Gay Byrne hosts a show called "The Meaning of Life" on RTE television from time to time.In it he discusses with certain celebrities matters such as religious conviction or lack of it as the case may be.
Now I never bought in to the adulation that many have for Gay Byrne.I never found him funny nor entertaining and consider him to be a pompous bore.
I have long considered him an yup market version of the Garrison Irishman who would be quite happy to be an active participant in suppressing his compatriots for the benefit of the Empire were the clock turned back and if memory serves me right his ancestors served the Empire with distinction.
And I suspected before the Programme above that he was hostile to Catholicism.
I thought Dunphy to be ,firstly a Dub to his backbone ,an undoubted lover of the Garrison game and a man who made the very best of his talents as a writer and commentator on soccer.
I thought his defence of Roy Keane when he turned his back on his country churlish and misplaced.Never would have considered him a staunch Catholic.
Which just goes to show that I can be a brutal judge of character.
It transpires that he was raised a Catholic by staunch Catholic parents in a single room flat in Dorset street and that his mother was a daily Mass goer as was he in his youth.
Now he fell for a Protestant Lady and encountered considerable difficulty with a priest when he raised the prospect of a Church wedding.
This gave Gaybo the opportunely to repeatedly spit out the word "Bigot "with venom in describing the Priest.The dead cannot sue and it was outrageous of him to slur the man in such a way.Cowardly too.
Fair dues to Dunphy he did not rise to the bait nor did he agree with Gaybo in that description of the man of the cloth.
Dunphy was undoubtedly upset at the memory as he was at other memories,including an attempted eviction and was on the verge of tears at times.
The longer the interview went on the more the religious conviction of Dunphy shone through and I particularly liked his contempt for the sterile ,empty and hopeless concept of humanism and atheism,which seems to have concentrated support in the written and electronic media and whose manipulative proponents are planted in too many positions of power and never miss a chance to deride religious conviction and freedom of conscious.
The more the interview progressed the more I warmed to Dunphy.I particularly liked his response when asked what he would say to God at the Pearly Gates ,which was "Are you still serving ?"
And like myself he prays thus before going to sleep ___
"O Angel of God,my Guardian Dear,
To whom God's love commits me here,
Ever this night be at my side,
To light and guard and rule and guide ,
Amen "
And boy do I need it.
Sunday, March 22, 2015
Monday, March 16, 2015
Vigil Mass on St.Patricks Eve Dunderry
The Vigil Mass at 7.30 this evening was packed to the rafters because, I would say, it was celebrated for all the sick of the Parish ,which would include KIllian Minogue and at least one more youngster.
It was heartening to witness so many youngsters at the Mass .
We hope God answers our prayers for all the sick and ill people hereabouts.
It was heartening to witness so many youngsters at the Mass .
We hope God answers our prayers for all the sick and ill people hereabouts.
Thursday, March 12, 2015
The 39A Bus
I lived in Hunts town Lawn off the Shileeren Road (It joins Mulhuddart to Clonsilla ) from the early ninety seventies until 1986.I had many good times there and the odd scary time too,about which more anon.
Anyhow my time there coincided with the development of several Council Estates and the start up of brand new communities in the area.
For much of the time I lived there I commuted to work by public transport,usually on the 39a bus if memory serves me properly.
The bus used wend its way through all the estates in the area before heading through Blanchardstown and Castleknock via Ashtown and down the Navan Road into the city centre.
After a while you got to know the regulars and you could discern a largish number of youngish mothers who daily boarded the bus in the Council Estates,dressed in their Sunday best (more Pennies than Pravda ) and exited from Myos to the Park gates in Castleknock.
From overheard conversations and general observation it became clear that they were employed by various well heeled Castleknock residents as pot wallopers ,child minders,cleaners and general factotums by professional ladies who powered dressed ,(more Pravda than Pennies),and made their way to the City to further their careers ,while their children were reared and their houses tended for by the ladies dropped from the 39 A.
It was more often than not the case that the Council ladies had their own children minded by their grannies and their houses tended by themselves when they returned from Castleknock in the evenings.
No doubt the few bob they earned helped out greatly with their own family budgets,but were nowhere near the vastly superior sums earned by their posher Pravda sisters.
For years I was the key holder for Saint Brigid's GAA Club and was often called on by the Gardai to open the Clubhouse during the night to see what had caused the alarm to go off, usually a break in and robbery of drink and fags.
I couldn't help but notice that calls relating to domestic violence used come over the garda intecom and that they addressees given were rarely the Council estates but nearly always the posher areas.This amazed me as I expected the opposite,but there you go.
As regards health facilities ,life expectancy and material comfort the Castleknock area far surpasses the Mulhuddart and surrounding areas.It's fair to say that there is a fierce contrast in a few miles of road.
And then we come to the political representatives.Until Kerry man Joe Higgins appeared on the scene I cannot recall anyone from the Blanch side of the High Bridge running for,never mind succeeding to the Dail..
In fact Patrick Nulty is the only native I can recall getting there,if only for a short time.
It has struck me that none of the present representatives represent the reasonable views of the majority of the electors in the constituency in that all seem actively hostile to the Christian view of life,being either card carrying proponents of abortion or actively hostile to religion of any form.
And yet it is these very people who will shape the type of Ireland by passing legislation that suits themselves and not the vast majority of their constituent ,if the last census on religious belief is vaguely true.
For these reasons and to give the real locals a chance to have a genuine Blanch Representative I have been approached to run in the next election as an Independent and am strongly considering remounting the 39 Bus.
Anyhow my time there coincided with the development of several Council Estates and the start up of brand new communities in the area.
For much of the time I lived there I commuted to work by public transport,usually on the 39a bus if memory serves me properly.
The bus used wend its way through all the estates in the area before heading through Blanchardstown and Castleknock via Ashtown and down the Navan Road into the city centre.
After a while you got to know the regulars and you could discern a largish number of youngish mothers who daily boarded the bus in the Council Estates,dressed in their Sunday best (more Pennies than Pravda ) and exited from Myos to the Park gates in Castleknock.
From overheard conversations and general observation it became clear that they were employed by various well heeled Castleknock residents as pot wallopers ,child minders,cleaners and general factotums by professional ladies who powered dressed ,(more Pravda than Pennies),and made their way to the City to further their careers ,while their children were reared and their houses tended for by the ladies dropped from the 39 A.
It was more often than not the case that the Council ladies had their own children minded by their grannies and their houses tended by themselves when they returned from Castleknock in the evenings.
No doubt the few bob they earned helped out greatly with their own family budgets,but were nowhere near the vastly superior sums earned by their posher Pravda sisters.
For years I was the key holder for Saint Brigid's GAA Club and was often called on by the Gardai to open the Clubhouse during the night to see what had caused the alarm to go off, usually a break in and robbery of drink and fags.
I couldn't help but notice that calls relating to domestic violence used come over the garda intecom and that they addressees given were rarely the Council estates but nearly always the posher areas.This amazed me as I expected the opposite,but there you go.
As regards health facilities ,life expectancy and material comfort the Castleknock area far surpasses the Mulhuddart and surrounding areas.It's fair to say that there is a fierce contrast in a few miles of road.
And then we come to the political representatives.Until Kerry man Joe Higgins appeared on the scene I cannot recall anyone from the Blanch side of the High Bridge running for,never mind succeeding to the Dail..
In fact Patrick Nulty is the only native I can recall getting there,if only for a short time.
It has struck me that none of the present representatives represent the reasonable views of the majority of the electors in the constituency in that all seem actively hostile to the Christian view of life,being either card carrying proponents of abortion or actively hostile to religion of any form.
And yet it is these very people who will shape the type of Ireland by passing legislation that suits themselves and not the vast majority of their constituent ,if the last census on religious belief is vaguely true.
For these reasons and to give the real locals a chance to have a genuine Blanch Representative I have been approached to run in the next election as an Independent and am strongly considering remounting the 39 Bus.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
PRAYER NEEDED MORE THAN EVER.
In Dunderry Parish we have a number of people in urgent need of prayer at the moment ,not least my friend KIllian Minogue ,who is very ill in hospital folowing an accident involving a motor vehicle last wekend.
Two vigils were held in the Parish for him tonight.
Your continued prayers are sought for him and the other sick people in the Parish.
Two vigils were held in the Parish for him tonight.
Your continued prayers are sought for him and the other sick people in the Parish.
Sunday, March 1, 2015
Drumree 2-8 Dunderry 1-6
The first Dunderry hurling team to field at Senior level this long time appeared this evening at our own pitch against Drumree in the League.
Given that the management team was only put in place two weeks ago and that we only had one training session under new Manager Paddy Gorey since our ignominious exit from last year's club All Ireland Club at the hands of eventual winners Bennetsbridge it was a great tribute to the players and Paddy and his management team that we fielded at all.
But better late than never and the fact that our opponents will surely regard us as a soft touch for the rest of the year could stand to our advantage.
It was the sort of a day that if you closed your eyes and listened to the howling wind that bit through your clothing you could imagine you were nearer Donetsk than Dunderry.
The weather on that top pitch where I spectated was only brutal and I have the height of respect for our under 14 footballers who battled unsuccessfully against OLdcastle and our under 12 footballers who did a full training session in conditions that can only be described as sub Baltic.
Thanks to be God we have mentors who are still up for it.
Team.
Casey
Sprog Stephens Keenan Spongee Mc Cormack
Cathal Ryan Liam Dempsey Wright
C.Dempsey O Shea
J.Martin J.Moran Gilky
A.Walsh Harrow K.Bruton.
The referee is some man ,fair dues to him as he went straight from refereeing the under 14 match on the top pitch into the hurling match ,where he did a good job in difficult conditions.
We still have a core of basic fitness and stubborn resistance, if still lacking a good bit of stick and handling competency..But this can be put right with time.
The underlying will not to be beaten,the hallmark of this village for a century is still discernible.
Drumree are too a proud hinterland and were probably shocked to be pipped in the final Intermediate strait by us last year.
Pride was at stake here and both teams went at it hammer and tongs.No dirt and a minimum of mouthing on the pitch in what was essentially a slug fest from whistle to whistle.
With a twisted wind in their backs they bossed us around in the first half registering 2-4 to our 0-2 and deservedly so.Our boys took time to grow into the game and were not that confident in their own ability,full back line,which was exceptional ,excepted.And O Shea who had a humdinger.
I expected better in the second half and for twenty minutes we were lord and master.Harrow has magic hands and a first class hurling brain and we saw flashes of what could be routine for him with more dedicated exertion on the training field and I thought that Bruton was withdrawn too soon.
We were more into it in the second half and put them under severe pressure but just couldn't register enough on the scoreboard to narrow the gap enough to storm in front but were well on the way until a five minute lapse in concentration in the final quarter when they registered 4 points in succession and put themselves out of reach.
Having said that we never gave up the ghost and slugged it out to the bitter end but the margin of defeat accurately reflected the hard encounter.
Minogue,Mikie and Feeney got the nod from the bench and Feeney in particular gave it diddy.
Sprog,Spongee,O Shea and Liamie in patches were the pick of our men.
That is not to say that anybody shied away.no one did.but we have much too do and little time to do it.
But full marks for effort.
Footnote.
They say that if you want something done you should ask a busy man.Paddy Gorey,Daire Flanagan and Ted Dowd are busy men .
The Club has entrusted the management of the hurling team to them and to be absolutely clear they are doing the job in a purely voluntary capacity.
I know that they will give it a minimum of 100 per cent effort.
Given that the management team was only put in place two weeks ago and that we only had one training session under new Manager Paddy Gorey since our ignominious exit from last year's club All Ireland Club at the hands of eventual winners Bennetsbridge it was a great tribute to the players and Paddy and his management team that we fielded at all.
But better late than never and the fact that our opponents will surely regard us as a soft touch for the rest of the year could stand to our advantage.
It was the sort of a day that if you closed your eyes and listened to the howling wind that bit through your clothing you could imagine you were nearer Donetsk than Dunderry.
The weather on that top pitch where I spectated was only brutal and I have the height of respect for our under 14 footballers who battled unsuccessfully against OLdcastle and our under 12 footballers who did a full training session in conditions that can only be described as sub Baltic.
Thanks to be God we have mentors who are still up for it.
Team.
Casey
Sprog Stephens Keenan Spongee Mc Cormack
Cathal Ryan Liam Dempsey Wright
C.Dempsey O Shea
J.Martin J.Moran Gilky
A.Walsh Harrow K.Bruton.
The referee is some man ,fair dues to him as he went straight from refereeing the under 14 match on the top pitch into the hurling match ,where he did a good job in difficult conditions.
We still have a core of basic fitness and stubborn resistance, if still lacking a good bit of stick and handling competency..But this can be put right with time.
The underlying will not to be beaten,the hallmark of this village for a century is still discernible.
Drumree are too a proud hinterland and were probably shocked to be pipped in the final Intermediate strait by us last year.
Pride was at stake here and both teams went at it hammer and tongs.No dirt and a minimum of mouthing on the pitch in what was essentially a slug fest from whistle to whistle.
With a twisted wind in their backs they bossed us around in the first half registering 2-4 to our 0-2 and deservedly so.Our boys took time to grow into the game and were not that confident in their own ability,full back line,which was exceptional ,excepted.And O Shea who had a humdinger.
I expected better in the second half and for twenty minutes we were lord and master.Harrow has magic hands and a first class hurling brain and we saw flashes of what could be routine for him with more dedicated exertion on the training field and I thought that Bruton was withdrawn too soon.
We were more into it in the second half and put them under severe pressure but just couldn't register enough on the scoreboard to narrow the gap enough to storm in front but were well on the way until a five minute lapse in concentration in the final quarter when they registered 4 points in succession and put themselves out of reach.
Having said that we never gave up the ghost and slugged it out to the bitter end but the margin of defeat accurately reflected the hard encounter.
Minogue,Mikie and Feeney got the nod from the bench and Feeney in particular gave it diddy.
Sprog,Spongee,O Shea and Liamie in patches were the pick of our men.
That is not to say that anybody shied away.no one did.but we have much too do and little time to do it.
But full marks for effort.
Footnote.
They say that if you want something done you should ask a busy man.Paddy Gorey,Daire Flanagan and Ted Dowd are busy men .
The Club has entrusted the management of the hurling team to them and to be absolutely clear they are doing the job in a purely voluntary capacity.
I know that they will give it a minimum of 100 per cent effort.
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