Death of Fig.Conway.

It was a grand Spring day in Dunderry,weatherwise.I am just after poking my head out the door and it is invigorating and would make you feel good to be alive.

dunderry drumbeat

I am therefor saddened in the extreme to be the bearer of the bad news that my great friend Phil Conway died at c.1.00 a.m. this morning in Beaumount Hospital where he had been languishing these few weeks back.
I last saw Fig about a week before last Christmas and although shook he was well with it and had no contemplation nor expectation of imminent death.
He had recently come home after a 5 week stay in the Mater where he had been treated for swelling of the body.
He was told that the dreaded cancer was not back and that the medics could find no reason for the swelling.Having seen about 50 doctors he could get no answers and came home.
I  had arranged a few pints for myself and a few others a few days later and asked him to come.He was delighted and promised that he would.He never landed.
I knew then that things were not good.
Shortly afterward he was admitted to Beaumount and the inevitable followed.
There are indelible ties of friendship between the Conways and the Mc Cormacks ,my, mother's people ,that defy time and space,that have their genesis in hardship and history.
Fig's uncle Jack was an important and brave participant in the War of Independence.H e was active.
For years in the 1960.s and 1970,s Dunderry GAA Club used his field for matches and training at  time when my uncle Tommy Mc Cormack was Chairman.
It had by far the best playing surface of any pitch Dunderry ever used including the present one.
It is no coincidence that an active participant and patriot in the struggle against imperialism should help out another and more enduring perhaps movement for sovereignty ,the GAA,in furthering the common  ideal.
Fig was a life member of Dundery GAA Club and was upset that he did not  receive a notification of last year's AGM,a matter of considerable concern to him at the time.
I  was glad to be able to sooth his mind on this omission.
Eaten bread ought not be forgotten.
I am proud to be related to Fig,although this link is buried in the mists of time.
I will explore this link further but am assured that my grandfather and Fig's walked to Longwood for the funeral of  Pappy Conway ,another great GAA man in the 19th.century and that he was related to them equally.
We called to the house today.Anne was there.She is a great friend of my wife Agnes and they both lost another great friend Eileen Mc Nally recently.
Liam Harte and his wife Bernie,Anne's sister and a brother of theirs and his wife  were up and about and in a state of shock.
His sons were resting after their recent vigils by his bedside.
Liam and Bernie have been on hand these last weeks and have done more than anyone could to help out.
His grand kids were all there and it is common knowledge that he adored them and they him.
His mortal remains will be resting in the Chapel of Rest ,Old Johnstown from 3.00 to 5.30 on Friday ,leaving to arrive in Dunderry Church at 6.30.
Funeral Mass is at 11.30 on Saturday ,with removal after wards to Dunderry Cemetery.
To his wife ANNE,his sons Anthony,Sean and Philip ,his grandchildren Cillian,Clodagh and Daniel and his surviving siblings Paddy ,Seamus and Richie and sisters Sheila ,Lily ,Phylis,Teasie and Imrlda we offer our sincere condolences.
Ar Dheis De go raibh a hAnam Dilis.

A random Sunday.

This morning ,a Sunday,I  was tied up until noon when I  was able to face the world,which I did.Venturing out the gate I  observed a knot of people at the front of the Church.
Included in this knot was the Hormone and John Daly.Given that the 11.00a.m.Mass was long over I  asked the Hormone who was getting Christened."No one said he,twas my fathers anniversary Mass today."
It is hard to believe that Mickey is a year dead.
I  loved Mickey .He was a true gent.Uniquely all his sons and himself are life members of Dunderry GAA Club and he devoted a lifetime to promoting it.
Elsewhere I  have called for prayer for two beloved people who are suffering greatly.They too are life members, a man and a woman.
From there I went up to the pitch to get the end of an Intermediate football league match between ourselves and  Ballinabrackey.
With about 15 minutes to go it was a draw at 1-5 a piece.
The final 15 minutes were fought out fairly competitively ,overwhelmingly with hand pass after hand pass after hand pass from both sides and with kicking as rare as hens teeth.
Ballinabrackey levelled with the last kick of the game.
What I found more enlightening was a conversation I  had with a young lady from Iskaroon.She is based in AUSTRALIA,was in Spain on business's for her Australian employer and flew home for the weekend to see her folks.
She was in the company of her brother ,who is a chemist working on cancer treating chemotherapy preparations in a Dublin Hospital,who was educated in Scotland.He lives in Dunboyne and had his infant son with him at the match.
Like every child his age he found the biggest puddle there to jump in and soak himself.
The Dunderry team was short its only County player Paddy Kenneally ,who is away in New Zealand and his brother John Paul is away in Canada  at opposite ends of the world so to speak.
Both are reputed to be bursting with brains.
Talking of which I am given to understand that up to 5 Dunderrians will be studying medicine next year.
Lord we are some cosmopolitan village,with talent to beat the band.
Thence I  went to Mass in Johnstown,a Tridentine Latin Mass,where I  go now and again,WHEN i don't go to Dunderry.
The Mass is entirely in Latin ,you have a book with the English translation and the only non Latin language used is the" Kyrie"which is Greek.
So this morning I  heard English,Latin ,Greek ,Irish,"those gosoons are horrid young to be playing adult football"and Dunderrian "horrid young".
The attendees at the Tridentine Mass are far more religious than me and are Catholics in the truest sense.They abhor this Government and all the Parties who pushed through our Constitution the abortion laws which they equate TO  the Mass MURDER OF THE DEFENCELESS AND INNOCENT UNPROTECTED.
They consider themselves to be on the right side in this matter,a position on which I  agree.
Like myself they are dismayed with the watery defence of unborn life offered by our Bishops ,save Bishop Doran.
Personally I think that parts of the body politic are in thrall to  Satan and subject to Demonic Possession and that time will bear this out.
Regarding the football,we are at a crossroads,we picked up our first point today out of a possible 6.
There young lads have a hard road ahead of themselves and have to breach a gap in football nous ,which will be very challenging.
As I  understand it there is no relegation this year,but next year 3 teams will be coming down from Senior.
The Inter Championship will then be very hard to win,so its now or never maybe.
The County team is perking up with Andy Mc Entee at the helm.I  met him when he was over Dunboyne in 2005 and he is a sound guy.
His brother Gerry gave a great hand out to Brigids my former Club for years and made them a respected force in Dublin football when he was in charge.
Given the population of Meath it is time that a more solid marker was put down in football circles.
 

Prayers urgently needed.

As I write at least a brace of well regarded and loved Dunderrians are suffering the ravages of that most hateful of diseases and need all the support and prayers they can get.Oremus.