Dia is Mhuire dióbh go léir a cairde and welcome to my Report.
Welcome to the month of September. When our climate was fairly predictable, September was the month when we reaped the fruits of our labour. By the end of this month the hay would be long stored into the haybarns and the last of the grain crops, the wheat and the oats and the barley would have reached the stage of full maturity. September was a busy month, but then as the farmer lived hand in hand with the weather, every month was a busy month. Cold weather in winter, when Mother Nature sent frost and snow to turn everything off and let the land rest in preparation for the planting and growing seasons ahead. There was no forward predicting of the weather like there is now and I can often remember seeing my Dad with a worried look in his face as he tried to find the best was forward and saying in a low toned voice, ‘May God direct me’ and He did because we survived. By September the turf which was won from the bog in Caherdowney, five miles away, was drawn home by animal power. The horse and crib, by the grown men or the old reliable humble donkey by my growing brothers. The potatoes which were dug and stored in shallow pits in the field were temporarily covered with a light covering of earth and straw. Very often children got days off from school for this important work and even with breaking backs we still looked on it as being better than going to school. With the corn threshed and the all important grain, stored in the loft it was time to go back to the potato field and sort the spuds. Needless to say on the day that they were dug, we emptied our buckets into the pit big ones and small ones all together. Hence the task of separating the big from the small later on. One of the coldest places on earth is when you go on your knees around the pit in an open plain with where was no escaping the icy breeze. There you knelt hour after hour sorting the big from the small. The call for the dinner giving a welcome respite before returning again. The small potatoes or the waste as they were called were dumped in a shed where they were fed to the pigs and the geese and the fowl. How we loved watching the ducks as the swallowed the small ones whole and we could see them moving down along inside their long necks until the ‘lump’ went into the crop and waited for the next one. The right-sized spuds were carefully loaded on to the horse and butt and transported into the yard and carefully stored, either indoors or in an outdoor pit but well protected from the winter frosts and the marauding rats. The supply had to see the family and the animals fed, well into the next year. Like the wheat and the oats, hay, straw (for bedding the animals)and the turnips and the mangolds . Every month was important but September was special because it was a culmination of all that was done in the previous months. In many places Harvest Thanksgivings or Harvest dances were held when as they used to say, the cares of the year was over.
Our September Fair went ahead in the town on Sunday. The weather was fine and there was a good crown in town. Lots of stalls selling a wide variety of goods and of course the popular. Honour who always draws the crowd with her vast range of gold and silver goods and antiques. The traffic was mingled with many coloured vintage cars on their way to their meeting place at the Green Glens. Horses were out of sight at what used to be our Fair Field but now a welcome car park.
Keep your eyes peeled this week. Thursday (5th) to be precise when the Minister for Finance Mr. Jack Chambers will be coming to town. If you spot him let others know so that they may meet him also.
Our eyes are glued to the TV again this week as we watch the wonderful Paralympics Olympics in Paris. The opening ceremony was awesome and gave us hours of wonderful entertainment and to see our own wonderful Joanne O’Riordan on the panel. She never fails to fill us with pride when we think of how we have followed her life since the very beginning, when she and her family faced a future of doubt and little hope. Little did we think or imagine that she would go on to become a world leader in her field and what an inspiration she must have been to the others at the Special Olympics. It is great to see the contestants with their wide range of disabilities putting themselves out there as examples of what can be achieved against all the odds. Buiochas le Dia.
Our Church choir was back in the on Sunday September 1st. Hymn sheets were placed on the seats around the Church and people are welcome to join in and sing with the choir. There is a notice on this week’s Mass leaflet inviting school children of 3rd to 6th classes to take part in the church choir, with practice every Wednesday evening in the church from 7.15 to 8.pm. Parents are also invited.
Also from the Mass leaflet which says that from September 1st to 4th is called the ‘Season of Creation’ and literature in connection with it can be found at the end of the Church.
Eucharistic Adoration every Tuesday from 10.30am to 7.30pm
Legion of Mary meeting every Thursday night at 7.30 at the Parish Centre.
Confessions every Saturday in Millstreet Church for 12.30 to 1.
Millstreet branch of FET (Adult Learning ) is open this Thursday September 5th from 10am to 1pm. The list of courses on offer will be available as well as various supports. For details ring Marie 0867707301.
Mother and Baby group meeting at the Parish Centre every Thursday from 11 to 12. Babies under 12 months.
Set Dancing will resume at the Aubane Social Centre on Monday September 23rd.
Many Congratulations to the Cullen Pipe Band on their great success at the recent Grade 4A world pipe Band contest which was held in Glasgow. They brought home the Vancouver Ladies trophy, coming 6th out of a field of 29 bands in their group.
Our best wishes go to those who are sick at home or in hospital. Also those who are on holidays at home or abroad.
Here are the results of this week’s lotto draw which was held on Sunday, Numbers were drawn by Noel Buckley and they are as follows 8,11, 12,14 and the Jackpot was not won. €100 went to Pat & Mike c/o Mike Healy, Keale. Mike was the seller and got €50 sellers prize €50 went to Mary Desmond, c/o Mary O’Connor. €20 each to Martin McSweeney, c/o Colemans. Eileen & Jim O’Sullivan, c/o Camogie Club. Susan Spillane c/o Colemans. Christy & Nora, Pound Hill c/o Colemans, Michael Twohig, c/o Colemans, Lisa O’Callaghan c/o Tom Carroll, Peg. O’Keeffe, c/o Mary O’Connor , Mairead O’Sullivan, c/o O’Regan’s Mills. Next draw September 8th. Jackpot €4,200.
Jars of luscious new-seasons blackberry jam keep coming on stream and to find some in my garden and eat them off the briar while the little birds feed off my high-rise feeder, never fails to brighten my day. T.G. Have a good week.
Slan abhaile agus beannacht libh go leir.
