Dia is Mhuire díobh go léir a chairde, and welcome to my report.
And welcome to the month of September, but with it comes a sting of cold that we didn’t expect,which sent us reaching for our warm fleeces, boots and socks. But every cloud has a silver lining ,they say that a heatwave is on it’s way. So we live in hope. During this cool spell, it isn’t easy to refrain from checking the wardrobe and go through all the lovely clothes that we never wore this year. The catchy little two-piece that you bought at the right price for that wedding that was coming up in June, or the few changes for that four-day outing in July. The strappy sandals that went with everything, still in the box. It all goes to prove that we only dress to impress other people. We went through the past four or five months, with only a few changes of clothes and the plainest ones we had, the reason being that nobody would be seeing them only ourselves. Well now at least we’ll have to change a little anyway, if we are to get out the warmer things of many colours. Another legacy that we have inherited from Covid19 is that we can no longer lick our fingers, pick a seed from between our teeth or so, because the vile taste of the much used sanitizer prevents us from relishing such simple pleasures. Even the last bite of food into the mouth doesn’t go down without it’s trade mark. Let the assurance that we are doing our bit to keep safe, be our consolation.
September 18 is National Culture Day. It’s that day set aside every year when everybody, or community , or team etc. are invited to put their best foot forward in an effort to portray their own place to the best advantage. Not to be outdone our own Marie Twomey is up there among the best of them with her Community Singers. She never fails to encourage the not-so-young to take an important place in the life of her Community. So she has entered the popular CD which she made with the group some years ago. They asked for more, so at midday last Saturday she gathered her flock and dressed in smart black/white outfits they performed a rousing version of Glory Glory at Tubrid well in brilliant sunshine while being expertly filmed by the trusty Sean Radley. So roll on Culture Day on September 18th, and wish them the best of luck.
For obvious reasons our September Fair was a non event at the weekend. A far cry from the exciting day/weekend that it used to be many moons ago, when it was coupled with the week long Carnival , where many a love-story began.
Sean Radley excelled himself again with his outstanding program last Tuesday night on Cork Music Station. Nobody but Sean could get more content into his given time. His account of the recent bereavements was deep and touching. Having sent beautiful messages to friends of Millstreet from all over the world. His description of the wonderful prayer room in Cloghoula made us feel that we could see it in our minds eye. Giving me a ‘must see’ feeling. I must admit that I haven’t been there yet, even though I knew the people who lived there years and years ago. Michael and Babe Horgan and it was Babe’s Brother,(Fr. Lynch) who was the priest who lived and said Mass there every day away back then. I didn’t get to hear Sean’s request program after 11.30 Mass on Sunday, but heard highly praised by those who did. Sean will do it all for us again this week and don’t miss it. The Museum is open every Monday –Wednesday from 9.30 to 2.30 and Thursday from 9.30 to 2 pm or by appointment. Email Sean at <email>
Life is beginning to look up a little. Children are going back to school and though it will be a far cry from the norm little children adapt very fast and in time they won’t see it any other way. Young people’s games are on the way back also and while everybody wants to win I’m hoping that the all important win won’t prevent the little ones from having fun. I think it’s dreadful to see the losers crying their eyes out when they should be bursting with joy after a game of for fun with their friends. Maybe I’m a drip, but a fun loving one.
Sliabh Luachra Cycling Club are inviting youngsters as young as 8 years of age to join them on Saturday mornings at the Village in Knocknagree at 8.45 .No need to have any fancy bike so just turn up and see if it is for your young ones. When winter comes some folk may like to learn some dances. To get it on line from the experts the well known Dublin couple Jerry O’Reilly and Rosie have put their lessons online. They travel to Whitby in England every year to teach a variety of steps there but because they cannot go this year, they have put it online for all to learn and enjoy. So go to YouTube and write Whitby at Home /Jerry O’Reilly and Rosie. You will find how easy it is to pick up the steps in the quite of your own home.
Our Lotto draw went ahead again at the Wallis Arms Hotel on Sunday night. The hard working crew keeping social distancing a priority as usual. With a supply of sanitiser and spare masks always at hand. Numbers drawn were 9,16,17, 29 and the Jackpot was not won. And the top prize of €100 was won by our own popular Canon Jack FitzGerald. The seller was Sharon Lane and she got €50 sellers prize. €50 went to Breda Dineen c/oMargaret. €20 each went to Denis and Dan Kelleher, Rylane. Sheila Nagle c/o Joan Casey ,Marie and Cathal c/o Coleman’s, The Higgins Family, C/o Pat Murphy. Mary Barrett, Carrigacooleen. Patricia Carroll c/o Tom. 3 Jokers c/o Michelle , Margaret Corkery ,Liscahane.
Jackpot for next week €9,000 the draw again at the Wallis Arms Hotel on Sunday night. The Wallis Arms continues to do very well in spite of the present situation . Please support your own local businesses in every way. Local Business provide local employment so everybody is a winner. There are some new jobs available in the locality. Duggan Steel, The Square, Clover Hill Food Ingredients Ltd , both have positions to offer and there is accommodation to let. Look up our popular Website for details of these and many more accounts of what Millstreet has to offeIf you have an item which you would like included in our website, send it in to <email> Our Website offers a free service. Our Sheltered Housing Complex continues to supply Meals on Wheels every week from Monday the Friday and an extra dinner on Friday which can be reheated on Saturday. Contact them at 02970926.
The local heavy rains and high winds, put our tender garden plants to the test. Though the Laurels and Hollies etc. are great to stand up the elements. But God bless the poor geraniums and petunias they make the effort to bounce back at the first return of the sun and fine weather. So I wouldn’t give up on them yet. My newly reseeded lawn looked very poorly of late and a friends warned me that if I didn’t feed it like all hungry things it could die. So a friend gave it a dressing of Miracle Grow before the weekend,and it’s looking better already.
I’m fierce cross this week , I’m not often like this but it happens. In my Monday copy of the Mirror a paper I get without fail every day there was a long article by Shane Ross, still glorying about the way he succeeded in pushing through the drink driving ban. Boasting about how he beat the publicans,fellow politicians Healy Rae etc, and got his way. He claimed that the publicans nearly ruined his life over it. Does the stupid man ever think about all the lives that he ruined by his bulldog attitude. He drew the line right across the board, his drinking ban was law, now move on to the next subject. I can’t bear even to look at his picture when I think of all the beautiful lives that he ruined. We all knew these lovely people who loved to drive into town, meet the friends,have the chat. They kept folklore going with their stories and history that is now lost forever. Lots of these people lived alone. Having been the last one left to see their fathers and mothers out after all the rest of the family went away. There were very few old people’s homes that time. Families saw it their duty to look after their parents to the end and most of the time the one left never got married and when the parents were gone they found themselves alone with nothing for company but to go and meet the counterparts in the pub and meet the young people of the area and pass on the tales and jokes and history of old ,for them to pass them on again. I thought that politicians were supposed to listen to the people, but Ross gloried in the fact that he didn’t. If he wanted to put a ban on drink driving, he should have replaced it with something else. He should have come out into the high ways and byways of Ireland and see what should be done to give back to these people, the backbone of our country ,a service equal to what he had so unjustly taken from them.Provide transport to take them to and from where they wanted to go. And even now today ,he is still rubbing their noses in it. Still boasting about how he bested them. His many other bad mistakes have appeared in print many a time over the years. But they are nothing to me. My heart is with salt of the earth people that he condemned to a fate worse than death. Oh Eily get off the soap box, he didn’t listen then and he won’t listen now. They say that experience is what you get,when you don’t get what you want.
Looking on the brighter side, our GAA Club is hosting a Golf Classic in Killarney on Friday September 4th and I hope that all the lovers of the sport have a great day and that the Club will make lots of money to fund all the great work that they do for the young people.
There’s Drive-in Bingo in Knocknagree Village on September 6th.
Many thanks to all those who compliment me on my weekly Report. Every encouragement is welcome. Please keep safe. Keep up the prayers, Holy Mass can be got live in many churches around the world, and in our own Millstreet Church seven days a week. Have a good week, Slán.
