By Peg Prendeville

Recently I visited East Grinstead in West Sussex, UK, to visit my sister Gerardine, who resides there. Sadly, her lovely husband Barry passed away suddenly before Christmas. It is a lovely town, similar in size and population to Tralee, 27 miles south of London city. It was nice to walk around the town and learn a few historic facts. The Greenwich Meridian line runs through the town and my sisters and I took great pleasure in stepping on the marking stone with a leg on each hemisphere of the globe, both Eastern and Western. Because this line goes straight through the middle of town the belief, among some, is that powerful ley lines intersect with it. The claim is that ley lines form a mystical energy grid and so East Grinstead is the home of many and varied religions including Mormons, Jehovahs and Scientologists. Gerardine told me that there are at least sixteen different religions in the town. Winnie the Poo stories are all based around the area of East Grinstead. There is no denying that Winnie the Pooh is a firm childhood favourite for many children and the town proudly boasts the forest that inspired the Hundred Acre Wood. I loved the flight home on a frosty day with a great view over the land from my window seat. But the nearer I came to West Limerick the more cloud and dullness appeared. I was just home before the place turned white with snow so I was lucky.

Our local Abha Bhán Players are gearing up for their final performance of The Buds of Ballybunion in the Tinteán Theatre in Ballybunion on this Saturday night at 7.30 pm. Doors open at 6.30. Tickets are selling steadily so be sure and book your seat as soon as possible by going online to www.tintean.ie. This is your last chance to see the play as there will be no more performances after this. 

But then we have the Athea and Abbeyfeale drama groups to look forward to. I hope to be able to see both.

It was good to hear that there was music back in the Knockdown Arms last weekend and I heard it was like “old times” back there with a large crowd enjoying the entertainment.

It has been ages since I visited the library in Newcastlewest so it was a great surprise, recently, to see the whole place revamped and modernised. Such a transformation. It is hard to believe it is 20 years since I spent two years working there. Libraries are lovely places to visit. I was very impressed with the one in East Grinstead in the UK also. Library staff are usually very friendly even if you just want to call for a walk around. Try it sometime.