Dia is Mhuire díobh go léir a cáirde and welcome to my Report.
I’m not at the end of the rainbow, but very near. As I look out from my usual spot the multi coloured arch across the sky is enough to brighten anybody’s day, even if it is the sign of another shower. We must never lose an opportunity of even the least thing to bring us joy.
We are well into the month of November the first week already gone. This is the month of the Holy Souls and the Masses and ceremonies which were laid on for us by our priests at the weekend, were very meaningful and important as we take some time out to reflect on those who are no longer with us. Our absent friends. The Church choir attended the ceremony on Saturday night when Canon John accompanied by Retired priest Fr. John O’Shea, prayed for all those who died during the year, Including Cullen, forty eight in all. The names are displayed on a notice board at the lovely Garden of Remembrance at the back of the church. On Sunday Morning the cemetery at Cullen was blessed following 9.15 Mass and in Millstreet after 11.30 Mass. In spite of threatening weather large crowds attended all three graveyards, The Church Yard, St. Mary’s and Drishane by Canon John aided by Fr. Paddy O’Byrne. But we are reminded that the month of November is devoted to the Holy Souls and a good time to visit their last resting places and pray there for them. Not forgetting those who are left behind. The note on Sunday’s Mistelette reads.
‘The month of November can be a difficult one for those who have lost loved ones and while we remember the deceased it is important also those who are grieving. As we journey through this month let us extend kindness and friendship and compassion to all our bereaved. Please check our church services every day because changes are made when there is a funeral or other event.
Eucharistic Adoration will start at 10.30 as usual this morning but not this Tuesday evening because of the funeral of the late John Joe Buckley.
Our town is looking well following the brand new facelift that it got at the west End last week. The final titivating is still to come ,with the placing of yellow and white lines etc. Scaffolding on two places the Main Street and the Square is another sign of progress and it is important that we all play our part in keeping both town and country places free of litter. Please take it home. We have a wonderful amenity centre in our town which is open on Mondays and Thursdays and up to 1 on Saturdays.
The displays for Halloween this year surpassed anything we had in former years. People dug down deep to brighten the seen and young and old were up for the scary wonder of it all. And then it was all over, shot in the back as it were by blaring tv adds for Christmas. It just makes me mad. Cheerfully selected Halloween paraphernalia still up all over the place as well as in homes, still capable of bringing fun and amusement ,and a feeling of money well spent by parents ,and wham Christmas. Suddenly ,the novelty of it all is swept away, gone is the wonder of one thing by the arrival of the next. I do not like this kind of brainwashing, this kind of pressure. Children are returning to school today after the mid-term break . I wonder will they be glorying in what they got for Halloween or craving for what Santa will bring. Oh dear, I suppose I should not let such things bother me at my age.
Maybe I should stick to matters more connected to my own world. When a couple or few of my counterparts meet up, the subject invariably turns to our medication the tablets. Some declaring, sure only for ‘doul’ tablets we wouldn’t be there at all. Up to lately it was a foregone conclusion to take the prescription along to the chemist and get your months supply. For one thing thanks to the pandemic, we no longer need the piece of paper because the doctor can now e-mail your requirements to the chemist on line. Wonderful. The trouble is the pharmacy may not have all you need. It must create untold confusion in the trade. Because they are now down to the trouble of coming back another day with what they didn’t have for you the last day. The tablets you get this month for the same ailment may be a different colour, an alarming thing for any OAP. I had experience of that with my ageing mother in law. Any blip about her tablets was panic fodder. I’m almost as bad as that now myself.
Still on the subject. The waste of stuff is truly alarming if you stop and think about it. You go to the doctor with some ache or pain and he/she prescribes something for it and you go along the pharmacy to get it. It may come in a tube or a jar, large or small and you use it. Often the ailment is gone in a short time but you are left with this supply of healing balm and have no further use for it. Repeat that time and time again and the stack of half- full tubes gets bigger and bigger. Some say on the box, ‘discard after one month.’ That leaves me spare. Like the sell by date in the grocer shop. Take eye drops, you don’t get through half the tube in a month because the eye takes so little. Another addition to the heap. Used tubes and jars abound, you hate to throw them out even though you have little notion of using them, so what do you do. We are advised to bring unused pills back to our pharmacy for them to dispose of them and that works very well. But really that is not the point that I’m trying to make. It’s the waste of precious stuff that kills me. But how to avoid it, is the problem.
It’s a far cry from our day when the bottle on iodine was the cure for everything such as cuts and anything on the outside of the body. In an emergency such a cut from a fall or from a knife anything, the first thing was to reach for the bottle of iodine and shout to someone to run out in the yard for a feather to apply it. There was a wide range to choose from. From the tiny yellow hammer to the mighty turkey cock, all freely available thrown around the mucky yard and brought in to where the screaming ‘patient’ was being consoled. There was no thought of hygiene only take a deep plunge into the dark brown liquid and apply it straight on to the open wound. It’s sting making the second pain more severe than the first. That bottle lived on to the last drop and was doused with a dirty feather from the yard every time the need arose. There was also the tin of ‘pink ointment’ No name just the pink ointment another long liver which like the iodine lived on the very last iota used. Be it in months or years and not once did anybody get an infection T.G. There was the box of aspros for a headache and the packet of salts to keep our innards free. More things that spent long periods in the press between headaches and the other, until the last was used. So you can see where I’m coming from ,with my moaning about to-days system of medical matters.
Some items from our fabulous Active Retired Club. There is at Tea Dance at Crookstown Hall on tomorrow Wednesday November 8th. Clubs around the County like to support one another by attending like these. But I don’t have any details about this one.
On Friday next November 10, there will be a talk on Safe Guarding Day given at the Day Centre from 2-3 pm just before the popular Yoga session at three.
Again at the Centre on Monday November 13 There will be a talk on Alternative Medicine from 7- 8.30.
Set dancing in Aubane on Monday nights. Dancing at Ballydaly Hall on Wednesday nights. All welcome.
45 Drives continue in Ballydaly, Sunday, Millstreet Tuesday and Cullen Wednesday. Every week, all with 8.30 start.
Bridge in Tooreencahil Wednesday at midday and Thursday in Millstreet.
Bowls at the Wallis Arms Hotel on Tuesday nights and Wednesday mornings. Ring the Hotel for details.
Active retired Christmas Party at the same venue December 10th.
The 50th anniversary of our Community school will be celebrated at the school on Friday December 1st. Special guests Marty Morrissey and Niamh Kavannagh and lots more. Tickets €25.
Look up the website for details of all the activities at our local Library every week.
Here is the result of this week’s lotto Draw which was held on Sunday night. Numbers drawn were 1,11,28,31 and the Jackpot was not won.€100 went to Martin & Nicola c/o Bridge Bar, The Bridge Bar got €50 sellers prize, €50 went to Pat McCarthy, Lackabawn. €20 each to The Brid O’Leary c/o Bush Bar. Joan Moynihan, Killarney Rd. Patsy O’Sullivan c/o Rita O’Reilly. John P Mac, c/o Lehane , Patrick & Colin c/o Dan & Clara Inn, Robbie O’Reilly c/o Rita O’Reilly .Sheila O’Mahony, Kilmeedy ,c/o Kevin Hickey. Margaret Twohig c/o Colemans . Next Draw November 12th Jackpot € 13,600.
I regret to say that somebody sent me a notice for mention by phone and I cannot find it. Please contact me again.
Please keep up the prayers for Peace in the World And for all those who are sick at home or in hospital.
For the best of local entertainment tune in to Sean Radley on Cork Music Station tonight and every Tuesday night at 9.30.
Sinn a bfuil a Cáirde slán is beannacht Dé libh go léir.
