Participants in the Junior Run at the Vintage Day last Sunday
Community Council Survey
There was a very informative meeting at the Community council Office in Con Colbert Street on Monday, Sept 2nd. where plans for the renovation of the premises were discussed. Many good ideas were forwarded but we need much more input from the people of Athea. Every adult, living in the parish, is a member of the Community council so it is your building and you should have a say in what happens in it.
Thanks to everyone who has returned the hardcopy survey, or has filled in the survey online. Please continue to fill in the survey and return in the letter box at Athea Community Council Office or complete it online via https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QGQWF6R.
Next meeting Wednesday, Sept 25th
The Way I See It
By Domhnall de Barra
I was talking to someone the other day and they commented on the change in times from when we were young. In days gone by, doors were always open and anybody was welcome to walk in, day or night. If the people of the house happened to be eating, a place at the table was offered to the visitor who always politely refused and had to be coaxed to join. We were brought up not to accept any anything at the first offering, even if we badly needed it. I had to change this way of thinking when I went to England in the ‘sixties. It was during the summer holidays before I did the Leaving and I was working in a rose nursery in a village called Knowle outside Coventry. One day I was sent with a landscaper to a country mansion. A large amount of stones had to be brought from one side of the estate to the house so he left me to do that and told me that they would look after me in the house. I worked away until about 11am when an elderly woman with white hair stuck her head out of a window and said “coo-eee, would you like something to eat or drink”. I, conditioned by my upbringing, replied “no thanks”. I never saw the white head again that day. At this stage I was a growing lad of 16 and the hunger was killing me. I managed to get water from a pump in the yard but that was it. By the time the landscaper returned for me at 5pm I was suffering. I can assure you that was the last time I ever refused anything if I needed it. I wonder if we are as welcoming today as we were back then. Today, you would not dare enter a house without making an appointment and we have become very suspicious of strangers. This is only to be expected in the current climate with reports of robberies in rural areas. Maybe we are losing that sense of community when neighbours looked after each other. If you were walking the road long ago and passed a meadow where they were making up hay, you did not hesitate but joined in to help them get finished before the weather broke. People hadn’t much in those days but they were more than willing to share what little they had. Family was always very important, not just the immediate household but all the first, second and even third cousins. It was the custom to visit relations who were living in other areas on a regular basis. The trap would be loaded up with children and some presents and the day would be spent travelling and spending time with the cousins who returned the visit later on in the year. It was also customary to send children to stay with relations during the holidays or for people to come home on holidays from abroad. I remember the summers when our own relations would arrive from England for a couple of weeks. Sometimes more than one family arrived at the same time. Now, we lived in a small cottage with two small bedrooms downstairs and a big one up stairs that we called “the loft”. There was five or six of us, my mother and father and my grandmother already living in the house but that made no difference. We all shared with sometimes seven or eight children topping and tailing in the one bed. You were in danger of getting a toe up your nose but we had great fun and got up to all sorts of antics. I was the oldest so I got most of the jobs to do. First off was a trip to the creamery for a gallon of milk. We asked and paid for four pints but the manager always filled the gallon to the top except on a day when the inspector was present and then the four pints had to be measured out by him but he always added “a sup for the cat”. Then I had to dig a big bucket of spuds for the dinner along with cabbage or other vegetables. Our garden had cabbage, turnips, carrots, parsnips, onions, parsley, lettuce, rhubarb cauliflowers, peas and radishes as far as I can remember. My mother used all of these and then some she picked from the hedgerows which she used for seasoning and flavour. She seemed to be continually cooking and baking or else washing clothes in a tub with water that was brought in a bucket from a spout that was across the road from Cusack’s house next door. Drinking water was brought in a gallon from the well at the bottom of the field. I don’t know how they managed to do all the cooking and baking on open fires long ago but they did and the food was delicious. This was the time before phones, televisions, electricity, piped water or indoor toilets but we didn’t care because everybody else was in the same boat and the day wasn’t half long enough for us. We really enjoyed the times together, especially when we used to climb into the lorry and go to Ballybunion for the day. All too soon the holidaymakers would be gone but we would be looking forward to their next visit. Wes, times were tough back then but they were also enjoyable and there was a great sense of togetherness that brought us through all difficulties. Nobody was left without the basic necessities of life and we all looked out for each other. I miss the old days.
Church Notices
Parish Pastoral Unit (Athea/ Abbeyfeale/ Mountcollins/ Templeglantine/ Tournafulla).
Canon Tony Mullins 087 2600414, Fr. Willie Russell 087 2272825, Fr. Denis Mullane 087 2621911.
Masses this week- Tuesday morning 9.30am and Friday evening 7pm.
Eucharistic Adoration and The Devine Mercy Chaplet on Tuesday morning after mass.
Mass Intentions: Friday Sept 6th at 7pm. Tom & Eileen Ahern (Parkanna). Sat Sept. 7th at 7.30pm: Tim & Phyllis Murphy. Jim O’Sullivan (Park Upp.), his parents Hannie & Dan, sisters Maureen, Nan & Phil, brothers Danny & Patsy. Jack Keane. Ita & Donal Shine.
All masses are streamed live on https://www.churchservices.tv/athea
Baptisms take place on the fourth weekend of the month. Parents who wish to baptise their child in the next few months should contact Siobhan on 087-3331459.
Farewell to Fr. Tony – Fr. Tony Mullins is leaving us towards the end of September. It has been decided to make a presentation to him on Saturday Sept 14th after mass in the Con Colbert Memorial Hall. If you would like to contribute to a collection in his honour, please pick up an envelope in the church and return before Sept 14th during any mass or contact the parish office for further details. 087-3331459.
Parish Administration: Tues-Fri 11am-1pm. call Siobhan on 087-3331459, outside of these hours text or email [email protected] Facebook: Athea Parish Church Community
Athea Community Council
Lucky Numbers Draw 02/09/2024
No’s Drawn: 9, 10, 25, 29. No Winner
Lucky Dips
Padraic Walsh, Lower Road
Ryan Carroll, Athea
Conor Hunt, Athea
A,J,T. c/o Eilish
Sellers Prize: Collins’ Shop & Lal Browne
Next Draw: 09/09/’24 Venue: Batt’s Bar
Jackpot €22,400
Athea Vintage Run
