By Peg Prendeville

It is Back to School week; the Rose of Tralee has been picked, Listowel Races are coming up followed by the Ploughing championship and the casual carefree days of summer are well and truly over. I suppose it was not a very bad summer as we had some nice days here and there but we had no long spell of sunny weather either. However we must accept what we have and enjoy it. At least we are all safe in our houses not like some people in Donegal during last week.

I spent a few days recently enjoying long walks with the grandchildren, some in Abbeyleix where we strolled through Killamuck bog and another walk in Durrow along by the Nore river. The children loved skipping along looking for fairies, rabbits and dinosaurs and whatever took their fancy while I just enjoyed the peace of the woods and the water! I notice that there are lots of berries this year indicating a hard winter to come. Here at home Jim and I visited Kells Bay Tropical Gardens back near Glenbeigh where there were dinosaurs sculpted out of fallen trees. A very imaginative idea. Previous to that I had a day in Terra Nova Gardens near Athlacca where a couple have built up a Fairy Garden on a half acre site. Again the grandchildren had a great time spotting fairies hidden amongst the trees. So the holidays ended well.

Most children that I meet through the library and at home are glad to be getting back to meeting their school-friends again. There are no young children to start school in the Knockdown area at the moment but I am glad to hear that a new class of junior infants will begin in Ballyhahill on Thursday. Best wishes to my grandchild Ayda Daly from Dromagarraun who is excited to be starting.

Meditation and Mindfulness Classes are beginning in Cloverfield in Glin on Monday September 18 for 8 weeks. Beginners at 6.30 to 8pm. Continuation group 8.15 to 9.45 pm. €100. Booking essential. Ring Ali at 0876452227.