Eily’s Report – 15th December

Dia is Mhuire díobh go léir a chairde, and welcome to my weekly report.

Oh what a joy it was at the weekend to actually see our Masses being celebrated before our very eyes. It was the third Sunday of Advent so the pink Advent candle was lighting and Fr. Billy Radley the celebrant.

How we have longed for the day, when we could see our priest and to know that our people all over the world could join in with us for Mass. What a difference it will make to our Christmas ceremonies. When I think of all the people who would be home if they could, seeing them in the chapel for midnight Mass often finding it hard to get a seat with the crowds, the beautiful choir softly singing Silent Night, the crib all aglow awaiting the birth of Jesus. These are scenes which cannot be matched but thanks to the wonder of streaming, for now, we can all be together in spirit and the warmth of our St. Patricks magnificent church will reach out to them wherever they are.  We are by no means belittling the efforts made by all the neighbouring priests and churches and indeed of the whole world who kept us connected to our Holy Masses, for the past number of months, they were great, but we have to admit there is nothing like your own. The snippets of news, little changes local deaths and anniversaries to name but a few, the little things which knit a community together, they are important.

The program for our three Churches for Christmas is long and complicated and we must offer our sincere word of thanks to our Parish Priest, Canon John for drawing up the Christmas list. The full list is on the web far too long a list for me to repeat and I think people would be wise to us their mobile phones to take a picture of the list from the web and have it nearby at all times for a quick check. Masses have to be pre-booked by ringing the parish Office 029 70043.

All masses in Millstreet Church will be streamed on www.churchservices.tv/millstreet.

How can we thank Seán Radley and Cork Music Station for keeping us glued to our laptops as we praised the Lord, from our own homes all these months and the wonderful choir, laborously recorded virtually by the Fraser Family. Few people realise the amount of work and time that goes into producing the lovely hymns that we hear on Sundays.  The co-operation of the choir members who have to submit their contribution, bit by bit, to be then all pieced together by the experts. We have to admit the results are great and the lovely Deirdre Clancy’s recitals on the organ are so divine. Be reminded that Deirdre sometimes plays in the empty church in the daytime. Lovely. The old saying which says, when the going gets tough, the tough gets going how true it is of how we have dealt with the many obstacles which we have crossed our path in this historic year of 2020.

The good news is that Sean still transmits his Lunchtime Favourites ,on CMS, every Sunday following the 11.30 Mass. Don’t ever fail to tune in, the request that he is playing may be for you, sent by some cousin or friend from the other side of the Globe. Or if you’d like to send one, Sean will do his best for you.

Fundraising is on a high at the moment. There is no end to the number of good deeds being done. We are all asked to play our part in order to make Christmas better for those who have lost so much due to the pandemic. Depression and mental health are rampant ,don’t wait until it’s too late to spot someone who is suffering. The right word or the proper approach at the right time is very important. Poverty is not always the problem. Loneliness is the greatest enemy of all, and it isn’t easy to beat it at the moment . Making time for someone could make a big difference. Be they young or not so young any age can be affected. A phone call , or a visit , or an invitation for a cup of tea, could make a big difference. It’s great that so many of our eateries in the town are up and running again , where people can meet in safety for a chat about this and that.

Well done to the pub in Carrriganima who are dealing safely with he regulations by holding an outdoor fundraiser in aid Cork’s Penny Dinners. They are doing it in stages, Dec, 11, Dec 13 and  if the given times don’t suit the giver then they’ll change it. Well done to Sean and Matt and to all concerned. They are just one example of the spirit that is abroad this Christmas, in spite of all.

The Community Council Calendar 2021 is selling very well, the proceeds will go to our Sheltered Housing Complex. And the Complex has a monster raffle going at the moment also, with some great prizes to be won. Look out for their tickets and support them.

Our Town is getting brighter all the time. The projected feature on the gable of the Wallis Arms Hotel is amazing. And has to be seen to be believed. Many other additions have been made in the town, and the shops are still full of gift ideas. Our ladies of our Christmas Lights committee and members of the Tidy Towns Towns ,continue to enhance our town, even doing some planting at the moment. But sadly, things don’t always go according to plan. And I want to wish a full and speedy recovery to one of our trojan tidy Towns workers, Noreen Dennehy, Drishane Road who suffered a triple bone fracture to her ankle when in the course of her work with Pat Randals .They were doing some planting on the flower bed as you’d turn down to the Community School.   She fell and now she’s confined to a plaster cast for the next number of weeks which is nobodies idea of how to spend Christmas. On behalf of our Community, I offer you our sincere sympathy, Noreen and hope you’re better very soon. Noreen and Padraig are to be commended on their fine display of Christmas lights at their home on Drishane Hill every year and the popular response that she gets from people about her mishap is, TG you had your lights up.

The real Spirit of Christmas is coming to the fore. People who didn’t intend to send Christmas cards, are sending them , after all and there is a huge demand for places is our churches for Masses over the Christmas period. The weather can change by the hour, but in spite of the elements many people are taking to the mountains where the scenery in the crisp air is extra far reaching. Some people taking food to have a picnic on high. Our Library at Carnegie Hall is well stocked with books to suit every taste. And the good news is that there is no charge for taking books and the time for returning them is also well increased. The lovely book entitled Millstreet Memories , by Noel Bourke is on sale at Wordsworth, and many other publications with a local flavour. The popular board game Scrabble is fast becoming a number one pastime and can be enjoyed by many people at the same time . Our Adult Gym in the youth Complex is very busy. Open early and late, by popular manager Dan Daly . Contact number 083 3982633 .

Here are the results of this weeks lotto draw which was held on Sunday night. Numbers drawn were,4, 13,18, 30,and the jackpot was not won. E100 went to,the ENRIGHT Gang, Staton Rd, The Seller was John Enright and he Got €50 sellers prize. €50 went to K,M,S,and Mc/o Colemans, €20 Eileen Buckley, Clover Hill, Breda Tarrant, Killarney Rd, Chris Hickey, MountLeader, Katie Hickey, MountLeader, David Dineen Claracleagh, Lauren Buicke, C/o Jerry Lehane, YES,C/o Jerry Lehane and Molly Moynihan, c/o Colemans,

Next draw Sunday, December 20th Jackpot €12,000.  That will be the last draw before Christmas  and were back again in January 3rd 2021.

For the next few weeks there will be a marked increase in the movement of people both in our cities and towns and also out in the country and we seriously appeal to people to act wisely and do all they can to prevent the spread of Covid19. We want the New Year to start on a good note.PG.

The next time I’ll be with you, the days will be getting longer. Monday next is December 21st the shortest day of the year and how we look forward to longer brighter days. The Good Lord who saw us through the long a mysterious year of 2020, will be still there for us in 2021.

And thanks to our wonderful Gardai we feel safe. They want to thank all those who signed up to their great Text Alert service, both in Aubane and Millstreet for the coming year. Christmas trees will be on sale by Dubby Twomey in our Town Square tomorrow Wednesday.

Have a good week. Slán agus Beannacht libh go léir .