Noah Daly looks at the flood in the Abha Bhán

I was in Athlone on Monday and was not surprised to see that there are many more lakes in the country than was there last time I visited. Large areas of land are under water in all the counties as I drove through. It is going to take a lot of sun to soak up all this water. Those of us who have not been flooded feel nothing but sympathy for the people whose homes and businesses have been ruined since Christmas. It must be the most awful thing to happen. The diocese of Limerick have asked anyone who wishes, or are able, to help the people who were flooded in Limerick city to make their cheques payable to St Mary’s Parish Relief fund, St Mary’s Parish Office, Limerick.

It was nice to see a “new” contributor to the Athea News last weekend. Welcome to Kay McDonnell, Listowel, originally from Knockdown. I look forward to reading her words of wisdom every week. Her book “The Matter of Life” is available in all local bookshops.

Congratulations to Maura Nolan on her launch of her CD “Am le chéile”. I still have not to hear it but it is another thing I look forward to doing. Maura has great talent and her voice is always a pleasure; she has given lots of enjoyment to many people over the years especially the residents of St Ita’s in Newcastlewest.

It is coming up to Valentine’s Day and what is more romantic than a bit of poetry?  So I will go to Keats. I remember learning this in Dore’s school in Glin back in the 60’s. It meant nothing to me then only embarrassment, as Master door asked one of the boys if they were ever “Pillow’d upon my fair love’s ripening breast”.  Master Dore was a good teacher but could, and did, hurt with sarcasm and ridicule which was a pity.

Bright Star, Would I Were Steadfast as Thou Art

by John Keats

Bright star, would I were steadfast as thou art
Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night,
And watching, with eternal lids apart,
Like nature’s patient sleepless eremite,
The moving waters at their priest-like task
Of pure ablution round earth’s human shores,
Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask
Of snow upon the mountains and the moors;
No yet still steadfast, still unchangeable,
Pillow’d upon my fair love’s ripening breast,
To feel for ever its soft fall and swell,
Awake forever in a sweet unrest,
Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath,
And so live ever or else swoon to death.

Happy Valentine’s day to all. We all love somebody; whether it is romantic love or not is irrelevant. Spread the love anyway!