Sadness personified

Tonight I was at a party to celebratec the 50th birthday of my sister in law Catherine,She is a lovely woman and was a great companion  to my mother in her golden years and lived next door too her.At the party was her son ,who is back from Australia  for the Christmas and his Australian partner ,who is an absolute peach .Also present was their daughter who is in England studying for a profession this country  deems her unworthy of. She is flying it.Unable to be there was anotherson,who is in Australia.
I know that we are good people.I know that everybody at the party are good people.I also know that the people that govern our country and our destiny are not good people.I know this because in a week's time my brother,his wife and his children will be broken hearted because their good friends will be a continent away and their daughter will be an ocean away and their other son still a continent away.
I know that over 100 years ago,when we were part of the Empire,seven of my grandfathers siblimgs had to emigrate to America,never to return bar one,,who came back for two weeks ,while in his seventies.Nothing changes.
No amount of crawthumping nor smartassery can dilute the pain felt by us all.
Those in charge for the present should know that they will never be forgiven for what they have done to us nor what they are about to do.
As ye have sown ye shall reap.

No respect.

Cannot let the day pass without passing comment on antics of Tommy Tiernan on 3E this evening.On the one day when you would expect some minuscule amount of respect towards Christians, Channel 3E broadcast the most insulting,degrading and offensive diatribute it could muster up in the so called comedy highlights of Tommy Tiernan.
He successively belittled and sneered at his father,his mother,St.Pats School in Navan,its teachers,Garbally Secondary School ,contemporary students who were not as bright as he,the clergy ,Catholicism and the very foundation of Christianity.
He omitted his wife ,his children and his grandparents.Were I them i would be wary.
I find this asshole totally unfunny,unless you count the use of copious foul language,incessant screaming and belittling your dearest and nearest funny,which some of the audience found to be hilarious.
I turned the tele off well before the end of the show and think it a disgrace that such harmful rubbish should be touted in the name of comedy.
One thing that St.Pars got right was to grade him class A1,a class A1 bo...x that is.  

Christmas Heartache

The Mass today in Dunderry was grand.Priest,servers ,choir,readers ,collectors,Ministers of the Eucharist,sacristan and congregation excelled themselves.Many emigrants were home for Christmas and the crowd was big enough.
However there was no disguising the vast swathes of friends missing and unable to be there because of the cancer of economic emigration.T'would break your heart.
Pity the scrooges responsible wouldn't themselves take a one way ticket and make room for those forced out.
Given the day that's in it,I will pull in my horns for now.
Normal service to be resumed soon.

The Major Cregan

Nobody in Dunderry nor further afield who met the Major will ever forget him.He was probably the stronghest man from the Parish in living memory and was called the human crush by older men ,from the time he routinely held full grown cattle by the horns to facilitate the testing process.In his football days he played in the backline with Tim Coffey,another retiring violet ,and it took a brave man to attempt to breach the defence.
I knew him well and knew that he became forgetfull in his golden tears.
This morning ,passing by the steps of the Church from Mass,my memory was jolted back to our last earthly encounter,in early summer of 2009,I would say.
Exiting the gate from our house opposit the Church at about seven P.M.I hear "Come here I want ya."Looking up I see the Major in his Sunday best on the steps and answer the call."Where the f... is the Priest and all the people?"
Knowing full well that the Major was in the habit of going to Vigil Mass on Saturday evenings at 7.30,I tell the major that it is Wednesday not Saturday.He argued the toss and  I held my ground ,something that would give pause thirty years prior.
"You are over the football club and a few lads are rearing up" says he."F... them "said I."You would want to call a meeting and give them all a general f...... whether they need it or not"said he.
Not bad advice .
On this Christmas day,here's to you Major.

Happy Christmas.

The blog wishes everybody a happy and holy Christmas.
Our hearts go out to all those unable to be with their loved ones at this time of year.
It really goes out to those who have no one to love them at this time.
How about this for a Christmas shopping list a hundred years ago:-
"A pound of tea at one and three,
A pot of raspberry jam,
Two dozen eggs,
One dozen pegs ,
And a pound of rashers of ham."
God bless.

A prediction

The reduction in the refund of redundancy payments from 60% to 15% to employers and the additional 2% increase in the standard rate of VAT will increase the out of work numbers by at least 10,000.00 by Easter and bring small town and rural Ireland to its knees.
This figure is exclusive of the number of small businesses that will go to the wall.

Cannibal Island

Those who hate the practise of religion and belittle it at every opportunity should look at the documentary above and see what communism and a secular state did to its most vulnerable members less than 80 years ago.
It was shown on RTE 2 last night and is one of the few instances where I was sickened to my stomach.
Over 6,000 people were imprisoned on an Island on a river in the middle of Siberia without food,shelter or any means of sustenance.
The prison guards shot people dead for sport and as no food was available the practice of cannibalism evolved.Breasts,thighs and internal human parts were the choicest cuts and young women ,in particular .were hunted down and butchered for these parts.Mostly they were severed off when the victims were alive.
Needless to say there was a massive cover up to conceal the truth.
When you hear the promotion of secularism as the fix for the ills of society,remember Cannibal Island.

It has to be said.

I have long railed against the feeling I have that we live in an open prison and that the only difference between the last Government and the present one is the frequency of the lash and the number of knots ON the whip.I have also railed against the increasing and incremental draconian powers our kapo masters employ against the people.
It is no surprise to me therefor that the Government has threatened all sorts of retribution  against those opposed to what even its most ardent supporters admit is an inequitable and unjust poll tax.Threats of jail are bad enough but the extension of the power of attachment for non payment of the tax from the arsenal of excessive Revenue powers to the general arena is a step too far and evidence of the increasing jackboot tactics becoming increasingly common in the E.U. generally.
The  most primitive societies destroyed their enemies by attacking their habitations and robbing their sources of sustenance.This new poll tax is nothing more than an attack on our habitations and the powers to snatch the fruits of our labour at source is nothing more than a grab on our only source of sustenance.
To be clear about it,if you fail to pay it ,you will be fined and if you don't pay, both tax and fine will be deducted directly from your wages or Social Welfare payment or whatever payment the State gives you..That your electricity may be cut off or that you and your family may go hungry is not a factor .
So all this talk about you having the decision over how you use your wages is just that ,talk.
It not enough that the State can grab Paye,Prsi,Universal Social Charges,Pension levies   and whatever other benefits it deems to be taxable from your hard earned wages  ,it is now setting itself up to take total ownership of them for whatever purpose it deems fit.
Just make any charge mandatory,make a huge fine payable in the event of automatic default and grab the resulting sum from your wages.The blog wishes the person or persons who thought this legal form of larceny up a happy Christmas .You will have brougth so much joy to ordinary people.
And less the last Government should derive any pleasure from this rant Fianna Fail are also in favour of it. Watery responses from it about enlarging the categories of people exempt from the charge just don't cut muster .It is clear that some of the disconnect from and arrogance of ordinary working people that led to its annihilation in the last election still sticks to its soul and would want to be exorcised.
I will address the financial ruin brought to the Eurozone states by incompetent and arrogant Europhiles later as I don't want to destroy my Christmas entirely ,but am emphatic in the view that the quickening enslavement of our people by increasingly draconian laws and the devolution of excessive and uncontrolled powers to State agents must be stopped at once,before it is too late. 
Already the twenty some things here are more concerned with the Australian Budget than our own.Maybe they have it sussed sooner than the rest of us.

Christmas Masses Dunderry.

Christmas Eve. Kilbride.6.00 p.m.Dunderry 7.30 p.m.
Christmas Day.Robinstown 9.30 a.m.Dunderry 11.00 a.m.

Live crib.Dunderry .Christmas Eve and Christmas Day after Mass.

The good people strike again.

On the way into Flanagan's shop in Dunderry you will  see a Christmas Tree with a difference.Instead of lights and decorations you will see a label specifying a child's wish for Christmas night asking that it be left in the shop for Santy to collect and deliver .The Saint Vincent de Paul people somehow managed to get sight of Santy's list ,but not the names of the children I hasten to add,as only Santy knows those names.
Anyhow I know that thae angels who are always with us have answered the call in Dundery fashion and are responding  with a generosity that defies the economic misery shrouding the country.Angels can call to the shop up to and including the 19th.December .But of course all Angels should know this.
And the Angel who dropped in E.2,000.00 on last year's tree will no doubt tread around  the geese on the fields of Heaven direct to the bosom of the Lord when the call comes.
This new tradition has blossomed this last two years driven by the Camogie Club and Youth Club operating from the GAA complex ,All the girls and boys involved and Tracey should take a bow.
I have always maintained that Dunderry is as near to the Holy ground as it gets .
The good people strike again.
Happy Christmas all.

Quislings?

Let me get this straight.The present government has spent the last 12 months deriding its predecessor for selling our country into economic slavery by  signing an internationally enforceable agreement.To save the Euro the present government wants to sign an internationally enforceable agreement that will surrender our economic sovereignty for ever.
How come I am not surprised.
And watch the weasel words that will be concocted to deny the people any say in this.

M.H.C.Final B.Kildalkey 4-10.Dunderry 2-3.

At a bitterly cold Dunganny this morning at 11.30 Dunderry fielded with the hope of matching their minor league cup with its sweeter companion the Championship cup.
I have never seen a championship final at this level played of a Saturday morning in December until now.What gives.?Not that either team accrued an advantage because of the venue nor conditions.
In fact the pitch was grand and the referee Jimmy Bourke referred the match with his usual aplomb.To get a free from him you must earn it.No time for divers or whingers then.This man was playing manfully before all the protagonists were born.He refs as he played---hard and fair and don't bother whinging thank you.
I must again thank Jimmy Henry ,the referee ,assessor and addicted Gael ,who yet again found a chair for yours truly to rest his weary bones  .Thanks Jimmy and the best of luck next week.Hope you make a quick recovery.
The following Dunderry team started this 13 a side final,with a strong wind in their backs.
                                                                Jim Mitchell
          Conor O Shea                                                                     Alan Garry
  Conor Dempsey                              Dylan Keenan                                   Paul Mulligan
                          Brendan Wright                                John Moran
Darren Clabby                                  Stefan Clarke                                  Simon Carty
                            Stephen Coogan                          Luke Martin.
Bench.Alan Casey,Shane Murphy.Cathal Ryan.Killian Leonard,Paddy Kenneally ,Michael Keaveney.
We started well with a brace of goals .one from a cunning bat of an incoming high ball by Martin to the net and another direct to the net from a Coogan 45.Before half time we tagged on two points.
These are two well trained and well drilled teams,all the hurling skills in each armoury ,brimming with confidence and not lacking in the physical stakes either.It was tit for tat in the first half with KIldalkey tagging on 5 pints and more ominously missing maybe half a dozen more chances.Admittedly the under pressure Dunderry defence has a lot to do with theses misses as the old adage of keeping the attackers under pressure applied.
Make no mistake about it though ,Kildalkey are a good team and not used to loosing either.Both teams played sweet confident hurling and few balls were wasted ,each team finding their own men rather than sending them astray.Supporters in the sizable crowd were vociferous in their support ,Dunderry easily victors in this regard.Half time ,we lead 2-2 to 0-5.
It probably gives a flavour of the second half if I say that we got a solitary point in the second half and that James Michell our keeper had the game of his life ,keeping his finger in the dyke above and beyond.But even he had to pick the ball out of the net four times despite the herculean efforts of the backs ,who were breached by wave after wave of a well marshaled Kildalkey team .
Overall they were stronger,more confident and had more players with panache than we had.Maybe six of ours matched theirs but this was not enough on the day.
We were well beaten in the end even though we never gave up trying but the touch of inspiration we needed was never likely to appear,despite Casey replacing Carty in the last 15 minutes.
There is no shame in losing when you give it your all and our lads can hold their heads up high.
Dunderry don' do despair.This lesson will be absorbed and work will continue to match the excellence of the victors.
We know the standard we must match.
We congratulate KIldalkey on their victory and they are an example to rural Ireland and show that all is not lost yet,despite the appalling economic mess in which we flounder.
Bad day in the office but proud day for the evangelical  hurling heartlands of Meath .
Minoge,Keenan and Mc Laughlin.Keep at it.
Great to see Loman Dempsey supporting his nephew and local team.

Rabitte encore needed.

Anyone who witnessed the filleting of the helpless Fianna Fail Minister on Vincent Brown#s programme before the General Election  by Pat Rabitte will never forget it.
To be consistent Mr. Rabitte will now ,after plundering the poor in his Government's Budget ,deliver a similar salvo against his own people.Yeah Right.
What goes around comes around.

Dunderry alert.

I have no hard information ,but reports from reliable sources have reached me that some of the new Irish have got in on the act and are robbing houses on the borders of the Parish.Lock up and keep a sharp eye out.

Dunderry News.

John Brady has been appionted manager of the football team.His selectors are Con O Neill and Barry Sheridan (Anne Darcy's husband).John was a selector with me when I was team manager.I found him straight and honest.
We wish him the best.

Two Funerals

Spent some time in  Blanchardstown,from 7.00 p.m.Monday until 3.p.m. Tuesday.Was dropped there by a good neighbour.I would love to be able to go there by public transport.This is not on.Firstly there is no public transport in Dunderry.The nearest is in Trim or Navan.Dunderry people are good about lifts.Those with cars are generally decent enough to stop and carry those without.Good neighbours.
The Navan Dublin service is fine.However the last time I used it there was no bus stop adjacent to Blanch village ,where I wanted to alight.The outcome was that I alighted near to the GAA Club,had to cross the road to get a bus back to Blanch and nearly got killed in the process.You would want the speed of an Olympic athlete to cross the road across from Brigid's.If disabled you have no chance.So public transport is a non runner.
On Monday evening I attended the funeral of Frank Kehilly in the Church in Laurel Lodge. It is over 25 years since I visited that part of the country.Years ago we hunted rabbits in pristine fields where a metropolis now stands.My memory is not clear on whether Bradys or Manlys once owned those lands.There is no doubt but that Frank ,who worked a lifetime in the Land Registry,was the best equipped man ever to  answer this question as it is doubtful if there is alive a person who knew more about land law and registration than Frank.
I had the pleasure to play football with him with Brigid's and in the civil service leagues run by Tom Woulfe many years ago.He was a good footballer,hard,fair and skillful.He was from Newcestown in Cork ,had played with them and I think with Carbury ,which was I think the Divisional team and Cork.He was from a large Cork family and a brother Kevin was selected on a national team of players who never won All Irelands.
The Church was full and the decade of the Rosary was said in Irish in full voice.Great to hear.Members of the victorious Brigid's team against Port Laoise were present in numbers and many old friends were there.
Our sympathies to his wife and family.I understand that he suffered badly in the run up to his death and that it may have been a release to him,but not I am sure to his family,who clearly loved him hugely.Ar Dheis go Raibh a Hanam dilis.
Incidentally a good friend told me that he attends Mass there every Saturday evening and the church is always full to capacity.You would wonder at the objectivity of RTE in matters religious which based a recent programme on the 3% Mass attendance in Finglas ,no more than five miles away.Objectivity me arse.
Afterwards soup,tea and sandwiches and other tasty morsels  were served in St.Brigids GAA Club.I had the great pleasure of meeting another fine Gael ,Donald .the paintmeister from Littlepace,who is the successful trainer of the Erin go Brath  football team,who transported me from the Church to Brigids Clubhouse and had to rush off .This kind man  was Russin in more ways than one,I understand and I wish him luck.
In Brigids I met many friends,Cecil my brother,Fintan,Herbie,Donal,Ballycoolin Tommy,Tipp Tommy,Don,Doyler,Eamonn,The Finn man,Aidan,Mrs Powell,Mattie,the Bear,Mick G.,Tony,Hubie ,Donal eile ,Phil and many more.
Fintan is a brave man and running a good show.The consensus is that the match between Brigids and Portlaoise was one of the best club games ever witnessed.They are hopeful of going the whole way.
The drink driving laws are having a profound effect.No good drinkers go there any more.Reasonable though taxi prices are,money spent on taxis reduces the drinking pot too much for comfort.
I stayed the night with my brother Cecil,three of whose kids have had to emigrate to make a living.There are tens of thousands of families like his,basically heartbroken at the bull spouted by politicians ,who are not fit for purpose ,whose weasel words are as shifting as they are shifty.
I may be misreading the situation but I sense that the disdain held for the politicians is hardening into hatred.And no amount of gobblygook,smartassedness,blaming the other crowd  etc. cuts the mustard any more.
I fear the worst.
This morning I hobbled to Blanch Church for the funeral Mass of Anne O Connor,the mother of Brendan ,who I nicknamed Roscommon,many years age."Rosser " has stuck.His father died when Brendan  was ten years old after coming from a match in Croke Park and his mother made a great job of raising himself and his sister,both very fine people.
The priest made it clear that she suffered much in her latter years but retained an uplifting dignity right to the end,which was based  on her Catholic religion and deep  belief.
These people who belittle deeply  held convictions and beliefs and sneer at religion  should stop to think of the deep pain they cause to people who cling in hope to their religion when all else fails,as it must.Belief in Jesus does not have the surrender of jewellery as a prerequisite for attention.A simply prayer will do.
The funeral was well attended and her obvious loving children were dignified in their profound loss.
Met old friends ,Matt from Offaly,John from Kerry,Joe from Dublin ,Kathleen from Blanch,Matt and Margaret and Davy from Westmeath.

Ar dheis De go raibh a anam freisin.
LIke many other places I know,it appears to me that the buzz has gone out of the place too and before too long the tumbleweeds will be blowing through.I hope I am wrong.
As I finish this article the radio announces that Nulty will vote against the budget.Great to see a man keep his word.Come on the Blanchies.Your grandparents would be delighted.You the man.

  

M.H.B.Final.Dunderry 3-8 Drumree 3-6.3/12/2011.

At mid day today in a pristine Trim pitch,on a day that would skin a polar Bear's toe nail (gotcha ),Dunderry ran out deserving victors ,just about ,against a gallant Drumree team,who were unlucky to lose.
Jubilant captain Brendan Wright committed to parade the cup in warmer times in the Taj Mahal to a fatherly feed of rashers bedded in batch loaf bread ,dripping with butter,washed down with strong sweet tay,which is what you would need today to keep the cold at bay.
Having said that the excellent hurling on display from both sides did much to keep the cockles of the heart well warmed.
Six goals were scored and more missed .Not bad defending but good attacking.Both teams have skill aplenty and are no slouches in the physical department either.The referee ,Stephen Masterson was the man for the job,knows it well ,played the game  and you would know it.He is destined for bigger things.Not too many better in the county or Provence I would say.
Both teams played better against the strong wind.They missed scorable frees more than we did and we were lucky to register at the right time .
We had two casualties before the throw in,Keenan and Kenneally,through injury.Big losses both,but the show goes on and it did  ,

                                                James   Mitchell.
             Luke Martin                                                  Alan Garry
Paul Mulligan                        Brendan Wright               Conor Dempsey
              Conor O Shea                              Simon Carty
John Moran                           Stefan Clarke                Darren Clabby
               Stephen Coogan                                       Alan Casey
started .
Reserves were Shane Murphy,Cathal Ryan,Killian Leonard and I think a great great grand nephew of Barney Mc Cabe of 19895 fame ,young Robert.
We are adequate all over the field and always one or other rises above the norm.In the first half that person would have to be Conor O Shea,who held things together above and beyond the call.Mulligan is developing nicely and has much to live up to if he is to emulate his sisters,two present,who were experts with the caman in their day.I particularly liked his disregard for personal safety when he ,sans hurley,Hand blocked  an attempted Drumree clearance.But then this Tullaghanstown thing (Wright a neighbour and Dempsey a product of the Lion's Den ,a good imitation) means that the cause is never lost till the fat lady sings and she was nowhere near singing till the whistle was five minutes blown as far our lads were concerned.A great all round performance the first half.We went in two points down at half time ,with the wind.
Keenan and Minogue ,on the line ,rang the changes at the break.O Shea to full back,Garry to the wing,Wright to the middle .Coogan who was heavily patrolled at all stages.reduced the margin to one from a free.Drumree kicked on .Another free from Coogan ended in the net.Drumree kicked on.Goaled.Are we fecked?.Are we what ?Clarke in Mafia terms earned his bones today.He has turned inside out and with admirable persistence and against the odds scored a goal which must have sickened a gallant Drumree. Wright played a captain's part,O Shea's Lazarus arousal from the dead,not once,not twice but thrice proved inspirational,Moran's persistence,Carty,s speed ,both of thought and action,Clabby's physical presence,determination and persistence,Mitchell's accurate deliveries .Garry's commitment,and an overall overspill of guts from all involved enabled a two point victory in a nail biting finish.
Vincie Rattigan,my sideline companion for the match was the first to invade the pitch.Then the young man of Mel's fame and young Jack and Billy the kid and Phil from Lavey,and Benny from Cortown and Jim and John ( I hear that a request for Jim from the lads from Carnaross was on local Radio) and Stan the man and the Lion Judge and Seamin and the ladies and the parents too,and the young wans.Kevin beams as he brings Brendan home. Happy days .
Roll on Kildalkey next Saturday.
And Minoge ,bring home my warm coat.I think its in your car.

Community Watch formed for Parish.

Last Monday I attended a very well supported meeting in Dunderry Hall,where the existence of a newly formed Community Watch Scheme was announced.The executive committee introduced themselves and Macra Na Feirme and Gardai representatives gave a broad outline of the ambit of the Scheme.
That the meeting was so well attended is no surprise to me as the plague of robberies that has been inflicted on the Parishioners is well documented in the pages of the blog.
Clearly many people are living in fear,as rural society becomes more fragmented due to the demise of the public houses ,the no drink driving rules ,the lack of public transport and public lighting in rural areas,the loss of post offices ,the emigration of the young and fit ,the absolute distrust of banks and financial institutions and the shortage of money generally.
The executive will be holding more meetings over the coming months to encourage participation and advise on security generally.
As far as I could deduce the most practical advice is to look out for your neighbour and always be observant to suspicious goings on.And to report these to the Gardai in confidence on the basis that it is better to be safe than sorry.
Many people in the Parish would be aware that the Parish was often swamped in bygone years with Gardai trying to catch people for driving with excess alcohol on board and many families have had members caught.
It seems to me that the old adage "Always keep a civil distance from a Priest and a Peeler"still has currency with many in the Parish as a result.
It is not my function to either applaud nor condemn this state of affairs and some of my best friends are in both professions , but I have no hesitation in advising that when it comes to these life changing larcenies I personally would have no problem in talking to local Garda Peter Mulryan if the occasion arose.He can be contacted either at Trim or Kilmessan  and assures that matters will be handled discretely.
I understand that arrangements are in place to keep a watch on the vehicles of Massgoers to stop robberies of contents and vehicles.(Some reflection on society),
Super Gormley,(I think that is her name) advised that nationally about 24 per cent of robberies are solved and that this has broad application here too.
My intelligence is that the robberies that have taken place have been perpetrated by either persons from within the County or opportunistic scumbags from without who know their was here.Seemingly some stolen property has been recovered ,
I would guess that the identities of those involved are known to the Gardai by and large and that every effort is being made to bring them to justice.
There has never been a Garda stationed in the Parish and our ancestors managed to ensure the smooth running of society within the limits of the law.
It would be a shame were our generation to fail to uphold this tradition with the additional input of our local Garda,whose kids play with our Club.