Eily’s Report – 5th October

Dia is Mhuire díobh go léir a chairde, and welcome to my weekly report.

How great it is to see so many places and events opening up again. There is a definite air of confidence and relaxation about. It’s still the done thing to wear the mask in certain places and as long as we keep on wearing them the situation will allow us to take more liberties. Sadly our churches are the one place where we feel that restrictions could be eased more. I know that more people allowed in would mean a big increase in the amount of after care for the people who have to wipe every seat etc. when the crowds are gone but I’m sure more volunteers would come on board. It’s sad to see the First Holy Communions and Confirmations going ahead without full family back.  After the ceremony the chatter and comradery among many generations of family always made them days to remember. Precious pictures were taken,  and as the years rolled on were dearly cherished as part of the family tree. These gatherings are very important but in years to come I wonder will there be a gap in the pictorial history of the early 2020’s. But with the hunger that is in people to get back to normal, we hope it won’t be even noticeable.

Can I tell you  the tale of a cat. We all know that they have nine lives and there are times when all nine are put to the test. Some friends of mine a woman and her daughter from England took the scenic route, the tunnel road  beyond Kenmare recently and in one of the more less populated parts they spotted a little animal on the road. Not sure of what it was they stopped for a closer look. It was a beautiful little kitten. They failed to come close because of the busy traffic but were sure he went into a bunch of nettles. Sadly they had to abandon their efforts to rescue him and went their way. However on returning along the same road some hours later  the tiny feline again entered their thoughts and the mother said “I wonder is that cat still there?”  and he was. This time they braved the thorns and nettles and got hold of the little creature. Strange to say he was very tame and friendly. They took him  home and  soon realised that he was a real pet and fully house trained, always used to the litter tray and is now destined to be pampered and loved for the rest of his life. They soon found out that it’s no cheap thing to keep a pet when they took him to the vet to meet all the rules we have today with pets but once  that was all  done, the cost was forgotten.

A happy ending to a tale of a cat but begs the question, how did such a small  little animal come to be living in the wilds of the Kerry Way, with no house nearby?  did some cruel person throw him out of a car? Perish the thought.

I got a present of a lemon tree earlier this year. It’s about four feet high at the moment and growing in a yellow flower pot which is about twelve inches across and perhaps fifteen inches high. It thrived very well throughout the summer with lots of lovely new shoots adding to it’s height.  It is sporting at least six large lemons still green but starting to fade a little. It’s a lovely plant and even though it has come to grief a few times in the strong winds, it remains undamaged. I’d love to know where I’ll go with it from here. The change in weather has no effect on it and the fruit even though heavy never falls off.  Should I put it in a bigger pot or plant it in the ground?  I love it so much that I’m afraid to do anything to it in case I’ll lose ,or damage it in any way.   But I’m sure that some expert will enlighten me as time goes on. Other features in the garden are naturally well past the best but some of the old stalwarts never let us down the whole year round. The Cordolynes and the Phormiums with their graceful ribbonlike foliage are able to stand up to anything that the weather throws at them while all around them go to sleep.

To my grief I don’t have a pet, but a beautiful fox comes calling most days /evenings, and I look forward  to his visit and by leaving a few tit bits nearby I can admire him up  quiet close without him seeing me, which is a great novelty because in the past foxes  lived only in the wild and were hunted and trapped and killed by every means because they were dreaded by everyone who had sheep with lambs  and fowl both wild and domesticated. Hunting foxes was a popular sport and dogs were trained in the art of bringing them down. It was fashionable to wear a fox fur coat. And only the well-off could afford one. Ladies wore a fox fur draped over their  shoulders, going to Mass,sometimes two furs entwined,  tail and feet and heads complete with gnawing teeth and flashing eyes still intact. The jaws were made into a clasp by a hidden feature at the back  which enabled to wearer to get as it were one fox to hold the other with it’s teeth to keep it in place and we’d be sitting behind them in the seat and the near natural scene in front never failed to distract us from what was going on on the alter. How we’d love to feel the shiny eyes to see if they were real or stroke to beautiful rich looking fur.  A fox has beautiful tail or brush as it’s  called  and there was always great demand for one to be hung up in fine houses to be admired all and I’m sure there was many a tall yarn told about how the animal who wore it was brought do.  But due to progress and change, the fox no longer roams the land wild and free.  I know they still pose a danger to young lambs in the Spring but fowl are now kept in secure enclosures and birds in the wild are not as plentiful as of old. The result is that the beautiful wild fox is often seen in our cities and towns ,searching for food and many come to grief on our busy roads. But that’s progress. We never thought the day would come when the wily fox would become the lesser evil among our predators and  then came the sneaky mink who stops at nothing on land or sea. The ban on fur should be lifted for them alone and  the bounty paid for every one caught increased.

 Still with animals Due to the disastrous fire at the Glenisk Factory in Offaly recently, there is a shortage of Goats Milk in the shops. Goats milk can be  a vital part in some people’s lives, especially a babies diet.  Wonder can anybody help? We are never without enterprising people, well done to the Sliabh Luachra man who saw a niche in the market and planted a field of pumpkins, a novelty in the neighbourhood people paid to go to see them and gladly paid to take some home.  He is sold out, well in advance of Halloween. A lady in the West of Ireland seeing the low price of wool started a thriving business by buying some weaving it into knitting yarn, dyed it using natural plants and herbs and she can’t keep up with the order.  (Are you listening Tony) Where there is a will there is a Way.

Trivial as it may seem the visit that I get from having this wild animal  in my garden bring me lots of  joy and now that we are fast approaching the end of two years of worry and strain because of the pandemic we need to grasp at any joyful thing which comes our way.   Our brilliant Active Retired Group continue to arrange and plan things for us where we can go and meet our friends and catch up on all we’ve missed in the past. The Thursday morning Coffee at 11  at  the Wallis Arms Hotel is a good place to start.   I went for the first time to the Yoga session at the Canon O’Donovan Centre on Friday and must admit almost against my will but I was pleasantly surprised at how I enjoyed the hour long class which is open to both men and women. The very name Yoga, may sound a bit daunting but it’s far from it just gentle exercises while sitting on your chair in a very relaxed atmosphere, very beneficial as far as proper breathing etc is concerned. Others like to go swimming once a week,  I’m not a water baby  but those who are can ring Mary Sheahan chairperson at 087 053 7172 for details. Others like to meet up after ten am Mass and go for a round or two of the Park.  Ring Marie Twomey at 087 686 3887 for details of all that she has going on at the Adult Learning Centre in the Main Street. The Library and Museum at Carnegie Hall are open most days. Let nobody be without a friend, someone to chat to, everybody is conscious nowadays of  the importance of reaching out to others.

 The 45Drive on Tuesday nights at the Canon O’Donovan Centre is going from strength to strength. Admission €7, starts at 8.30 sharp. Meanwhile the Men’s Shed is up and running and other card games can be found at the Bridge Bar.

Centenary Celebrations of the Clonbanin Ambush will be held at Derrinagree Church Car Park starting 1.30 on next Saturday October 9^th.

There’s a monster Truck run on Sunday. Details on the website. Aubane social Club Truck Run on Sunday October 10^th Register at 11.45 for a 12.30 start.

Here are the results of this weeks lotto draw which was held on Sunday night. Numbers drawn were, 4,6,18,19 and the Jackpot was not won.

€100 went to Tim O’Leary,c/o The Bridge Bar, the seller was  the Bridge Bar  and he got €50 sellers Prize. €50 went to Liam Cronin Cullen. €20 each to Nora McCarthy c/o Capabu Store, Veronica O’Callaghan, c/o O’Learys, Paddy Murphy c/o Rita O’Reilly, Patrick Dinneen, Inchileagh. Trina Carroll, Drishane View, Triona Murray c/o M Healy, Con O’Connor c/o Lehane and Robert,  Noreen Murphy c/o Mary O Connor. Jackpot for next week €16,200 the draw Oct. 10^th.

  Every Good wish and God’s blessing on our Young people who will receive their Confirmation on next Friday and Saturday.

We must pray for all those who are sick, either at home or in Hospital. And those who are weighed down with worry and care. Different people believe in different Gods throughout the world, and there are very few who do not believe that there is something up there, so let us all turn to our own God and ask for the help which the world needs today.

Sin a bhfuil, a chairde.  Have a good week. Slán agus Beannacht libh go léir.