Dia is Mhuire díobh go léir a chairde and welcome to my report.
They say that the most difficult thing for an artist is to know when to stop. It must be a wonderful gift to be able to get some brushes and paints and a piece of canvas and transfer what is in your mind’s eye and your brain on to it. To put on the all-over basic colour and then begin to fill in the rest, I imagine, all the time having a mental image of something beautiful and satisfying at the end. The End, yes the point where the brush is put down and that’s it. I’m reliably told by those who know that where to stop is the crunch. Just one more dab to perhaps make another tree here or there or a stone peeping up in a lake could turn the end result into something akin to a Rembrandt or an item for the bin.
I’m no painter of grand pictures, though I adore doodling so I’m never bored. But when I write my Report each week, like the would be Rembrandt, I find it hard to call a halt. Perhaps not at the moment of writing, but after I’ve edited carefully and emailed it to Hannelie and it’s on the web, that I find myself thinking, sometimes our loud, oh why didn’t I put this or that in. Take last week, when I wrote about the place where I married into and how the people there were given land at a rented rate to replace what their ancestors were evicted from, I think it was important to say that they also got plots of bog up on the nearby hills. Turf being the most common form of fuel both for cooking and warming their homes, it was a vital factor in the everyday lives. I thing everybody got a acre of bog and how they respected it and managed it equalled the care they took of their land. The mountaintop plane was divided in two by the Cladagh river which split it in two as it fell into the Comeenatrush lake forming the picturesque waterfall where an ancient cut-out timber boat was found in the 90’s. The left hand side was called the Curragh Bog and the right hand side the Gneeves bog. Back in the 1940s when fuel was very scarce, the one on the left was sectioned out by the Army with the intention of harvesting the peat in a big way to supply to cities and towns who depended mostly on coal, which couldn’t be got at the time. I don’t know why but the project never took off and the carefully subdivided plots are still plain to see. People held strictly to their boundaries on the hills as they did in the lowlands and at cutting time when the smoke rose it was often the custom to join one another for that food in the bog that tasted like no other.
Being a mountain top bog led to many problems at harvesting time, when horse or donkey power was the only option. With some very steep hills to negotiate they weren’t without their mishaps. The more I think of it now I can’t but wonder that there were no brakes on these vehicles, which meant that the poor animal had to sustain the force of the heavy load unaided. Shafts got broken, loads fell out beasts of burden failed but thankfully as far as I know no lives were lost. The emergence of the tractor was a wonderful boon, but not without its own hazards, when big loads sunk into the soft terrain and the contents emptied out, only to start all over again.
In time our wonderful Bog committee was formed and brought the turf situation to a brand new level. Turf-cutting machines came along, various types were tested , some with no success but finally they hit the jackpot. Huge parts of the Mountain floor were cleared of debris and the wet bog stuff carefully placed along it in neat rows where wind and weather makes it fit for use in the shortest possible time. Our mountains and hills are like massive pincushions today , as the turbines gently turn to supply us with the same warmth as the men with the shlauns of old. Still so clear in our minds.
The long St. Patrick’s weekend was amazing in the nicest possible way. The weather was great and the extra day meant that people were able to make some real plans. The 11.30 Mass was celebrated by Fr. Billy Radley and it was enriched by our church choir. Our Pipe band played outside and following their attendance at the Mass they played again as people left the Church, and again in the Parade. Cullen’s Pipe band held the crowd in awe as they played the Ukranian National Anthem before the reviewing stand. Our Parade was like no other. To be back after two year break gave people that wonderful feeling of being free. A great crowd gathered well in advance of the five o’clock start. Peter Lane of Blackwater Sound Fame entertained the Crowds for well over an hour beforehand. And the people and families of many Nationalities and cultures rose to the occasion. From huge Juggernauts to small little children took part in the parade and the new crowd control barriers provided by Noel C Duggan ,meant that children, especially were in no danger of straying on to the street. Sgt. Paul Lynch and his staff mingled with the crowd in a very relaxed and friendly way. And later they were full of praise of the expert way that the Community Council carried out the event. Not to be outdone the People of Carriganima held their Parade next day March.18 with equal success. Needless to say the absence of our cameraman supreme Sean Radley was deeply felt. And I know I speak for everyone when I wish Dear Sean continued recovery, and assure him of our best prayers always.
They tell me that Summer time is coming in this weekend clocks go forward an hour. People with small children say that their little ones are among the hardest to adjust to the change. In any event when it comes we’ll all be deprived of an hours sleep, but look forward to brighter evenings to catch up with things in the garden and so on.
Here are the results of this weeks lotto draw which was held on Sunday night. Numbers drawn were, 3,10,24,27, and the Jackpot was not won. €100 went to Declan Ryan, Cloghoula. The Seller was Angela Kelleher and she €50 sellers Prize, €50 went to Patrick & Jerry Lehane, c/o Jerry Lehane. €20 each went to May Lynch, Kilmeedy, T.Kelleher, Liscahane, Sharon & Denis Lane, c/o Denny Lane, The Higgins Family c/o Pat Murphy, Kayleigh & Eoin Sheehan c/o The Bush Bar, Peter Horgan, Kilmeedy, c/o the Clara Inn, K&K Gardener, c/o Rita O’Reilly and E. Coakley, Rathmore, c/o Lehane & Robert.
Next draw March 27th. Jackpot €20,000.
The bright and fresh days over the weekend were ideal for driving out and admiring the signs of nature coming to life. Lines and lines of golden daffodils ,often on bare stone walls and camellias of every hue. Fields greening up and sheep and their prancing little lambs ,a joy to behold, I even achieved my dream of going to the seaside at Rossbeigh on a lovely day with a steady breeze. The tide was coming in and the strong waves broke on the mighty rocks that the council put there to stop it from invading the dunes. Some brave bathers were out as far as the eye could see, but my view from the safety of the rocks was enough for me. Another day saw myself and a friend dining at the highest pub in Ireland, the wonderful Top of Coom.
Sadly the Covid pandemic is raising it’s ugly head again and it looks like the wearing of masks goes on. We have a few cases in the family at the moment of various ages and we’ve heard of others. But TG like before none are seriously ill but the prayers must go on that it will finally fade away. Prayers are the order of the day really that the power of God will sustain the universe through these troubled times.
Eucharistic Adoration will be held in the Church today following the ten am Mass until 7.30pm. Confessions every Saturday from 12.30 to 1.
Legion of Mary meeting in the Parish Centre every Tuesday night at 7.30.
Weekly 45Drives at The Canon O’Donovan Centre ,on Tuesday nights. Cullen Wednesday nights and Ballydaly Sunday nights, all with an 8.30 start.
The Farm Machinery Show opens at the Green Glens today, and will be in progress for the next three days from mid-day to ten at night.
Slán agus beannacht
