By Peg Prendeville
Changes are coming to Loughill/Ballyhahill Parish as we hear that Fr O’Leary is moving and a Fr Austin McNamara will be joining us instead. The moves will take place in September. Changes are always difficult for everybody but it is how life goes and we must deal with them as they come. We will miss Fr Gerard who was with us since 2007.
The Foynes Air Show, at the weekend, was a huge success judging by the crowds which attended. I tried to get into Foynes on Sunday but such was the traffic congestion, I could not so I drove up to Knockpatrick and watched it from there. Many more people had the same idea so it was like a festival of its own up on the hill. It was the next best thing.
Best wishes this week to Paul Mullane and Bríd Wallace who will be married on Friday 11th in Castlemartyr in Cork.
A large crowd gathered in Brown Joe’s last Saturday night to celebrate my neighbour Jack O’Grady’s 90th birthday. His children, grandchildren and great grandchild helped him to have a great weekend. I composed the following poem in his honour. It is a great achievement to come that far with very little sickness or ill-health. Long may he continue to enjoy life.
Happy Birthday Jack O’Grady
Jack O’Grady on his 90th birthday
You’re an inspiration to us all
On how to live to ninety years.
With you we are enthralled.
When you get up each morn
You get ready for to go
To tend your cabbage and your spuds
And watch your garden grow.
You’ve been married to your darling Peg
For sixty years and four
You both have had a happy life
And a welcome at the door
For all who wish to call on you
And trash out the daily news,
From politics to religion
You share your different views.
You’ve reared a loving family
Three sons, and a daughter
You’ve been blessed with nine grandchildren
Who have brought love and laughter.
Your great grandchild Jack is just the first
There are more to come I hear
So there will be many reasons yet
To fill your heart with cheer.
On this, your ninetieth birthday,
It is my privilege to write
These few lines to honour you
And I pray most every night
That you’ll be with us for a long time yet
In the company of your wife
And I will call and chat a while
As I have done all my life.