the morale of the people and the way they perceive the church. I hope we can continue that in 2012 and I hope to work hard to get more parishioners involved in events such as prayer and fasts.'
On a personal level Fr Heaney says he worked hard to keep his weight down in 2011 but will have to be careful and watch his weight in 2012.
For the Chairperson of Tullamore Town Council, Councillor Sinead Dooley it will be a time to reflect on 2011 and look forward to the year ahead.
'My new year resolutions are always good but seldom kept,' she says. 'I have all the usual ones to get a little bit fitter and lose some weight. But first and foremost it will be about keeping my family safe and healthy.'
'At the end of 2011 I lost my job which I had for 12 years, so 2012 will bring new challenges and changes to my life, but I will wait to see what the coming year will bring,' she adds.
With regard to her council work Councillor Dooley says 2012 will be an exciting year with the commencement of the Arts Centre, the completion of Tullamore library and the re-development of Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre. Then there will be the grand canal project with the construction of three bridges across the canal, 'it will be a busy and fulfilling year,' she concludes.
The birth of his new baby daughter was the highlight in 2011 for the Rev William Hayes. Isobel who was born last March is now 9 months old. Looking forward to next year Rev Hayes said he would like to see the Presbyterian community in Tullamore reaching out more to the wider community.
'We have 32 regulars in our church each Sunday and one of the things I would like to see is that rather than individual believers coming to worship that we would become involved in the community and look out for each other more. 2011 has been a hard year for many people. I would like us to become more useful,' he says.
2011 saw the launch of the fundraising campaign for the new Community Arts Centre. At the helm is chairman of the fundraising committee Paddy Fenning. Paddy says he hopes to take it a bit easier in 2012 and looks forward to 2013 when the Arts Centre will open.
'The Community Arts Centre was all consuming in 2011 and we are ninety per cent of the way there. The Tullamore people have been magnificent in their response and in their support in this most recessionary of times. With regards to 2012 I hope to take a step back when this campaign is over. And in 2013 I look forward to a Community Arts Centre for the people of Tullamore.'
Singer and choirmaster Brendan Keeley says he is looking forward to the Gospel Choir getting the national recognition they deserve.
'We are well on the road to that with a new album for 2012.' he says. Apart from his work with the Gospel Choir a single by Brendan called Sleep With Angels reached number one in the Amazon download charts in Germany and in 2011 Brendan travelled back and forth to Germany eight times in all.
Another great interest for Brendan this year will be watching the progress of his actor son Sam. Sam will be appearing in the RTE series Raw and people will also be able to catch him acting alongside Sean Penn and Francis McDormand in the film 'This Must Be The Place.'
2012 is the year of the Eucharistic Congress and for Fr Shane Crombie that will be all consuming. 'I will be dedicating a good bit of my time to that and preparing for it. We will also be continuing our Year of Faith which will go on until August with different themes. It will be hectic year, we have an event planned for February which will include all the sports clubs in the town and it will happen over a weekend that month. But my New Year resolution is to keep reaching out as best we can and let the community know we are there for them to give support.'

Subscribe to read full newspaper »

Send this page to a friend »