Dia is Mhuire díobh go léir a chairde and welcome to my report.
Oh what a lovely way to start the week, to answer the door just after 11 am on a Monday to be met by a friend bearing gifts. A surprise gift of the fruits of our community tunnel at the back of our Adult Learning Centre in town. Knowing I’m on my own, Jerry brought a little sample of each, carrots, tomatoes, courgettes and the funniest looking spuds I’ve ever seen. Dark purple in colour and I’ve yet to taste them, but I’ll let you know. In my young days my Dad often spoke of Champions (Spuds). They were a mixed colour of white and purple. He always grieved their passing saying that nothing like them ever came on the market again. Who knows these may be a throw-back. But then the old people of my young days were always longing for things that had passed into history, just like what I’m doing now I suppose. The said tunnel under the leadership of Marie Twomey was a great place of learning for lots of people since the Spring, where they were tutored in the art of planting seeds so that in time they may grow their own .
Grow your own was a phrase that was hardly every used in my young days. It just didn’t apply because everybody grew their own anyway. From once the Springtime of the year arrived the central task was to choose the ground to grow the family food. Most rural dwellers had land and around the turn of the Century (1900) brave people like The Bard (Riobard O Suilleabhain) succeeded in getting cottages built for homeless people. Big farmers had to give an acre of their land where the authorities built a house, leaving ample ground to grow food, keep a few hens and perhaps a pig and very often a goat which gave those whose lived there a more dignified way of life. A goat was a highly prized animal back then, they eat every kind of herb and many sickly baby/child that was reared on it’s rich milk. Farmers often kept a goat among their cows, they eat many plants and herbs which were harmful to the herd. Apart from that there were still people who lived in workmen’s houses and worked wherever they could get work. If they worked for a farmer they would ask him for a few drills on to his own garden where he would cultivate the needs for himself and his dependents. If he was lucky the landowner would let it go but in other cases the labourer should work extra hours or maybe his wife give a hand at the saving of the hay or binding corn or a day in the bog in lieu. Rarely there was nothing for nothing. But very often it was done with an air of a good feeling and when people came together to get the work done, it gave them all a sense of great achievement.
Back to school in earnest this week, the uniforms are fitted, the bags purchased and filled with all the books and pencils and God knows what else things beyond my feeble thinking. If you live long enough you see a lot and with the opening of the schools this time I will have Great Grand Children all the way from playschool to beyond Inter cert. God bless them all and God Bless all the little children and young people who are going back this week, they are our future and it’s in our own interest to support them in every way we can.
All sorts of out-of-school extras are on offer ,from sport to pony riding, to learning to play trad music. Keep an eye on our Web for the full list.
And fundraising for good causes goes on and on, Vintage Car run in aid of Alzheimer Society this Sunday Sept 4th starting from the Bridge Bar at 12.30 run and now our local GAA Club are teaming up with their counterparts in Cullen to carry out a monster collection of scrap metal to boost their coffers. This could be your chance to get rid of the many eyesores in your garden or garden shed. Before you start give them a ring to find out what they need and what they do not need. Old cookers, fridges, microwave ovens, dishwashers are taboo. Contact any member of either club for all details. Above all give this important fundraiser your best interest and support.
Collection days, Friday and Saturday September 2nd and 3rd.
They say you never know what you have until it’s gone, well that’s very true of me this week when sadly, sadly I saw a dead hedge hog on the road outside my gate. It was the first proof I ever had that they lived around here, and I often longed to have one in my garden. My hope now is that it was not alone and hopefully the other half will move in.
I’d like to say a special hello to the two lovely people from Cullen that I met at Mass on Saturday night, who are home from the States for a holiday and who read my report every week , which is very encouraging for me.
On a leisurely drive along a mountainy road last week, admiring the sheep and the rocks and the whole scene my mind was jogged into reality at the sight of a ‘swarm’ of little birds rising off of the big fluffy thistles on the ditch. The first thing that struck me was the wonderful source of food which never occurred to me and when they all went in unison at the sound of my car they landed the very same way on another bunch of fluffy thistles further on. Nature is beautiful.
Keep your eye on the twilight sky, there are sightings of owls flying around these evenings. Anywhere from Priests Cross to Lackadota.
The organisers of our Active Retired group organised a very enjoyable outing for the members to the Everyman Theatre last week for a John B Keane production and this week they have a bus going to Springfort Hall on Sunday September 4th. Husbands, partners friends welcome to travel on the Bus which leaves the at 1 pm for details ring Mary at 087 053 7172.
Further to that our ARA annual Mass and tea will be held at the changed time of 10am on Monday, September 5th. All are welcome.
Don’t forget to tune in to Sean Radley on Cork Music Station tonight from 9.30.
Weekly 45Drive continues at the Canon O’Donovan Centre every Tuesday night from 8.30 sharp.
Eucharistic Adoration in our Church every Tuesday after 10a m Mass, Confessions in Millstreet Church every Saturday from 12,30 to 1.
Here are the results of this weeks lotto draw which was held on Sunday night. Numbers drawn were 2,10,21,31 and the Jackpot was not won. €100 went to Jerry O’Sullivan, Keale, the seller was the Clara Inn and they got €50 sellers prize, €50 went to Speedy Walker c/o Michelle Whelan. €20 each went to Margaret Twohig, Flintfield. Aishling Brown c/o J O’Mahony, Sadbh Kelleher c/o Eily, Ajmal Iman Chokavcc/o N Tarrant. Patsy Corcoran, Pound Hill, Ann Marie Kelleher,Murphys Tce, Ann Casey Ruskeen, c/o Colemans, Mairead Daly c/o Paula Healy. Next draw Sept. 4th Jackpot E6,800.
.The new Mass times have arrived and will be brought into action from the first of September. The saddest part being that there will be no Mass in Ballydaly on Next Sunday. To see the beautiful chapel on the hill with its doors closed on the Lord’s Day is to say the least a shock to us all. Our beloved priests cannot be blamed because they are already overworked in trying to keep some form of service open for the people in as many parishes as they can.
In this week’s Mass leaflet we are invited to sing at Mass, perhaps bring a musical instrument. It’s a very open message and only time will tell how it will develop. Children and young people love to sing and play and in my own little world I would hope to see those who do singing in schools ,come and sing at Mass , Brought along by their parents from an early age to sow the seeds of their future as Catholics. Apart from religion, Mass was always a great place for people to meet. Children wore their best clothes ,and met their friends while the parents chatted with the neighbours after Mass. Maybe our prayerfulness left a lot to be desired back then ,but almost unknown to ourselves we were building up a habit , a custom which would in time lead us to take our religion more seriously when we needed something more from God ,and prayed earnestly for it. In other churches/religions, everybody sings , they sing hymns which everybody knows ,and even have books for all to sing from , and people came out from their Service with a song in their hearts. In the past we frowned at those people ,but now in our own hour of need I think we would be well advised to take a leaf out of their book. The bottom line for me and more like me is that our Masses will grow into a celebration of song and music and prayer for all . Please support this new idea. We have nothing (no more) to lose. Amen.
Slán agus beannacht, see you in September.
