Dia is Mhuire díobh go léir a chairde, and welcome to my weekly report.
We’re still reeling from the heat of the hottest day. The experts said that Sunday would be a roaster and it was. Some people handled it well by planning it well, not an easy thing to do when we’ve been starved of fine weather for most of the year. The mention of a hot sunny day sends us searching for the togs and towels and all the others gear which would make a day on the beach a dream day come true. But alas it wasn’t to be for many who did just that and headed off only to find that along the way there were a few traffic delays, which soon turned the car into an oven like experience, multiply that by a few over excited little children and your own back yard and a paddling pool soon became a very desirable option. I know of some who did a U-turn and salvaged some very happy hours sipping a cool drink while the little ones wallowed in the plastic pool or busy garden stream. Outdoor food providers did very well and gave us the feeling that we were in some foreign clime. Looking at the new changes that people have made because of Covid19 is non-stop and only goes to show how much we have learned and how adaptable we are to change. Any bit of ground out the back be it your handy dump or holding place for things that maybe you’d use someday have been given a new lease of life. All cleaned out surrounding walls repaired painted, decorated and well distanced dining furniture complete with huge umbrellas put in instead. Other places have made full use of spaces out the front where we can have our refreshments in a public place and greet the passers-by giving us the opportunity to meet acquaintances who who have been hidden away by the Corona Virus and only starting to emerge from it’s clutches. If we were all to tell our own story of how we beat the bug it would make very interesting reading indeed. How gratifying it is to see two Irish people being highly awarded in England for their great work in developing the Vaccine. Be careful when handling things with sanitised hands. A couple I know sat outside their local watering hole all set to enjoy their first pint when alas her slippery hand failed to hold the glass and it slid to the ground splashing everybody around.
I have to offer my deepest sympathy to the Crowley Family, Drishanebeg on the death of their dear Mother Kathleen. When you’re my age people stand out in your memory for different reasons. There wasn’t much between us in age and we didn’t live next door but our input in parish affairs always brought us close, we shared a lot of the same interests. I just read in something now that the 50’s and 60’s brought more changes than any other time in history. When we got married in those times we had to live through them and hold our own with them. Women rarely participated in Parish affairs then, but a changing world forced us out to put our own stamp on what was emerging. We were ill-prepared for it so we had to get ourselves educated. The Irish Countrywomen’s Associated, (ICA) was the first organisation which dealt with women’s lives and I can still recall Kathleen introducing speakers or demonstrators and the like at meetings when more of us just wanted to fade into obscurity . The ICA covered all subjects to do with the home. Marriage, birth, childrearing, widowhood entitlements. fashion, housekeeping, cooking, home crafts, public speaking, the list went on. In time women joined Macra na Feirme, Tidy Towns, fundraising and all the time we were learning, sometimes in a nice way but not always. It was great to feel that you belonged, you were part of something, something useful, enjoyable and important. So when a lifelong friend and associate like Kathleen goes to her Eternal Reward, you feel thankful for all the years of easy, relaxed friendship you shared. May God grant Kathleen and her late husband Tadg their due place in Heaven.
I also want to thank those who are sending messages of condolence since the death of my dear Sister Mary, Sister Rupert. Talking of memories, needless to say since her passing memories keep on flooding back. Compared with life today, we lived in wild times. Wild in that we were free to go and come around at home and nobody ever came looking for us. If someone was a little bit longer than unusual away and someone asked where was he or when is he coming, the same reply was given every time, he’ll come back when he’s hungry and always did. The simplest of things get stuck in your memory and never go away. I clearly recall a Sunday afternoon when Mary, Jack and myself went fishing. The stream never failed to throw up enough of rainbow beauties to keep us going for most of the week. But that would be on a day when we’d be all out together. This time just the three of us sallied forth to the best place. Mary was not as much into lying on her belly on the wet bank as myself and Jack to scoop out with our hands so she held the tin gallon to carry our ‘catch of the Day.’. Sometimes we’d catch an eel. That required special skill because they were very slippery and were known to give a nasty bite. But it didn’t deter us from trying. Next thing the shout went up, I have an eel and I ran to help Jack to get him out on the bank and into the waiting tin gallon. He would be about eighteen inches long and about the thickness of the handle of the brush. Sure enough we got him out held him tight and forced him into the container put on the lid and turned to fish some more. Until the shout went up from Mary, the fellow in the tin threw a jump fired the lid off the gallon and made his way through the grass and back into the water never to be seen again. I know I still miss that eel today.
The one who really did get away.
I’ve been asked to talk about the graveyard at the West End . It’s not for the first time that it’s been mentioned and I included a passage about it in a letter which I was asked to write to the Co. Council many months ago about how to make Millstreet more aged friendly. I mentioned that it would be a very desirable development in our town if this beautiful historic place would be made more aged friendly. Apart from the one concrete path down the middle there is very little access to it in detail. The paths between the headstones are impassable, preventing visitors from going near their loved one’s graves or checking data and so on. A well-placed seat here and there wouldn’t go amiss. So I’m hoping that the voice of our people will be adhered to in the very near future and that everybody will be free to walk there in comfort.
It’s very difficult to keep account of what is opened and what is not. I’ve given up on it long ago, I only hope that I haven’t broken too many rules. There are so many different headings, wet pubs ,pubs doing food, time limitations, age limits and in spite of all the efforts of the Health Board, there are some people who maintain that they have been missed in the race to get vaccinated, not easy to get it all right.
I’m glad to say that our Thrift Shop in Minor row is open for business and lots of bargains to be had. The Thrift shop is run in aid of Our Sheltered Housing /The Canon O Donovan Centre. Their new opening hours are for five days a week Monday to Friday, from 9.30 am to 3.30 pm. They are glad to get good quality used clothing ,(not in bags), or any other saleable goods. They can be handed in at the Shop in Minor Row on open hours or at the Canon O Donovan Centre. Clara Rd. They are also looking for volunteers to man the Shop. Further good news is that the Sheltered Housing Day Centre, could be reopened early in July. Needless to say their Meals on Wheels Service has continued all these months and with their extra work load they are asking for more volunteer drivers for the various activities. If you can help them in any way with this great work , please ring Marie O’Sullivan, 087 932 1617 or 029 70926.
The great push to get silage harvesting up to speed has been ongoing since the weather improved, I have full view of the field at the back now that the winter feed has been taken. Birds of many breeds and colour can be seen picking whatever they like to pick and once in a while the proud pheasant raises his voice to get my attention. The scrawny Heron goes gently by, wasting no energy at all as he rides to wind from a tree top. With the grass removed I feel closer to the banks of the nearby Finnow as it glides along between it’s tree-lined banks. Once in a while a pair of mallards will rise for no reason that I know of but they always seem to be in a great hurry to get there. The tranquil scene is a far cry from the times we get days of heavy rain which turns it all into a raging torrent. Thankfully from my safe perch above I watch as the power of water ignores to the bend in the river and sweep full belt over grassland and hedges to meet the Blackwater near Drishane. All very dramatic and nice to watch from a distance. Meanwhile those who ordered turf this year are waiting for the weather to improve. So far it has not been kind but they are hopeful that the present bout of sunshine will help them to have a warm winter. Orders for this year ran over 80 which was up on previous years and the hoppers were slightly bigger than before .We wish them fair weather.
I met the great Jim O’Sullivan in Town on Saturday it was a chance meeting and we were glad of the opportunity to catch up on the latest account of developments on the Bearra /Breffni Way while we enjoyed some lovely refreshments el fresco at the Wallis Arms Hotel. He is totally intent on this project and never spares his own efforts in making better and better for tourists, especially those on foot. New sign posts will be erected along the Way and in Towns and Villages. The development of the Bridge across the Blackwater at Dooneen is Jim’s pride and joy. It took him many years to secure funding for it and never forgets the help of Aine Collins at the time. It is a very vital short cut for those in for the long trek.
The government has appointed a team of consultants to survey the walk in detail and no money will be spared to make it our own Camino Way.
Here are the results of this weeks Lotto Draw which was held on Sunday night. Numbers drawn were 1,16,19,32,and the Jackpot was not won.
€100 went to Grace Dennehy, Minor Row, she was also the seller and got €50 sellers prize. €50 went to Martina, Nora & Mary C. c/o Colemans, €20 each to Caroline Cronin, c/o The Bridge Bar, Rosie Linehan, Buttevant, Chris Egan, C/O Irish Rail. Sheila /Claire O’Riordan, Kiskeam, NJB & Slice c/o Michelle Whelan. Tommy and Nigel, c/o Tom Carroll. Tara in Stockholm, c/o MargaretBourke, Noreen Murphy, Ballydaly, C/o Lehane. Jackpot for next week €13,000. We have to compliment the Lotto Committee on their great work in running the Lotto so successfully on reduced staff. Please give them your best help by paying for a given time in advance. Your great support is appreciated.
Please continue to follow the rules, keep on praying that we will be saying goodbye to covid19 in the not too distant future.
Slán agus Beannacht libh go léir.
