Dia is Mhuire díobh go léir a cáirde and welcome to my report.
The count down is on for all our young people who are due to be confirmed on tomorrow Wednesday, April 9th and our Bishop Ray Browne will be a very busy man to get through them all. 88 in our own church representing Millstreet, Cloghoula and Cullen starting at 11 am and at 3 pm almost 40 in Derrinagree taking in Dromagh. Confirmation was always regarded as a very big step compared to First Holy Communion. A time when they received the Holy Ghost to fill them with enlightenment for the future. A time to take a pledge a promise to God to stay away from certain things. It used to be intoxicating drink, but as I said last week now its drink, drugs and gambling. We wish them all the best of luck and God’s Blessing on their big day and hope that they and their families will enjoy their family gatherings afterwards.
A word from our Mass leaflet this week ‘May the Holy Spirit guide and protect the children of our Parish as they receive the Sacrament of Confirmation this Week. ‘
Contact the Parish Office if you would like to join the Annual Diocesan Pilgrimage to Knock on Saturday, August 23, 2025. May our Prayer be, ‘To Jesus Through Mary’.
A missionary Sister from India gave a talk during our 11,30 Mass on Sunday. Afterwards as the people left the church she handed out some literature about her work and some people gave her donations. The little children who are preparing the their First Holy Communion in May and their parents attended the Mass and some children accompanied by a parent went up and read the prayers of the faithful.
Still with prayers, please be reminded that during Lent, prayers before the Cross are recited in our Church on Mondays nights from 8 pm and the good news is that they are available on our Streaming Service.
The signs of Spring are all around, and it’s getting an early start this year. Already some of our early blossoms have done their annual round giving others the chance to grab the limelight. Camelias are fast turning the ground beneath them into a multi –coloured carpets as the Azalias of every hue show up for duty. The dandelions are making their presence felt on our lawns and roadsides and they can enjoy a new freedom now because we are told not to destroy them as they are such an important source of food for the birds. Buds are showing on the tips of many shrubs and plants and the blackthorns are a blaze of virgin white and it’s all flavoured by the singing of the birds from every limb.
At this time of year the countryside begins to look cleaner and brighter. In olden days it was great when the cows were left out on the grass both day and night. By now all the heaps of dung which had piled up outside the stalls, the hen house ,the piggery, etc. over the winter months would have been carted away and spread on the fields to nourish the crops for the year ahead. It’s so different now. Back then all was done with the maximum of manual labour. Having nothing more than the dung fork and the horse and butt every morsel had to be piked into the horse butt and drawn out to the field. If it were the place where you planned to set potatoes then the manure had to be dropped at regular places along the opened drills where again with dungfork in hand it should be divided along to cover the hollow between the drills and make a bed for the scoilan after which the horse and plough closed in the earth and the rest was left to God. Actually the manure from the farmyard was highly regarded in the days before bag stuff came on the market and when it did, not many farmers could afford it. It was used wisely to feed the land to make sure that when winter came round again that there would be food for all. So with the residue of all the living things taken out and put on the land the farmyard took on a new appearance. The hard ground dried up and became a playground where children mixed with baby chicks and baby pigs and learned the safe and not so safe things around them. Learning from experience what and who to avoid such as the turkey cock or the gander, who’d put the fear of God in any youngster or the hen whose anger knew no bounds if you interfered with her clutch. The old adage of ‘never stand in front of a bull or behind a horse’ was sometimes learned the hard way. Still on days like we are having at the moment, they never fail to cast my memory back to those mid-spring days when the sun shone down on our humble farmyard with all the heaps of manure gone and gave us wide open places to play our innocent games.
Tidy Towns.
Our Tidy Towns Association wants to thank all those who helped with the cleaning up of the local roads last week and further to that they are asking for you help with their big clean-up day on Saturday next April 12. Meeting at the GAA Hall at 10 am. Gloves and hi-vis vests, bags and pickers will be provided. Children welcome but must be accompanied by an adult. Refreshments will be served at the GAA Hall from 11.30 to 12.00. Please give them your best support.
Look up our website every day for details of all that is happening in the area. Our Vibrant Community Council have many plans for the months ahead not least among them a Mid-Summer Busking Fest in June. Work on renovating the cinema, to make state-of the-art adult Gym is progressing very favourably. Please give them all your support in all they do.
And there is no end to the many possibilities with regard to our FET Centre (Adult learning Centre) in the Main Street under the caring hands of Marie Twomey. We await details of further info of future developments. In short its a place of sanctuary it’s mission is to support the network of groups and Streams of Sanctuary and to contribute towards building a Sanctuary movement. To put it in their own words , ‘,we work to build a culture of welcome, hospitality and inclusiveness right across every sphere and sector so that wherever people seeking sanctuary go they will feel safe, find people who welcome and understand why they are here and have opportunities to be included in all activities. God Bless the work.
Did you hear that we are to have libraries or should I say book outlets around the town. The members of our men’s shed are making special boxes or containers which will be placed in locations around the town containing books for you to take away and read and bring back, or if you have a book which you have read and no longer need then it can be put into one of these boxes for others to enjoy. More details will follow.
Here are the results of this week’s lotto draw which was held on Sunday night. Numbers drawn were 1,3,5,24 and the Jackpot was not won. €100 went to Charlie Cooper Liscahane, The seller was Clara Inn and they got €50 sellers prize. €50 went to David & Lisa Dunne Australia, c/o Eily Buckley. €20 each went to Denny Lane, Drishane Rd, Anthony Leader, Kilcummin, c/o Tom Carroll, Robbie & Con c/o the Bush Bar. Sheila O’Mahony, Kilmeedy, c/o Kevin Hickey, Jack Conlon & Teresa O’S c/o The Clara Inn, Christy & Nora Murphy, Pound Hill c/o Colemans, Joan O’Connor c/o Joan Casey. Next draw April 13, Jackpot €10.000.
Enjoy the lovely weather but please do so with caution. And add to your day,
Oh Angel of God My guardian dear to whom God’s Love commits me here, Ever this day be at my side to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.
Sinn a bfuil a cáirde ,slán is beannacht Dé libh go léir.
