Dia is Mhuire díobh go léir a chairde and welcome to my weekly Report.
We have some wonderful causes for celebrations here this week, as we rise from the ashes of Corona virus, the principle one being the 100th birthday of the lovely Gobnait Twomey, Murphy’s Tce. Still as bright as a button and straight at a needle, her wonderful family and friends left no stone unturned to make sure her gala celebrations well worth waiting a hundred years for. Not far behind were Denis Corkery and Noel Collins who were 80. Popular Postie Jerh Keating who turned 50. We wish them many more years of happiness and good health.
Well now, where are we, this hit us like a bolt out of the blue. Needless to say it’s what we’ve longed for for the past two years, but to come to such a sudden end is mindboggling. It’s almost like the powers that be are saying that they have been babysitting us now for long enough and it’s time we took our lives into our own hands. People of different ages and situations will take the new freedom in many different ways. But I feel that the all-over picture will be like plucking a goose on a windy day, feathers flying every where. All caution thrown to the wind, for a start anyway and then settle down to a more normal way of life again. Hard to blame the young people whose lives have been on hold for so long.
How much have we lost since the start of January 2019 and how long will it take to regain it all again. Somethings I know will never return if they do it will be in a different form. Long terms of lockdown gave us lots of time to think and to adjust to our new ways of life as Corona virus raged through the world. We had to give in to the wearing of facemasks and washing our hands at every opportunity. We had to get used to greeting our friends through masks which proved so difficult, especially for folks of my own calibre whose hearing is well past it’s best and who are often only lip reading anyway. My heart went out to the young people all the way through. Their young lives on hold no interaction with their friends be it at work or at school, full stop. Will funerals change again, I have heard lots of varying opinions on the subject. Weddings I think will build up again and please God the time will come soon when all restrictions at Mass and I imagine other Church services will be free of limitations. I can see the whole world of personal enhancement swinging back to action. There was little use in putting on make-up or lipstick only to be covered up with a mask. I can see people crowding the shops to buy lovely things with the money that they had no way of spending since the Spring of 2019. They say that the veil which shields us from the future was woven be an angel of mercy and how true it was during the threatening days of the pandemic. I think that everybody did trojan work in obeying the rules and living a new life that was far from being pleasant or familiar.
Only a couple of weeks ago in my Cupla Focail after many members of my family and I had recovered from Covid19, I felt that it would be best if the laws could be relaxed and give more freedom to the people. Wonder did somebody up there pay heed to my views. (forget it, Eily) I had great admiration for Dr. Luke O Neill through it all. He always had the good word. Always encouraging and cheerful. Maybe he wasn’t always right but we all wanted to hear the good word. Well there we have it now. They say be careful what you hope for, so it’s up to each one of us to play our part for our own good and that of others from here on in.
Please take note that the great work of Dan Joe Kelleher (Carriganima) is now available on YouTube. Dan Joe’s recordings cover many years of ways of lives, now forgotten, parties at stations, weddings, thrashings & fairs. This man was a great pioneer in the world of traditional entertainment and he has kindly put it at the disposal of those who wish to source it on Youtube. We wish Dan Joe all the very best and thanks him sincerely for his great gift to the public.
With the easing of restrictions many times will be changed to follow suit. The weekly 45Drive which is held every week at the Canon O’Donovan Centre will start at it’s original time on Tuesday nights at 8.30 sharp and in Ballydaly on Sunday nights again at 8.30. We are pleased to say that there was a marked increase in the number of players at Ballydaly last Sunday night and always room for more at both venues.
Here are the results of this weeks lotto draw which was held on Sunday night. Numbers drawn were, 1,6,15,30 and the Jackpot was not won. €100 went to Medulla O’Blomgata c/o the Malpaso and Brian got the €50 sellers prize.€50 went Andrew Lehane ,c/o Tony’s, €20 each to Richie c/o Jackie, Isabelle O’Sullivan c/o Lehane, Yvonne c/o Vets, The Bally Gang c/o Marie, Colette O Connor,Woodland Drive, Megan, Kate, Leila & John Coleman. Olga Firek c/o OLeary’s and Sheila Healy, c/o O’Learys. Jackpot for next week, €18,800, the draw on Sunday night.
The Glen Theatre is opening up the new season with a gala show on Saturday February 19 at 8 pm. Booking is advisable. Ring 087 227 9657.
And the news that two new bank holidays are on stream is being very well received . The first shortly at St. Patrick’s weekend in mid March and next year at the Feast Day of our popular Irish Saint, St Bridget at the start of February. 2023.
The little birds continue to put on a free show for me every day. The ones high on the feeder, dropping bits to those who can’t cling on. It is prime co-operation because nothing is wasted. I thought Robins were strictly territorial, out on my patch there are two and they work hand in hand (beak on beak) picking up after their friends on high. It’s the kind of weather that make your thoughts turn to the garden and the out of doors. Even cleaning the windows does wonders for you view from within. Already someone has cut their grass, a bit early I thought but perhaps he’s impatient to get the new season started. I can see garden centres doing a roaring trade this year, after two seasons of little happening. Time alone will tell the effects that Covid had on our lives, our economy, our society . Personally It marked the end of many of my social engagements. If I were to admit it, I suppose I was approaching the end of some anyway, but the pandemic clinched my decision. My beloved B&B sign came down, marking the closure of a wonderful business which we started in 1990 after we retired from farming. There were some voluntary groups which I enjoyed but following the long break, they no longer appeal to me. Let there be no sadness about it, I have embarked on a couple of new things, less stressful and they fit in better with the ability that I have now. Trying to hold on to the past is not a good thing, let it go and plan something new, which will add enjoyment and pleasure to your the years ahead. Now that’s another lesson that I have learned from the bug and you’re never too old to learn.
Our lives from now on will be measured as either before the pandemic or after it and with all the ways they have for storing data, accounts of it will go down in history and will be available at the touch of a button to anyone who wants to know . I have always been surprised at how few accounts of the Spanish Flu were made known to us. It happened around 1918 and I was born in the early 30’s less than twenty years later and we never heard it mentioned at home or at school. Does the world like to brush the troubles of the past under the carpet I wonder.
Sin a bhfuil, a chairde, I wish you God’s Blessing in the week ahead as we all find our own way to greet the new normal. Slán.
