By Kathleen Mullane

‘Out & About’

Sincere congrats and good wishes go this week to Kit O’Connor, Gortnagross who celebrated her 70th birthday on Saturday night last along with her family and friends at “The Old Stand” in Shanagolden, a very enjoyable night was had by everyone.

A great night out this Thursday night, Feb. 5th when there will be a Rambling House night a the Knockanure Community Centre, starting at 9pm. Everyone is welcome – admission is free and refreshments will be served. All are welcome for a brilliant night of music, dance, song and story telling.

Everyone is looking forward in anticipation to “The Real McCoy” this week and next week in the hall – we wish the Athea Drama Group all the very best with their production and by all accounts it’s going to be “a real tonic” with tons of laughter. Not to be missed!

An important meeting in the hall on tonight, Wednesday 4th at 7 o’clock re Community Alert texting. This will be a very worthwhile meeting, considering the many break-ins in and around the locality in recent times. Everyone welcome.

As part of Catholic Schools week last week I attended the “Grandparents Day” at Castlemahon N.S. where my grandson Cathal Lynch attends. Many of the schools in the locality had the open grandparents day. It was indeed a lovely two hours as grandparents reminisced about their days at national school many years ago and the difference between school now and then! Their teacher Mr. Kelly from Templeglantine showed how “at the click of a button” they could go into the Coliseum or visit any historic building thus making their history lessons so very exciting, no blackboards and chalk now only “whiteboards” – so up to date.

Grandparents told their stories of walking miles to school through the fields in bare feet – bringing sods of turf in the winter for the fire, bread and butter for lunch – the red and green Catechism for First Communion and Confirmation – the sally rod for punishment. In those days you kept your head down and learned without little or no interaction with the teacher. There was only English, Irish, Arithmetic and Religion in days gone by, whereas now young children have a great variety of subjects, sports and much more. How times have changed – the question is are kids better or worse off now than then?