Late Mary Broderick

The death occurred during the week of Mary Broderick (nee O’Donoghue) of Lower Keale, Athea. Deceased had been in declining health for some time but was lovingly cared for at home by her daughter Mary and other family members, until more recently she spent some time in St Catherine’s Nursing Home in Newcastle West. Up until this Autumn Mary used to attend Mass regularly in Athea and remained cheerful and outgoing all throughout her illness. Mary was a native of Dromreask in Glin Parish and was a sister of Bridget Broderick who was married to her brother-in-law late Davy Broderick of Dromreask. She was also a sister of Thomas O’Donoghue of Dromreask who is the Editor and Publisher of that long established local publication The Ballyguiltenane Rural Journal. Mary had lived in Lower Keale for several years since she married a local farmer there Willie Broderick who pre-deceased her many years ago. Mary and Willie raised a lovely family who are all resident locally in Athea parish. Many people from far and near attended the removal from Kelly’s Funeral Home on Saturday evening to pay their respects and condole with the family. There was also a big attendance at the Requiem Mass and the funeral on Sunday afternoon. She is survived by her son Willie, daughters Margaret and Mary, son-in-law Tom daughter-in-law Kathleen, grandchildren, brother, sister, nieces, nephews and other relatives to whom sympathy is extended. ‘May her soul rest in peace’.

Moving Statues

According to recent media reports An Bord Pleanála has made a final decision regarding the removal of a statue of “Christ the King” from its former site at Killarney Community Hospital where it had been for 70 years and relocating it in a different site at ground level. Apparently the statue, which had been on the roof of the hospital since it was donated by founding order, was removed by workmen from the H.S.E. on the pretext that the moving of the statue was necessary on the basis of Health and Safety grounds. Very few of the local community in Killarney believed this silly yarn that the statue, where it stood for 70 years, was in any way a threat to either Health or Safety and many of the local democratically elected Councillors opposed its removal.  However, recently in a very close decision An Bord Pleanála decided with the casting vote of the Chairman to uphold the right of the H.S.E. to move the statue. It also appears that the H.S.E. spent €10,000 in defending its decision to relocate the statue. Surely this amount of taxpayers’ money could have been better spent on some real Health or Safety measure for which the H.S.E should be responsible rather than an airy fairy project such as the moving of a religious traditional symbol that in no way posed a threat of any kind. The local Town Council in Killarney apparently had not approved the relocation of the Statue and it would seem that in spite of all the local opposition the H.S.E. went ahead and removed it. This in my opinion displayed utter contempt for the feelings of the Catholic population and the views of the vast majority of the people of Killarney town and its elected representatives. But then, of course, it would seem that people in Killarney and indeed elsewhere if this relocation is a more sinister part of H.S.E. policy which in some people’s opinion is hell-bent in removing crosses and other religious symbols from medical facilities around the country.  This would also seem to be the opinion of a Killarney Town Councillor who, speaking in a personal capacity, was quoted in the media when he was calling for the Statue to be restored to its original site on the roof of the local Community Hospital.  The same Town Councillor has also been quoted for having criticised the local Clergy for what he claims was “a deafening silence” ahead of the Bord Pleanála decision in recent weeks to rubber stamp the relocation of the “Christ the King” statue . Of course going back to March 2010 by all accounts concerns about this matter were raised by Bishop Bill Murphy of the Diocese of Kerry when, in a high profile public statement, he condemned as a “retrograde step” moves to remove the statue as well as other religious objects from Killarney Community Hospital and St Columbanus’ Home.  The Town Councillor in his personal criticism said that he was disappointed with the Clergy to say the least. He is quoted as saying that they should have shown their hand and been to the forefront in their opposition to moving the Statue. He said that he was no Holy Joe but that we should show respect for the little bit of faith we have. In response to the criticism Bishop Bill Murphy is reported as having stated that his position in relation to the Statue removal was clearly stated in March 2010 and remained the same.  He added that he was saddened to learn that the H.S.E. had decided to remove Catholic symbols from St Columbanus’ Home and the Sacred Heart Statue over the entrance to the District Hospital.  He said that the patients in both Hospitals are elderly and such symbols of their faith were a source of comfort and consolation to them. He further stated that this was a retrograde step and one that will not benefit patients or staff.  Bishop Murphy finally asked where does the H.S.E. go from there; will Christmas Cribs be banned from Hospitals? will patients be deprived of the Celebration of Mass? These are very pertinent questions that all of us might well ask as these activities do not just affect the H.S.E. Hospitals in Killarney alone, but this sort of agenda by the H.S.E. and indeed by other public institutions to downgrade and belittle religion particularly that of the Catholic majority is in evidence all over the State.  Some of these State Agencies including the H.S.E. are in such a mad gallop to display their equal rights and tolerance towards all Religions and none that they are passing each other out in their eagerness to get rid of Catholic Religious Symbols and indeed this policy is encouraged by our couple of different Government Ministers and some Politicians who want to jump on the fake tolerance band wagon. We all respect, or at least should respect, each other’s beliefs and religions, that is a basic tenet of civilised society, but certainly this should not mean the tearing down of the majority religion’s most sacred symbols, even Cromwell failed in his attempts to do this. Would Irish Catholics who go to work in a Moslem country expect the local natives to get rid of their Religious Statues and symbols in the name of equality and religious tolerance. Not indeed likely. Even those of us who worked in England where there are many different religious groups, would we have expected Anglican or Church of England to remove their religious symbols from their hospitals or schools in case they insulted members of a minority religion, and English people as we all know and must admit are most tolerant when it comes to religious beliefs. What then one might ask is the motive of the H.S.E. for removing religious symbols from our Hospitals and State Nursing Homes, cannot be regarded as anything other than a stupid obsession with equality which is way out of touch with the ordinary people of the country. Likewise the Department of Education and its attempts at downgrading Catholic teaching in the country’s schools. What one might ask are these Government Agencies playing at? We the ordinary plain people of our country would certainly appreciate an answer.

Farewell to Ando

On Tuesday of last week my younger brother Andrew, better known as Ando, was laid to rest in the comparatively new Cemetery in his native Lyreacrompane. Ando was the youngest of a family of 9 all now deceased, except for myself, the sole survivor. Our sincere thanks to all the people from Athea and other areas of West Limerick who attended the removal, Requiem Mass and Funeral as well as the many who expressed their condolences in other ways. It is all very much appreciated. May God reward you all and grant Ando’s soul eternal rest.

Birthday Wishes

Congratulations and best wishes to my neighbour Johnny O’Sullivan, Knocknagorna, who celebrated his 60^th Birthday with a party of his family members, relatives, friends and neighbours at the Top of The Town Bar on Saturday night. Best of luck to Johnny, his wife Margaret and their family for the future.