Search Results for 'Grandparent'

Traditional grandparent names such as Mary, Maureen, John and Michael may soon be extinct according to survey of Irish parents.

An innovative initiative led by COPE Galway, invites children to send cards to their grandparents, highlighting the impact of grandparents and older persons on our lives.

Castlebar grandmother Catherine Wiley, who is the founder of the Catholic Grandparents Association, met Pope Francis at the Vatican last Sunday. Speaking after the meeting, Ms Wiley said, “I felt very blessed, honoured and emotional. I hope this will create awareness of the calling of grandparents and their vital role in society.”

The Catholic Grandparents’ Association is hosting a social gathering in the Castlecourt Hotel, Westport, on May 8. The event is open to the public and there is no admission fee.

Catherine Wiley, a grandmother from Mayo, has addressed the World Family Congress in Milan this May, asking: “Will our grandchildren be Catholics?”

Brigit’s Garden is offering a unique opportunity for grandparents and grandchildren to have fun together on Sunday from 1pm to 5.30pm.

Cadbury Roses and Friends of the Elderly announced the Mayo winner of the 2011 Grandparent of the Year competition. Maureen McAndrew from Belmullet was nominated by her 18-year-old grandchild Holly McAndrew. Her loving entry was highly complimentary of her grandmother: “My granny is a kind and loving person and a great parent and grandparent. She is a remarkable woman who was a young widow and had a hard life but always cared for her 10 children. My 16 cousins and I are very grateful to have her in our lives! She deserves to be grandparent of the year because she looks after us all with her prayers, home-made brown bread, chicken soup and a few euro on pension day! She might be 85 but she is always great fun to be around and I am very thankful to have her!”

The Kilkenny winner of the 2011 Grandparents of the Year competition was announced this week and Betty Walsh from Kilkenny was crowned the Kilkenny winner.

This Sunday (September 11) thousands of grandparents are expected to attend the annual National Grandparents Pilgrimage in Knock hosted by the Catholic Grandparents Association. The Archbishop of Tuam, Dr Michael Neary, will be the chief celebrant with Fr Benny McHale as the homilist. EWTN’s Kathy Sinnott will deliver a reflection. Liam Lawton and Ann Marie Gibbons are guest singers with music under the direction of Finola Higgins-Cosgrove.

Grandparents take note, the second ever National Grandparents’ Pilgrimage has been scheduled for Knock Shrine on Sunday September 14.