Sympathies to the Hogan/Moloney families on the death of Kitty Moloney, Mohernagh, during last week. Kitty was a lovely kind lady. I remember she was president of the local Ballyhahill/Loughill ICA guild when I joined back in 1985. I include an extract from “Sharing the Bread of Life” from the Loughill/Ballyhahill Parish Annual 2012 in which Tina FitzGerald, in her capacity as Minister of the Eucharist, describes her visits to Kitty.

“My Sunday visits now include Mrs Kitty Moloney in Mohernagh, who is always sprightly when I visit. I tell her she must be a “nature angel” as she always has a fresh flower arrangement and loves gardening. Again there are parts to my visit; the reverence of the Eucharist and the enjoyment of the very many conversations we’ve had. What comes to mind is Mrs Moloney sharing a time when she lived in England. This was during “The Troubles” when tea was rationed at home in Ireland. She was planning a trip home to Glin and a lady she worked with asked if she would be kind enough to take some loose tea and post it to her family when she got to Ireland. Mrs Moloney, in her naivety, agreed. What Mrs Moloney had not expected was that this lady had sewn material that stored the tea and proceeded to stitch it on to Mrs Moloney’s blouse. She wore the remainder of her clothes over the concealed tea and arrived safely, tea undetected! She said she often thought of what could have happened if it had been found wrapped around her. She told me that one of her family joked her saying “Imagine the headline in the paper – Tea Chest Discovered!”

It has been decided, due to the difficult economic situation and other reasons, not to produce a Parish Annual this year 2013 but it is hoped to be back in action next year 2014 with double the articles and photographs.

Thanks to George Langan for a very interesting photograph he sent me which was taken in Clounleharde school many years ago. It shows the pupils with a young Mr and Mrs Barry outside with a table with flowers on it suggesting that it was around Easter or Corpus Christi. The next task is to find out the year and the names of the pupils. If anyone from that generation remembers it let me know at 087 6826878 or [email protected]. All invitations have now been sent out to all 235 past pupils currently living and it is hoped we will get a positive response from all of them.

The White River Fest is book for the May bank holiday again this year with bigger and better things planned. They are looking for bands who wish to participate in a Battle of the Bands that weekend in the festival marquee. The competition (subject to approval and interest) will likely take the format of 10 bands, €100* entry per band, first prize of €1000 Preliminary rounds will take place on the first weekend in April in Ballyhahill. If anybody is interested please contact Tom Stack Teresa Cregan-Stack or Edel Buttery.

It was nice to hear one of my poems from The Purple Pencil being read by Donncha Ó Dulaing in Fáilte Isteach last Saturday night.