Dia is Mhuire díobh go léir a chairde, and welcome to my weekly report.
The last day of yet another month of 2021 and what a lovely way it has chosen to end with beautiful warm/hot sunny days and pleasant balmy evenings giving everybody the chance to get out and do whatever they like to do. Our weekend was full of things to do with lots of outdoor pursuits to choose from. The International Horse Trials at the Green Glens, outdoor music in Carriganima and at Star Trax Studios in Knocknagree. At Family level there were some special birthdays to celebrate from the tiny age of two right up to the 80’s and even 90’s. Our heartiest congratulations go out to them one and all. In spite of the fact that attendance at the Horse Show was limited for obvious reasons, there was a brisk upsurge in the demand for accommodation and our food outlets were rushed off their feet. Many thanks to Sean Radley for giving us the spectacular pictures of the Show. Others took to the hills and the notice boards in the town were being scrutinised for information on what Millstreet has achieved in the past and what it has to offer from now on. As an upgrade on the Beara Way, some new signposting was put up in the Clara Road and in the to pointing out the Bridge Crossing over the Blackwater at Dooneen. Our 11.30 Mass on Sunday was very special. There was a marked increase in the number of those in attendance and the ushers were kept busy escorting people to where seating was available. Their work had to be admired for their professionalism. Numbers checked at the door and as spaces became fewer, each one or family were led to places as far up as the alter and when it was over the group of volunteers began their task of cleaning of all the seats etc as they have done since our church was opened to us many months ago. We are so grateful to them and to Canon John, Fr Paddy, Fr Billy, organist Deirdre and all of who make our church services so special. Alas a few people still remain at the end of seats thus depriving others who come after of a place to sit.
Speaking of such matters, we are all in very good hands right now because no less than 45 of our people are heading for Medjugorje this very week, in the careful hands of Tom Dennehy. Their weeklong stay is meticulously planned to ensure them a safe, pleasant and fruitful pilgrimage. Needless to say we will ask them to pray for us all at this most Holy of Holy places. Fr. Paddy O’Byrne spiritual director.
I’ve more good news, the 45Drive card game will resume at the Canon O’Donovan Centre on Tuesday night of next week September 7th. Starting at 8.30. Every care will be taken to ensure the safety of all those who wish to attend. It’s a long awaited hobby and as long as we all stick to the rules, there is no reason that it will not continue well into the future weeks and months. Many thanks to Sheila Corkery for this welcome notice.
The Annual Mass organised by our Active Retired Group will be held in the Church on Monday night, September 6th starting at 7.30 and still with the ARA, their All-Ireland Branch will hold their annual Summer Raffle with prizes of €5,000,for first €2,000 for second and €1,000 for third.
Closing date September 19th. The Draw Sept 23rd. Tickets €3. To get yours log on to www.activeirl.ie/raffle.
Millstreet is now an age friendly Town, if interested in being part of proposed committee to further same. Ring Maria at COD Centre 087 932 1617.
There is a notice, a call ,from Maria at the Canon O’Donovan Centre to say that Millstreet is now an age friendly town, and we are invited to come along and add our own tuppence worth to the cause. Much has been done, by way of covered seating in the town and street signs marking out the wheelchair spaces as well as age-friendly parking outside our pharmacies. But if we look closer I know we’ll find a lot more which needs to be done. On a visit to St. Mary’s Cemetery last evening I was stirred by the beauty of the place the flowers on well tended graves and the smell of newly mown grass was a joy to behold, but the one and only source of water still remains to be the one tap just inside the wall of the main road. I’m luckily enough to be able to bring a watering can full in my car ,from my own reserve of rainwater, which is ample for the needs on my beloved Dan’s grave but I met a kindly man who wasn’t able to walk very well and he was approaching the named tap with two large cans which when filled, he had to lug all the way up and in across until he reached his destination. All of a sudden the beauty of it all grew rather faded in my mind and he was only one. Should another source of water further up come high on our list of priorities for making Millstreet a better age friendly town. Drishane graveyard is pretty good but the Church side one in the West End still remains an eyesore. You don’t have to be old to appreciate a graveyard. Headstones are the greatest source of information that you will get anywhere. The folks at home like to visit on a regular basis, but then there are those who come back several generations later to find the place where it all began for their blood line. We found the last resting place of a great uncle some years ago when we were in Brittany on a Twinning trip. He died in 1928, and his grave was as clean as my kitchen floor his headstone impeccable, I daren’t think what the resting place of his kin here in Ireland who passed away around the same era would be like. A couple of seats here and there in the grave yard wouldn’t go amiss, nothing fancy. Some months ago the top of the ditches on the righthand side of the Macroom road out of town were cleared of weeds and grass and planted some wild flower seeds all along and now we can enjoy an array of red poppies, cornflowers and lots more and these will increase as time goes on. We will all have surplus plants and seeds now as the summer gardens start their decline. Don’t let them go to waste, toss them out where they will live to make our world an even lovelier place in time to come.
This year I have been plagued by ants, pissamires. It got so bad that I was unable to sit out on my patio or invite a friend for tea on a nice day. Then one of my girls gave me a bottle of powdery stuff called Zero-in ant killer. It has a pointed top for applying, But my ancient limbs were not able for the task. So I mixed it with a good dollop of dry sand put on a rubber glove and spread it all over the area. But no further than the limits of my patio. Next morning there wasn’t a stir in the place, which was stirring some hours before. Now I can sit out to my heart’s content and not a bug in sight. Early on a sunny morning it’s the ideal place for me to say my daily Rosary. I hate having to spray or kill anything, but there comes a time when common sense must prevail.
And so, there goes the month of August,2021.Can we think of anything that will make it stand out in history. The heatwave earlier on perhaps. We will leave the world at large to deal with the things that we can do nothing about, except pray and settle to the things nearer home. The weather wasn’t always what we had liked, but these past few beautiful days gave us the feeling that the whole four weeks were like that. Funny how we forget so quickly. It would be lovely if we could pick a certain day a couple of weeks ago and recall what that day was like, or what we were doing. At times we can’t recall what we were doing in the very recent past or even think what it was that we went down the yard for but we can still manage a full and useful life regardless of our dim moments. Personally I don’t like how we can’t get out certain words or phrases and I’m sure it is because we no longer engage in full and regular conversations. Gone are the times when we drew on our entire vocabulary every day using words and phrases and sentences which kept our brains oiled and ready to burst out into a flow of words without ever having to hesitate. I’m glad that many hobbies and pastimes are coming back because apart from their face value there is also the added extra of making conversations keeping our minds bright and alert. Maybe it’s an age thing.
Here are the results of this week’s Lotto Draw which was held on Sunday night. Numbers drawn were 6,7,12,16,and the Jackpot was not won. €100 went to Siobhan Lawlor c/o Alps. The Seller was Noreen Tarrant and she got €50 sellers prize, €50 went to Trevor O’Connor, c/o Mary O’Connor. €20 each went to Ann Burke, Murphys Tce, Leo Leader,Glenleigh, Kilcorney, Joan O’Connor c/o Joan Casey, Seamus Keller, c/o The Bridge Bar, Paul O’Connor, c/o Colemans. Noel O Sullivan Newmarket. John Top Creedon c/o The Camogie Club and Pat Barrett, Carrigacooleen . Jackpot for next week €15,200 the Draw on September 5th.
Our Sincere sympathy goes to all those who lost loved ones recently and we need to pray for all those who are in hospital or sick at home.
finally, what can we say about our own Joanne O’Riordan who never fails to amaze us and what a thrill it is for us to watch her telling us all the news from the Special Olympics in Tokyo. So confident, so enlightening, so Joanne, filling us all with pride. God Bless you Joanne.
Get ready for September, it starts tomorrow. Slán agus Beannacht libh go léir.
