Judgement Day

After 100 days the blog's judgement on our Master's political promises  falls for review
(1)End to Repossessions and Evictions from residences in genuine cases
STILL GOING AHEAD.NO CHANGE.
(2)End to committal orders for people who genuinely cannot pay their debts.
STILL GOING AHEAD.NO CHANGE.
(3)End to economic emigration.
STILL GOING AHEAD.NO CHANGE.
(4)Reduce unemployment rate.
NO REDUCTION.IF ANYTHING NUMBER OF LONG TERM UNEMPLOYED IS GREATER.

One way of getting rid of rats was to place a number of them in a barrell,place a lid with air holes on it and go away for a suitable period.On the expiry of that period only one rat would be left.He would have killed the other rats and devoured them,in the process getting a taste for rat flesh.Releasing him or her in the infested area would soon clear it as he would turn predator on his own.
This recession is like that.Those without either financial clout or physical courage are being persecuted by private and state enforcers and grippers who threaten them at every hand's turn,rachet up the debt by court and other actions .spy constantly on their victims and drive their quarry to despair or worse.The more vicious are getting a taste for it.
There is no Robin Hood for the unfortunate victims and many are heading away just to get a night's sleep in any country bar Ireland.
The recent urging by the Finance Minister to spend ,spend ,spend leaves a sour taste in the mouths of the despairing.Are these guys becoming detached from reality so soon?
My view is that no genuine person should be evicted from his residence,nor jailed because he cannot genuinely pay a monetary fine nor debt,nor be left short of the necessities of life.
Not much to ask for but seemingly beyond the competence of our home grown masters,who continue to farm us for the benefit of the Europhiles.

Sold a Shitty Pup

I have earlier alluded to the fact that Fine Gael  in particular courted the farming community  for their votes in the run up to the last election.Reports suggest that they got about 70% of the vote.They were particularly anxious in this constituency to portray themselves as the very best friends of rural residents in such matters as :-
(1)Reversing the ban on stag hunting.
(2)Preserving the rural way of life
(3)Setting up a fund to defray the cost of challenging Eirgrid in their plan to run the pylons over the ground.(I personally heard this commitment given by their representative at an anti -pylon meeting prior to the election).
Unless I have been asleep there is no sign of 1 or 3 above being attended to and they are meeting the I.F.A to ease in the Shite tax.
Presumably those well known rural pursuit individuals who organised support for  Fine Gel will now have the decency to pursue  reversal of  this tax and will be as vocal in this now as they were in other matters beforehand.
Lads ye were sold a pup .Have the decency to say it loud and often.
As for the votes garnered and promises made in relation to Navan Hospital,promises that did not materialise ,nor were never likely to be delivered ,I hope that those T.D.s that opportunistically led the protests now have the honesty to admit that they sold a pup to the electorate.
I am flattered to see that some of my proposals for reform of the health services (see earlier blog on Health Policy) have now been taken on board by some commentators.Look lads,take them all on board and the problems will be solved overnight.
Another suggestion.Put mothers of seven or more ,who have raised their children on modest income, in charge of each ward in all hospitals.I'd say they wouldn't be long getting them shipshape.
And finally gonad politics is making its debut.How in the name of all that's holy ought the the shape of a person's gonads be a factor in determining suitability for political office,or indded any job.Will we see sex change operations by aspiring male politicans to make selection for office easier.And just who will check the shape of the individual's gonads to see that they meet the criteria.
Another pup being touted for sale.

Dunderry V Walterstown Feis Cup Dunderry tuesday 21/6/2011

On this the longest day of the year,there was a fierce shower of rain for an hour before the match.The pitch was covered in water for a while but was rock hard underneath and the lads were busy with forks and prods trying to drain away the water.It worked and the match went ahead.
Team.
                                                   Jennings
Lar Callaghan                             Red Callaghan                     Mc Cormack

Harte                                           Stephens                              Garry
                                  Fay                                Peadar Callaghan

Andy Coogan                              Ivan Mc Cormack                Bob Doherty

Keith Callaghan                           Stephen Coogan                   Swiss Clarke.

This was a fair game of football given the conditions,with the ball changing from end to end.Good standard I thought played in a very sporting manner.We led for most of the first half and Walterstown were lucky to garner 2 points in the first 20 minutes ,due to 2 very soft frees given by the referee against us.They actually went in 2 points up as they got a goal and point in the last five minutes of the half. Score at half time .Walterstown 1--03 to 0--5.
Lar went off with an injury after 10 minutes to be replaced by Slatts.
In a ding dong second half we outplayed them on the score board to win by two.Kelleher,Conaty ,Ke   nneally and Owen Dempsey replaced Keith ,Ivan, Andy and Alan Garry.
The full back line was solid with Davy Mac excelling,,the half back line excellent particularly Stephens and Harte ,the former delivering several long range foot passes to the inside forwards,the mid field on top mostly and Swiss ran himself into thr ground in his roving role contributing a number of fine points.
It was a tough day for fowards,the backs having the advantage in the weather conditions, but they eked out enough hard earned scores to pull ahead in the last five minutes.We won by 1-09 to 1-07.
It may seem a low score but in the conditions it was fine,most of the match being played in drizzle.It is telling that our lads were applauded from the field ,something you don't see every day.
Good day in office.
Report on hurling match v Rathmolyn cooking.     

Dunderry V Carnaross I.F.C.

Venue .Parc.Tailteann, Navan 11/06/2011.

Pitch in great condition. No wind. Overcast.

Was there at 6.00,half hour before kick off as didn’t want to be in queue because of dodgy leg and inability to walk far.Went in players entrance because cannot pass through styles.Whatever thought I might have entertained that free admission might apply disappeared, with money man nearly snatching hand off along with tenner.

Went to practise pitch to see lads warming up.The Barr,T.Garry ,Legend,Con and Pip all there.Phil Fay ,Seamin and Jack Devine and Billy casting benevolent eye.Jack remarking to me”Hoping HE didn’t come.”HE being  “hard luck”,a private joke from time I was on line as Sec. And he as P.R.O.You know the way it is.If some lads make a hames of it it is “hard Luck”,if other guys do the same it is “what a fucking gobshite.”Funny enough when things are going well hard luck stays at home.

There is a small crowd on the stand and about four on the terrace opposite the stand.No one at the back of each goal.

The Team.

                                                    David Jennings

                                                    (son of Pat)

Kevin Slattery                    Darren (Red) Callaghan        Davy Mc Cormack

(son of Bill)                          (Oliver)                                     (Noel)

Colm Harte                         Evan Stephens(Finn)              Alan Garry

(Jim)                                      (Daithi)                                     (Michael the bear)

                   David Callaghan(Lar)          Darren Fay

                             (Michael)                     (Allstar)

Andy Coogan                     Kevin Dowd (Ted)                   Damian Clarke (Swiss)

(Tony Calfer)                      (Tommy)                                    (Vincent)

Stephen Coogan(Fairhill)                Paddy Kenneally                      Keith Callaghan

(Christy)                                               (Stan)                                         (Gerry)

I set out the names of the fathers as some of the blog viewers may not know the present generation.

The big men for Carnaross would be Ollie Murphy,John L Mc Gee,the Nugent brothers and Comaskey who must be the best midfielder in Meath(how he is not on the Meath team is beyond me ).To add spice to the occasion my brother Alan is manager of Carnaross.Winner take all.

Murphy has number 14 on his back.Mc Gee number 11.As anticipated they switch positions before the throw in.Idea would be to hit ball in high to Mc Gee who is taller than Red.

The ball is in the game is on.

We earn free from throw in.Fairhill collects and to Fay who lets in long ball to Keith.Ball breaks but we fail to capitalise and a free out awarded against us.Missed opportunity.Carnaross work ball down wing,cut out by Garry to Swiss to Ted and Carnaross retrieve it ,send in long towards Mc Gee but it is cut out by Finn who passes to Jennings to Slatts to Mc Cormack to Andy who lets long ball in.  Kenneally wins ball and earns free about 30 yards out, half way between sideline and centre.Fairhill converts free from ground.Good score from his  wrong side.Lar wins break from kickout to Fairhill to Garry to Keith who scores a minor.Broken play ends with Fay hitting wide from 50 yards.Carnaross win free from kickout .No dirty play but their man goes down.From free Carnaross play keep ball and take a point from play 40 yards out.We earn ball and Slatts to Finn to Harte to Kenneally who takes fine point forty yards out.Another player from the border down.Are they carrying a lot of injuries?We disposses Carnaross fron kickout but they retrieve the ball around the middle.Finn runs back in front of Mc Gee but ball worked to Murphy and interplay ends with Mc Gee in possession.He kicks wide under pressure.They win free from kickout and let it in quick to Mc Gee who fluffs shot.Ball gathered by Davy Mac .Keepball played and Fairhill misdirects ball to opposition.Long ball to Mc Gee who again misses from close in.Another border man on ground.Must be a plague of injuries.Carnaross 10 wins ball to 8 who converts.Carnaross win kickout and send to McGee who is fouled.They convert free.Three points each.Carnaross  win kickout but lose possession to Harte ,to Fay,whose long ball is mopped up by their full back line.They play keepball and eventually send long ball to Mc Gee who lays ball off for point.Ball collected by Stephens who hits long to Keith 40 yards out and he shoots short to goalie.They build from the goals and long ball to Mc Gee wide.Stephens is trying to cover back in front of Mc Gee to stem flow to him.This is leaving Murphy space.Different plan needed.Short kickout to Finn,to Davy Mac,to Garry.Gets tough shoulder and ball breaks to Carnaross.They lose ball to Red,to Swiss to Lar,to Kenneally.Fouled.Quick fre beaks to them and into our full back line.Slatts gathers,to Fay,to Coogan,to Lar,to Fay,long ball in to Kenneally,who is fouled near corner flag.Fairhill to Andy to Swiss,whose shot breaks to Ted to Harte .Wide of posts and free to us from edge of D straight in front of goal.Fairhill converts.We win ball from kickout and work to Fairhill who hits post with shot.Carnaross break and send long to McGee who shoots wide.We win throw in from disputed free and work ball to Kenneally who makes brave burst but is dispossessed and ball worked to Mc Gee,who is surrounded by our lads and can’t get shot in.He passes out and ball shot wide.Stephens and Garry switch. Swiss wins kick out and is fouled.Another border man down.From broken play Kenneally passes to Fairhill.who score from play.Good point.They win kivkout and work ball to Murphy who offloads it. Kicked wide.Carnaross win free from kickout and long ball to corner,where they lift from ground and concede free.From broken play Mc Gee scores a minor from a free.They win kickout but Ted retrieves to Fay to Harte to Kenneally to Fairhill.Point.Ball breaks to Garry,to Swiss to Harte to Kenneally ,dispossessed.Ping pong football up and down the field ends when Keith gathers ball,sidesteps marker and takes a minor. 0-7 to 0-5 in our favopur.Half time whistle blows.

Very average football that half.But great to be ahead.

Dunderry later on field than Carnaross.Must be a bollicking going on.No changes in personnel apparent.From throw in ball worked to Ted,who hits post and wide.They win kickout and pass  to Murphy who passKto 9 is cleverly diverted by Fay to kenneally.who shoots wide.Fay breaks ball to Coogan.to Kenneally who atones for last miss with a minor from 45 yards..WE win break from kickout.Coogan to Dowd to Garry whose pass is intercepted.Work ball to Mc Gee.Red forces shot .Wide.Dunderry backs surround Carnaross forwards and stifle them.Ball got by Finn,to Slatts,to Kenneally.Beaten by bounce.Ball back in to our half .Stephens wins it and to Jennings.We counterattack and they do.Ends with a carnaross wide.More end to end play terminates with another McGee wide.Fay wins kickout and sends long ball to Ted ,to Kenneally whose shot is deflected for a 50.Fairhill converts. (His ma is seen texting Conor Counihan). 0-9 to 0-5 in our favour.

Stephens to lar who lets in long.Carnaross intercept and work to Mc Gee who is quickly closed down and shot diverted for a 50,which they send wide.Murphy picked up by Davy Mac as he hovers around the full forward line..Garry on 15.Red fiollows Mc Gee further out.They work ball in but good defending forces a wide.Carnaross win break and register a good point from play.Ivan Mc Cormack and Bob Doherty on for Ted and Keith.Mc Gee gathers kickout and to Murphy who lays it off.Shot wide.Slatts off ,Peadar Callaghan(son of Henry) on.Lar gone full back.Attack and counter attack end when a quick free to Fairhill is converted.Mc Gee wins ball from kickout and keepball by both sides end with Fairhill wide from play.Period of keepball end with move involving Stephens,Fay and Fairhill,who scores magnificient point.(Counihan’s helicopter has landed).That was a great move capped by a magnificient point.Another Carnaross man is down.No reason.must be shipping big injury list.Mc Gee back in full.Red in close attendance.Murphy back out with Lar in close attendance.Ball worked to Ivan who sends to Coogan.Wide.Lar moves back on Mc Gee.Paddy Kenneally off.J.P. his brother replaces him.Murphy wins kickout and ball worked to Mc Gee who goals.0-11 to 1-06 to the Fort of the Oaks.We work ball to Fay who scores debut point ,I think,for Dunderry.KIckout won by Finn to Swiss to Bob,who mishits and Carnaross intercept.Broken play and clever interpassing by Dunderry earn another Fairhill point from play.Fay moves back on Mc Gee and Trevor Conaty on for Andy Coogan.Every ball is desperately contested and Murphy hits wide.4 minutes left 4 points in it.Dunderry play keepball and through a succession of players work ball to Ivan who scores a minor.Carnaross fight back and earn close  free.We line goals and they take point.Murphy has argument with himself.They play on and secure a minor.Final whistle blows.

Ref.Watch.

Did well I thought.Was seemingly instructed on his job during course of game.(not by us I hasten to add)

Post Mortem.

I have nothing but praise for both teams.On mature reflection afterwards it struck me that there would be only one of the starting fifteen who could say for definite that  he had work to go to on Monday morning.I understand that Carnaross have  been badly hit by emigration also.I heard after that another local team will be missing 6 of their starting 15 for their next outing and yet another has been ravaged similarly..

How these young men stick it I cannot understand.And I must say that our politicians have no consciences to let this state of affairs continue.They are utterly shameless .Only the clubs are keeping a lid on the energies of the prime of our youth there would be social revolution.The way things are shaping the country will be devoid of Irishmen soon and a whole generation gone.The clubs will have to take a lead here and start pressurising the political classes to get their fingers out.

I therefor take my hat off to both sides for the contest and bow to the fortitude of all the players and mentors.The first half was not great but the second half was entertaining.We are a work in progress and will improve,as indeed we must.From now on it is knock out for us.We must win all the matches to stay in.For Carnaross it is an end to this year’s dream.

Post post mortem.

A confluence of circumstances lifted poverty from misery’s back last Saturday.The post match conference lined up with a 40^th birthday in Horans.Nance was bustling behind the bar,the people got merry on little as drink is so rarely imbibed now and a great night was had.Of such are memories made.

Rumour has it that the Pylon people are active locally and despite opposition are using all legal means to push their case.They are not welcome in Dunderry,Any of ye abroad affected should note.

Incidentally all the politicians promises made before the last elections in this regard are like last winter snow-evaporated.Par for the course i’d say.

Helllo to Brian in New York and all the emigrants who tune in wherever ye are.

Brian Lenihan R.I.P.

I never met this man.I did however meet his late father.When we were all at home in Blanchardstown years ago and most of the eleven people living in 4 Tolka View were eligible to vote,Brian Senior often lingered to extract the vote.Which he would usually get,it must be said.He was very influential in securing the Morgan Schools grounds for St.Brigids G.A.A.Club in the early seventies as he used his influence to overcome the reverse bias then evident in the G.A.A. Club's attempts to secure the playing fields of a Protestant boarding school.
My late mother Peggy did however meet him and had reason to have recourse to him.Were she alive I would have sought her permission to relate this and I would have said nothing about his demise ,but both are now dead and I feel it only fair to give credit where it is due.
For a period after my late father's death and during a period when Fianna Fail was in Government with the now defunct P.D.s Blanchardstown was a village of elderly widows.Around this time the new motorway behind my mother's house in Tolka View had opened and this gave ready access to certain persons of low breeding to my mother's house ,which was burgled a number of times .She was one frightened lady,as were her neighbours.
Anyhow the building at the top of the lane,which formerly housed Jemmy Godley's clothes shop and A.I.B. was vacant and plans were afoot to make it into a probation service depot and a drug addddict  drop in unit.You can see that this would have inspired huge anxierty in a road of elderly widows.
Never one to lie down,my mother wrote to the relevant minister outlining her anxieties .
She told me that she got the most insulting and belittling response she ever suffered. She was so upset thar she burned it so I cannot say whether the Minister or one of his minnions wrote it  but its effect was that not only would the plans not be changed ,but that such a combination of services would enhance the lives of the residents.This is called negotiation by putting your boot on the throat of the other party.
No doubt the writer selflessly passed up the opportunity to have such a service beside his own home.Incidentally since I reverted to civil society I have found that there are pockets of the Public Service which treat ordinary people as gobshites if they think they can get away with it ,so such a reply comes as no surprise to me now.   
This is where the late Brian Lenehan came in.She contacted him,explained the position to him and the matter was resolved in a manner befitting the situation.
Ar dheis De go raibh a anam dilis.

Dunderry V Carnaross I .F.C.

We won by three and deserved it.The Fairhill boy ,grandson of Jimmy and Molly ,son of Christy and a half O Roirdan was outstanding.Full report must my return to sobriety.

The flying shite.

I know a fellow who married in the early  nineteen seventies.He had little money and built a snug prefab in his parent’s garden.It was made from wood and rested on concrete pillars an average of three feet from the ground.It was fairly well insulated and cool in summer and warm enough in winter.Heated by electric storage heaters it was the grandest.It was plumbed for water and sewage.Because it was raised from the ground the service pipes had to insulated or they would freeze in winter.While he lived there he maintained the insulation on the pipes and heated the building in winter and the pipes never froze.

It served them well and they moved on.As he had many siblings and as space was constrained in the family home next door two of his younger brothers were glad to move in.They were either at school or college and had very little money.None of us had.In fact the two chairs they owned were rescued from a nearby river when it was flooded.The storage heaters were disconnected because they couldn’t pay for the electricity and the lagging around the service pipes fell off.

In the summers this made no difference but in winter the water within the building used freeze including the water in the toilet bowl.You get the picture.

The clothes line was immediately opposite the bathroom window and about ten feet distant.

One freezing winter’s day the water in the jacks was frozen,as was a brown trout embedded in the water.One of the lads was in a bad way to make a deposit.He hacked through the ice including the trout,placed it in a plastic bag and in his haste flung it out the window.His mother was advancing towards the clothes line and ducked as the parcel nearly took the head off her.”What in the name of God is that” she asked.”Well that mother is what’s known as a flying shite”.was the accurate reply.

Now Hogan the minister for whatever he is minister for has recently announced a plethora of future charges,about which more anon,including a tax on septic tanks.So as we can be clear on this a septic tank is built by a householder on his own property to process human waste generated by the household at no cost to the State.All the maintainance is paid by the householder.

We as a nation send monies to third world countries to improve hygiene and human waste disposal for reasons of good health practise.People here dig septic tanks for the same reason.Before their advent in rural Ireland people relieved themselves in the open air in all weather.Even the elderly.

Now Philo of the ranchers and  Eamo of the workers  (assuming they say the same in public and privyate) intend taxing us for this priveledge.It  was for this they were voted in.No doubt Angela and Nicholas and our good friends in Europe will pat them on the back(side)  for such innovative thinking and our spineless politicos and senior public servants will report this innovative move to the American diplomats and Euro masters as further evidence of our passivity.I can hear them say”we have them scared shitless”to the guffaws.

For myself I intend to go alfresco from the introduction of the charge and show the politicos who vote it in what I think of them by sending to them in their clinics or wherever they hide,once a week in rotation one only flying shite  as my contribution and I urge ye all to do the same.

Henceforth every time Philo comes to my attention I will think Philo an Caice. It might stick. 

Death of Margaret Mc Namara

The above ,a native of Scariff,Co.Clare,died peacefully in the tender care of her nephew Mick Minogue,his wife Miriam,their children Killian and Aoife and a close knit circle of  relatives and friends on Friday June 3rd 2011 in the Minogue household at Athboy Road,Dunderry.
Margaret was eighty years young,had spent about twelve years in America and lived most of her life in her native Scariff.
She came to visit the Minogue household last Christmas twelve months and would not be the first visitor to be smitten with the charms of Dunderry,as she liked it so much ,much to the delight of the Minogues ,she decided to prolong her visit.
She fitted right in with life here and took great pleasure in watching the young Minogues ply their wares on the hurling and camogie fields,usually accompanied by that lady from the hurling bastion of Dublin,Miriam who would have filled in the gaps in her hurling knowledge.
I had the great pleasure of meeting her many times and until recently she could give as good as she got in the verbal stakes.She never handed in her gun and fought the good fight uncomplainingly right up to the end of her sojourn in this life.
I have no doubt that she is quietly and with a twinkle in her eye having a chinwag with those who went before her, under the protection of the lord.
She was a lady.
She is survived most immediately by her sister Beatrice ,aged 83 years and Des Ferguson,her husband  ,who with their son Peter made the massive journey from the United States at short notice to attend the funeral,a large number of nephews and nieces and inlaws and other relatives.
Her remains are reposing in Minogue's house and will leave for Scariff at eleven a.m Sunday for Longs funeral home for five o clock ,where she will lie in repose until she is received in Scariff Church at seven thirty.The funeral Mass will be at 11.30 a.m. on Monday.

Ar deis De go mbeidh a anam dilis.          

DEATH OF ANNETTE COFFEY.

Annette Coffey,wife of Colin and mother of Barry,Serena and Calvin died at midday on Thursday June 2nd.at home,after a long illness suffered bravely and with stoicism.She and indeed her husband are from long established and well respected Dunderry families,he from the Yellow Walls and she from the Meadstown Road.
Her maternal grandfather Tom Byrne worked with my late uncle Tommy Mc Cormack and the late Larry Stanley in the Boles family farm a lifetime ago.I allude to this because as a child I heard many good reports about her people,which were borne out a hundredfold when we moved here to live and got to know her and her family.Many will recall the devotion Tom's widow had to his memory as she visited his grave twice daily as long as she was able.
Annette had a long and brave battle with her illness,had a zest for life thar was infectious and irrepressible and we, her neighbours and friends ,hoped and prayed that she would prevail in her herculean battle, which she fought with all guns blazing.She was hugely assisted in this battle by her devoted husband and children,her extended family,in laws and a close coterie of friends,all of whom did what they could to butress her resolve.
Even when sick she was great company,a joy to have the banter with and had a great sense of humour.Last summer for an afternoon we shot the breeze in our front garden over tay and she cheered me up.
She was a hard grafter when she could work and no job was too daunting for her.She was highly praised as a mother,wife and homemaker and well deserved all the accolades that have flown and will flow her way.All her neighbours and friends will miss her and words alone cannot capture the desolation that must be felt by those close to her ,whose loss is immeasurable.
Pre- deceased by her father Padna,who kept a mean goal for Dunderry G.A.A,Club in his day she is alse survived by her mother Patsi,sisters Noreen and Loretto (both England),uncle Francis (Scotland) and a large number of other relatives.
She is being waked today at home from three o clock and will be buried tomorrow Saturday after mid-day Mass in Dunderry Church.
Ar deis De go mbeidh a anam dilis.

D.P.S.

Dunderry V Woulfe Tones I.H.C.Kilmessan 7.30. Sat.21/05/2011.

Pitch in perfect nick.Conditions ideal for hurling.Bite in the weather.Strong wind blowing down pitch from pavilion end.

Dunderry.

                                               C.Farrell

D.Stephens                        D Mc Cormack                   D.Bruton.

D.Callaghan                       E.Stephens                         C.O.Shea

                            K.Minogue          B.Wright.

K.Bruton                           D.Geraghty                         D.Keenan

P.Gorey.                                          B.Doherty                            C.Harrington

Tones score from play after three minutes,with stong wind in their backs.From puck out Tones earn a line ball,which is well struck but works its way to Geraghty ,who does well to part to Doherty,breaking his stick in the process.Ball back out to Dunderry half back line where we earn free.Minogue takes and it lands in Tones 21 yard line .Comes back out.O Shea manages to hold on to ball and passes to Geraghty to Keenan to Harrow.His shot blocked resulting in seventy to us.Minogue hits it ,lands on 14,pulled on .Wide.Puck out to our half back line.Well gathered by Davy Mac.Tones pick up clearance.Wide.Puck out lands midfield.free against us 80 yards from our goal for chopping.From free ball won by Tones 13.Goal.Ref .gives free wrongly to Tones as two lads become accidentally entangled and Tones man falls more convincingly.Point to Tones.Finn,Red.Davy Mac deliver ball in turn  to inside forwards.Tones backs repel attacks.Eventually Gorey passes to Minogue.Wide from play.Puck out lands in our full back line.Davy S.gathers to Finn to O Shea.Dispossessed.Tones 13 gathers and scores a minor.Broken play ensues resulting in a Tones wide from play.Tones are playing ducks and drakes with us ,but overelaborate and O Shea wins ball to Bruton Kevin,hits low towards goal,breaks to Gorey who fires in and Keenan finishes to net.Finnn earns free ,takes it himself,won by Doc.Wide.Finn breaks ball to Geraghty.Fouled.Wright hits well.More broken play ends when Gorey hits wide from play.Tones fullback line are defending well.Ball worked to Dunderry end,where Tones 11 scores friom play.Finn’s free won by Gorey who loses ball then recovers and scores a fine point.Tones miss a seventy yard free.More broken play ends when Tones 13 score a minor.Tones miss another scorable chance.Stephens D. And Bruton D.Switch.Red to Wright to Gorey to Bob.Point from play.Davy Mac to Geraghty,who makes ground and barely misses.Geraghty fouled 75 yards from Tones goal.Keenan takes free.Barely wide.O Shea wins ball on second attempt,to Gorey to Doherty.Barely wide.After missing a blatant back push on Red the ref is struck by the ball( a spectator says “not half f....in hard enough “ thinking of the push on Red) and throws it in.Wide to Tones.Wright wins ball ,to Finn,Fouled .Keenan free lands on 21 and is cleared by Tones.After broken play half time is blown.Tones 01-06.Dunderry 01-02.Strong wind to come in our favour in the second half.We have a chance.

From throw in Finn fouled.Keenan scores free.DAithi S.penalised for foul on 13.Tones score free.Tones have moved 15 ( Curtis ) back as sweeper behind their half back line.Dunderry do not take him up.Wins puck out.From broken play O Shea wins ball,hits over shoulder and Geraghty makes superb catch,long ball to Doc.Point.Tones man is down ,seems greviously wounded.Tones players try to tell ref.his job.Big mistake.Makes miraculous recovery.Free to Tones.Not clear why.Red blocks to Finn to MInogue,outnumbered 3 to 1 ,Bruton gives master shoulder.Blown.Free wide.Tones score point from free after missing a chance from play.Tones score good point from play.Dunderry are not playing man to man and match is drifting away.Bruton D penalised for fair shoulder.Tones score.Period of broken play ensues,culminating in foul on Finn.Takes free himself,breaks off Doc., to Bruton K.Wide.BRuton pulls overhead on ball,Tones man goes to catch.Contact made.Second yellow and then red to Bruton.Tough call.Tougher job ahead.Swiss and Eoinie Mac are on for Minogue and Harrow.Davy Mac and Keenan pump ball into Tones full back line ,come out just as quick.Dunderry forwards outnumbered.Finn hits wide from play.Tones score two long distance points from play.After a Finn wide from play ,Swiss passes ball to Gorey who takes a minor.Tones repel Dundery attacks and are playing keep ball.Dunderry look foolish.Too many Tones defenders for too few Dunderry attackers.We earn free which Doherty buries.Ownie fouled.Keenan converts point.Tones score a minor from a free.Gorey gets possession and is fouled.Tones 13 is looking for action off the ball .He find it and falls.Umpires consulted.Play properly resumes.Point taken.Three points down.Have we time.We don’t .Full time.

Post mortem.

I think we hit seventeen wides.Wouldn’t be great.When Tones played a sweeper behind their half back line in second half we did not counteract it.There is no point in having two extra backs when playing with the wind,which we seemed to have had  for all the second half.Also some of our players will have to sharpen up on fitness.Tones deserved their victory and played way better than they did in the league.In the white heat of championship hurling the men stand out and the boys ,if they want and are interested,learn what is what.If it was played again I would give our lads and selectors the nod.All concerned will have to up the ante for the remaining matches and team selection and sideline switches ,from Goalie out will need to be ruthless.We still have a chance.

Ref .Watch.

The ref.believes that hurling is a man’s game and refereed it accordingly.Had no bias as far as I could see.Aside from sly back push on Red and penalising us when legs got entangled no major complaints.Hard on Bruton I thought.Anyone who knows the man would know that it was accidental.He can hold his own but is not nor never was a dirty player. 

The Queen, The Presidents, The ex Taoiseach, The Master of the High Court, The United Nations, The European Court of Human Rights, the Rossport people and all that.

We had a surfeit of events in the last weeks.In all these things the use of language ought be studied closely and the emphasis of language considered.

Firstly what our Taoiseach did in cogging the words of Obama was just that,cogging and cannot be dressed up otherwise.Butty Mrs.Mc Cabe ,who taught in Tullaghans town a lifetime ago would have and did slap the hands of those caught copying the work of others.Might I suggest that he study the campaign of his countymen in Rossport in  Mayo ,digest the fortitude and dignity of their unequal campaign against the combined might of a multi billion corporation and an antagonistic State and address the world in the manner of Pat “The Chief “O Donnell,who earns the title  “chief “if ever a man did.The T.G.4 documentary “Pioba” was excellent and shows a degree of moral conviction that I thought was dead.

Whatever about persuading our Economic masters to be kind to us ,a matter over which he appears to have accepted he has no control, it is eminently within his control to stop the persecution of his Countymen and he should.

Now to the Queen.Firstly let me say that her predecessors could not have governed this Country and indeed many others ,without the very active support of many Irish men and women for the best part of a millennium.Indeed I read a column produced by a paper owned by a knight of the realm ,which implied  that as the murderers of the unarmed players and spectators in Croke Park were Irish members of the R.I.C. that the Brits were not fully  responsible.This is called denial.

I would say therefor that there are a substantial number of the descendants of Empire servers who have a hankering for the Monarchy and would revert to that status had they the chance and who would pay homage given approval.Indeed given the feudal droit de signeur that must have been practised here by the English landlords for centuries ,as it was in Scotland, there may well be a d.n.a connection to the “motherland” as well as a hankering.And indeed the multiplicity of informers who gave up their neighbours for centuries still seem well represented here as evidenced by the increase of this activity in these strained times.

Anyhow the ring of steel thrown about herself  and the martial law conditions applied to her in Dublin makes it clear that our leaders know full well that she was  not universally  welcome and attempts by pet commentators to  brand those opposed to the visit as immature and those approving it as mature was pure bullshit.As was the implication that history should be ignored in her regard.

The GAA had it right .It is primarily a sporting and cultural organisation and why foreign sovereigns and other competing Irish sporting organisations feel that they must perform there as a kind of right of passage is beyond me.The Ulster delegates who stayed away were dead right.It is not that long since the Sovereign’s army did all they could to intimidate the Gaels of Crossmaglen and harass those playing the games ,out of nothing but pure badness.

I particularly enjoyed Christy Cooney’s speech when he said that the Queen honoured the GAA by coming to Croke Park..Fair dues to him ,he was the only one to mention the Bloody Sunday murders there.

There must be several Sean Kellys (former GAA president .MEP and purported candidate for the Presidency) as he seemed to have his head in every shot and photograph.Talk about self promotion.

The presentation of a hurley to her husband was apt.When she goes home she might display it to her policemen ,who recently hassled a friend of mine who was using one to practise his stroke with in London.They regarded it as an offensive weapon.

The nadir of the visit for me was when our President reverted to peasant status when her Majesty used the few Irish words she did use and our Mainin not once but twice mouthed the word “wow”.After this performance by her ,the sight of her predecessort in all her finery ,the continuing drain on the taxpayer that will arise from her pension and her husband’s Senate salary and the reported £30 million her invitation to the queen to visit cost us, I think that this ceremonial  post should be abolished .The few real powers that pertain to it could be absorbed by any of the other highly paid office holders we elect.

Having said all that the queen is some woman for her age and the endless hand shaking she does for her country makes it understandable why so many of the English love her.

Personally I am indifferent to her personally,cannot see that parading her behind a ring of steel would encourage tourism from England and think that as a symbol of her race she really ought have apologised ,by saying the words “sorry “ or “Apologise” for the actions of her countrymen here over the centuries.Words are important.

 Now to Obama.Thou shall not kill is a commandment I believe in.If it is true that he gave the command to shoot Osama in the head when unarmed then he is in violation of this commandment.There is something wrong about our elected leaders cosying up to Obama on the one hand and condemning others who also broke the same commandment.What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

You will note that past memory and the lessons of history were most important in Obama’s case and no suggestion arose that it would be mature to forget his historical connection with Ireland.

Obama ,from the aspect of his Kenyan father and his Irish Moneygall ancestor is doubly marked in that that both these nations were colonised by the English.The least he could do for us is to legitimise the illegal Irish in the States and ameliorate the harsh regime applied to them.

This man has charisma and a gift with words.If he uses it for good the world will be a better place.If he doesn’t use it for good then God help us as he has the capacity to make the barbaric seem acceptable and even proper.

If he is ever at a loose end he can have a few pucks of the sliotar with Philip ,now that both have hurleys.

I don’t know about you,but I find the targeting and  killing of a man,his wife and his children extremely distasteful.It is something that the Mafia have been condemned for and  is not something legitimate countries should be involved in if they are to retain any moral authority.The use of such words as “taking out “,”neutralising””collateral damage””removing””forcing regime change”etc does not alter the nature of the deeds.    

Then again it seems to me that once you erode respect for human life ,especially the life of preborn humans ,as many so called civilised countries have done it is but a short step to rationalise the taking of other life not approved of also.I suspect that taking such life by remote control from far away is not difficult once you have no moral scruples and that such scruples as are held are mollified by the remove from the scene.

Ireland should reconsider its support of the United Nations,The European Court of Human Rights ,The European Union and all other organisations who disrespect human life so much that they are pushing our leaders to make legal the murder of perfectly viable pre born humans.In no circumstances should we join forces with those countries whose disrespect for defenceless life is spreading apace.

The death of the ex Taoiseach.There is no convenient time to die and the death of Garrett Fitzgerald is to be mourned.History will evaluate his legacy.As with all matters liberal the pet journalists of print and electronics were as effusive in their praise of him as they were of another favourite of theirs ,the late Gerry Ryan.

Unlike Gerry he had time to plan his funeral and his undoubted and much lauded intellect clearly led him to conclude that the Catholic take on life and death is the correct one,as evidenced by his burial according to Catholic rites.This despite his campaigns to directly weaken basic catholic morals enshrined in the Constitution.

His capacity for intellectual acrobatics is way above my comprehension as I heard him state that divorce and the dissolution of marriage would strengthen the institution of marriage..This appears to me to be a non sequiter.Surely if you tear apart what god has joined together you are undermining the sacrament.

One thing is certain and that is he had medical support that most of us can only envy.The list of medics and nursing staff thanked at his funeral was comprehensive and extensive.He attended the Mater Private,the standard of whose care ought be the norm for all the people not just ex Taoisigh.

 Finally the I.F.A.who were duped by the present government pre election and whose members voted over 70 to 30 in their favour now realise that  that we do live in an open prison governed by disfunctional politicians and bureaucrats.It didn’t take as long for the penny to drop as I suspected..As predicted the only difference in the change over is the number of knots on the whip and the frequency of the lash and the little people really don’t matter

 The one person who told the unadulterated truth lately was the Master of the High Court who witnesses on a daily basis the torture gratuitously  inflicted by lazy  financial institutions and State bodies on impoverished people.This stems from the disdain these instiutions hold for ordinary people and their fear to deal with them in a humane and compassionate manner.The leaders of these institutions and the new Government are blinded like rabbits in headlights of a hunters car and are convinced that it would be outlandish to trust people to make morally proper decisions.It is easier for a debtor to push a broken person through an unforgiving legal system and then say “we put him through the system and got nothing ,we can now write off the debt”,than to look at the situation beforehand ,trust the person to tell the truth, deal with it realistically, salvage what can be salvaged and conclude the matter then.Believe it or not most people are honest and genuine and many suicides and much ill health and family breakups could be  avoided were the latter to be the norm.

Finally I read a report of a Judge who complained that his salary had been reduced by £2000.00 per month.Does this man not realise that many families are living on less than his reduction and would consider his reduced salary the equivalent of winning the lotto for life.I know very little of the man but can only hope that he reduces fines he imposes to levels commensurate with the income of the offenders on whom he adjudicates.

And that concludes the vote of the Dunderry jury.

Death of Peter Callaghan.

Peter Callaghan of Boyerstown,Navan,Co.Meath died on 25th May 2011 .He had been ill for some time ,an illness he bore with considerable dignity.Manys the time this last year he took the time to encourage me in my fight to overcome my illness and in so doing made light of his own situation.That was the nature of this brave man who had a lust for life from an early age and a sense of adventure which took him and  other friends to the far off Barbados in the early 1970's in search of employment.Included with that bunch was the late Mattie Lawless ,who like Peter was called to God at too early an age.
Peter ,better known as "Leather"to his friends was a footballer of some distinction and with his brothers Henry,Michael and Gerry formed the backbone of the Dunderry Football team which won the Intermediate Championship in 1970.Tommy Mc Cormack used claim that had Peter and his group not gone away for work at the time  Dunderry would certainly have won a Senior Championship then.His youngest brother Oliver later represented the Club with distinction..
He was a tough but fair footballer and a committed supporter of Dunderry G.A.A.Club right up to the time of his premature death,and he will surely link up with his brother Henry on the playing fields of heaven.Both will have to keep a sharp eye out for Mattie,who even in Heaven would be capable of giving a sly dunt to the ribs.
He married the love of his life Carol Travers and their mutual love blossomed right to the end.She will miss him terribly as will their children Nicola ,Ryan and Seanie who had to rush back from Australia at short notice .
Peter was great company when out socially and enjoyed his pipe and few pints when in better health.I have reason to know that he feared no man and totally respected him as did all who had the good fortune to transact business with him.
His surving brothers ,sisters ,grandchildren ,nephews and nieces and in laws will miss him immensely as will all Gaels in Dunderry and furter afield,who appreciate his and his extended family's  huge voluntary committment to the G.A.A Club.
Ar Deis De go raibh a hanam dilis.
The funeral Mass is set for Boyerstown on Saturday at 2.00 p.m.

Meath Selector Resignation

 I have no great insight into the reasons for the resignation of Barry Callaghan and Liam Harnan from the Meath set up.I have known Barry since he was a child and coached him in the arts and skills of hurling until he was 16 years old.He was a good hurler and played underage with the County.From that age he concentrated exclusively on football and the rest is history.In 2005 I was manager of the Dunderry Senior football team ,which was then in decline.Barry was a playing member of that team and was very injury prone but very committed.We were regulated to Intermediate status then and are still trying to get back up.Barry was team manager in 2009 and is manager again this year.And for the record he does not even claim expenses.

The silver lining for the Club is that he can now concentrate his managerial and motivational skills on reclaiming Senior status exclusively for the Club again this year.

Personally and as a Dub.I am of the view that Counties should stick within their own borders when appointing Managers and selectors.Outside managers winning All Irelands  are the exception rather than the rule.It follows therefor that I would not favour the appointment of Banty in the first place.

In general the mob who lead the move to get rid of Sean Boylan were wrong and his successors were given little chance to make their mark.

Meath are in the most unique position that I can remember as less than two weeks before their Championship debut there are no natives on the selection committee.Can anyone remember it happening anywhere else?

I would have thought that were there differences between the selectors who resigned and the others  they ought to have been trashed out long before now and that resignation at this stage is drastic.Certainly the players cannot be enamoured at the carry on and its timing and they and the remaining management must beat Kildare Sunday week if their efforts to date are to get the rewards they worked for.

Any other result would be a disaster.

More on Blanchardstown ,St.Brigid’s G.A.A.Club and all that

Any of you who follow by blog will be aware of my family’s history , involvement with St.Brigids and childhood in Blanchardstown.At a most enjoyable birthday party for Sheila Hughes held in the GAA Club last Saturday evening I renewed many friendships from decades ago.A decent Limerickman,who I soldiered with on both Hurling and Football fields is now Chairman of the Club.Tongue in cheek he welcomed me to the Club and Blanchardstown and  it is no surprise to me  that  the courage he displayed on the field of play is standing him well in his present travails.Good man Fintan.

A great night was had by one and all and to meet so many old Blanchies and their converts was a great uplift.

Sheila’s father Herbie Hughes,who is just eighty years old was there with his wife Mona,a  runner in from Kildare and we shared a few bevies together.Herbie is one of the original Blanchardstown stock.He was reared on the old Ballycoolin road that ran through old Corduff to Ballycoolin and his father reared his large family from the land,mostly by growing vegetables for sale in the vegetable market in Green Street.Herbie drove horse and dray from there to the city to deliver vegetables and his father was the first man in Blanchardstown to have a pickup truck,which doubled as the transport for the football team to away matches.

Herbie’s sister was Mary Brennan ,whose son Rory is the father of Trevor the rugby player and Rory and some of his brothers and sister were there.

Anyhow we discussed my earlier article on my memories of the interaction between Blanchardstown and Castleknock College in the earlier part of the twentieth century.He confirmed my memory that a monk from the college used bring the unwanted rugby boots of the boarders to the GAA club before they were disgarded.This used happen at the summer break when they were left behind by the boarders.The monk’s name was Brother Michael.He was a Corkman and a GAA man in rugby territory.His means of transport was a Honda moped which had to be pedalled to start and his arrival with the sack of barely used boots was awaited anxiously each summer.There used be a fierce scramble to secure the best boots when the sack was tipped open.Ordinary people could not afford boots in those times.

Brother Michael used smuggle the GAA lads into the College during the summer break when the Priest teachers were away and they could avail of the use of the handball alley and open air swimming pool .More luck to him.And may God bless his generousity .Unfortunately I don’t know his surname.

Herbie’s memory is that the three pieces of sports equipment compulsory for the boarders were rugby boots,tennis rackets and table tennis bats..Vincent Brown’s people must have been loaded.

Herbie and a boy called Brian Barret,I think ,played under 14 football for Dublin in 1947 and Jonnie Brophy played hurling for Dublin that year.Barrets owned a lot of land in Dunsink ,including that which is covered by the present municipal golf course and he went on to Blackrock College to school and took to rugby ,which he excelled at.Herbie and Jonny went on to represent Dublin at minor Football in 1951,being beaten by Offaly in the semi final in Navan,where Herbie swears to this day that he kicked the winning point which was waved wide by Meath umpires.Herbie played all these matches in college rugby boots and didn’t own his own pair until he was twenty one.Remarkably these three men are still alive as far as I  know.

ON a different tack,Herbie informed me that the old Morgan Schools sports grounds,which now houses the St.Brigid’s club,was leased for three years before it was bought in 1971.I think.

Apparently a meeting was held in John Steward’s house in the late 1960’s at which Herbie,Johnnie,Sean O Siochan and O laoghaire of the GAA,Dan and Father Michael Cleary (guarantors) and Michael Staines Solicitor agreed the leases and purchase of the field.This had to be done expeditiously as Bohemians Soccer club were in hot pursuit also and the legal tenure of the club on the Priests field in Blanchardstown was dubious.The Club’s bank balance was £80.00 at the time.No shortage of balls there.

In the eighties there was a huge resession.Herbie was high up in the Council’s water service and greatly helped my family and other families from Blanch.with employment.I don’t forget such decency.Herbie was so popular then that he was under constant pressure from all the political parties to stand for election and was wise enough to decline.A true gentleman.

Dunderry v St.Michaels I.F.C. Kilscere.7.30 sharp 14/05/2011.

Slight skid on pitch.Dull evening with sun bursting through most of time.Conditions good enough. Pitch in good nick

Dunderry.

                                                 D.Jennings

G.Newman                             D.(red )Callaghan                                 D.MC Cormack

A.Newman                              E.Stephens                                            C.Harte

                                  D.Fay                               D.Callaghan

K.Dowd                                   I.Mc Cormack                                      S.Coogan

K.Callaghan                            P.Kenneally                                          D.Clarke.

Clarke had roaming role.I  missed first score which was a Michael’s point in first five minutes.Ball moved from Jennings to Lar Callaghan to Harte to Coogan to Kenneally who is fouled 25 yards out half way between uprights and corner flag.K.Callaghan kicks from hands .Misses.Fay breaks ball to Ivan to Stephens to Lar to Kenneally to Ivan to Dowd who overplays and is penalised.Dunderry force line ball from overelaborate Michael’s attack.Dunderry work ball to Kenneally who is fouled.Keith converts free.Michaels overelaboration and good defending by Dunderry force a Michaels wide from play.Stephens wins breaking ball from kickout ,is fouled and takes quick to Coogan ,whose pass is intercepted by Michaels.They in turn are blown for a throw ball.Dowd takes free,collected by Michaels No. 2 who works to midfielder who puts over sideline.Davy Mac hits sideline to Dowd to Stephens ,who solos a while and then passes to Ivan who is fouled 25 yards out.Takes free himself. Wide.Dowd wins break from kickout,to Fay,to Lar to Coogan to Lar to Fay.Wide.Stephens receives from Davy Mac.Long delivery to Ivan to Keith to Coogan to Kenneally .Wide.Broken play.Stephens sends long pass to Coogan to Lar to Kenneally who takes on man.He slips twice but perseveres earning a free 21 yards out .Converted by Keith.Coogan fouled off ball by Michaels No.5.Dunderry free.Lar takes from ground.Micheals win ball and a complicated passing movement results in shot to Jennings arms ,who delivers to Red to Swiss to Coogan ,who is penalised for handling on ground.Jennings wins ball from free,to Stephens to Harte back to Stephens who delivers long to Keith who is fouled.Ivan converts..A good move that.Keith replaced by Andy Coogan due to bleeding.Micheals work ball to Dunderry 21 yard line and earn free.Converted.Fay breaks ball to Clarke to Dowd to Andy Coogan who runs into trouble and is dispossessed.Michaels get free which Dunderry intercept and ball worked to S.Coogan who rattles onion bag.Great goal.MIcheals win free around middle which is taken quickly and a point from play is kicked. Fatherly point.Keith back on.Micheals earn free on fifty,converted.Fouls will be punished by Michaels  No 12.1-3 to 0-4 for Dunderry.Complex dunderry passing move ends with ball in Michaels goalie who move it downfield and earn free for handling on ground.Converted.After another Dunderry wide Lar passes to Fay who makes ground and parts to Clarke who rattles net .A good move.Another good move involving Gary Newman ends with Ivan converting from play.A good  point.Half time. 2-4 to 0—5 to Dunderry.

Second half.Michaels 12 to the forty and 11 on to Harte.Referee slow to emerge from dressing rooms and some high spirits displayed by players.Fay gains possession and stands his ground against a Michaels body check.He is wrongly penalised.Harte fouls and Michaels score from free.Another silly free is  conceded by Dunderry which is converted.Broken and elaborate play by Dunderry resulted in Keith punching a goal ,which was dubiously disallowed for square ball.Stout defending by Dunderry is negative by the concession of a converted free and a yellow card.Dundrry want to raise their game or they will be in trouble.Good defending and interlinked play result in Keith being fouled.He misses resultant free.From kick out ball worked to Ivan who kicks a fine minor from play.Dunderry backs are defending well and denying Michaels clearcut opportunities.T.J.Garry and Andy Coogan on for Dowd and Lar Callaghan.After a bad miss from play Ivan more than redeems himself with a fine point from play from the middle near the sideline..J.p.Kenneally on for Keith.Michaels score a fine point from play.Kelleher on for Gary Newman.a Michaels wide from play is followed by a great point from play by Ivan who received an astute  pass from T.J. following a foul on Fay.Stephen Coogan converts a free from 50 yards near the sideline.Good score.Ball worked to J.P.whose shot is blocked for a fifty which the son of Christy converts.A narrow Clarke miss is followed by a period of sustained Michaels pressure which id well defended by the Dunderry backs.Eventually Michaels score a minor.NO more scoring.we win 2 -9 to 0-9.And deserve it.

Post mortem.

Selection was controversial but management are moving in right direction.Maybe a little more tweaking will be done.Team was more settled and Fay’s presence at midfield swung that area in our favour.A master stroke .The backs played very well, Stephens delivered some telling balls to the inside line and if conceding frees can be minimised they will be hard to beat.Subs introduced all did well and some not used may feel hard done by.Forwards played well and Ivan had his best game in years.Keith is a good ball winner and younger players showed  exceedingly well.

This was a must win match and was well won.Credit all round .A word of caution.Michaels have been badly hit by emigration and it showed.There will be sterner tests and this was a step on what may become a rewarding journey .I would say that the management won’t get carried away just yet.Competition for places should be savage from now on in.Everything is possible.

Good day in the office.

Ref watch.

Applied rules as he interprets them without fear or favour.Again physicality is being blown from the game.And contrived outrage from the line to get players sent off is underhand and unmanly.Has no place in the game and should itself be penalised.

A Banker is your only Man.

Woman visits marriage broker.."I'm in despair,been married four times and haven't yet found love.First was a farmer.milked cows three times a day,always too tired.Second a plumber.Too busy today ,will be there tomorrow.Third a politician.False promises and hot air.Never delivered.Fourth an economisit.Buckets of theory but as much practical use as tits on a bull.Any advice ?"
"Yes marry a banker,he'll ..... you every time."

Sunday May 8th 2011. Fair Day in Dunderry.

I am blessed to live in the middle of Dunderry and have a bird’s eye view of all that happens. I can’t but hear every noise. I’ve never seen more video recorders ,mobiles and digital and conventional cameras in the one spot. Today’s event is recorded for posterity on thousands (I kid you not) of visual aids. Probably aurally recorded too. How to record it in the written word? Here goes.

Woken at seven. The rumbling of motor engines,the pop of drawbar disengaging from ball joint,the clatter of steel and hammering of steel against metal and wood,,the clanking of tubular steel gates against each other as the animal keepers jostle for the best positions to showcase their wares and make secure the pens and cages. The stewards buzzing around in hob nailed boots ,waistcoats, chunky wool socks with breeches tucked in,flat caps ( that’s only the women) and badges stating their status . And the ultimate status sign. The walkie talkie prominently displayed for all to see. Constantly spoken into while rushing hither and thither. Combined with the high vis vest , it distinguishes the Maor from the Gardai,(same set up but blue vests not yellow),the Red Cross in red and The River rescue Crowd, like the Gardai but no walkie talkies.

And the sounds.Close the eyes and savour the cock’s crowing,the hens clucking ,the ducks quacking ,the geese gaggling,the pigs squealing,the cattle bellowing, the donkeys braying,the odd horse neighing and the dogs barking all at the same time. And the murmur of the crowd in animated conversation blending in with the tannoy as it belts out the “Old Dunderry Fair “, melting into the Spanish Lady’s hair wash and the Jug of Punch.Only in Dunderry.

It’s dark and somewhat overcast. Preparations are going on for months. The whole Parish have pulled together in preparation. The village is blocked off for one day ,twelve till six. This is the eight year. Thousands come to see the clock turned back and farm life of bygone years on living display. Animals and poultry of all shapes and sizes are displayed and sold. Old crafts are showcased and traders of all sort offer their wares for sale. We get one chance at this.One six hours. If it rains heavy we are snookered. We pray it won’t. It doesn’t. Showtime.

Mass is brought back from eleven to nine thirty to suit. The Mass bell rings at the earlier time. I’d say many are caught out. Somewhere a pig squeals as the Spanish lady washes the gruaig and a massive forklift moves a heavy pallet under the directions of a female Maor dressed in a crossover bib, bonnet and flouncy petticoat. The Fair Chairman pases by,a fag dangling precariously from the corner of his mouth as he contemplates the next conundrum. The tannoy announces “will the owner of car number 08 mh xxzzp ,a white volkswagon parked on the Tullaghanstown Road move it as it is causing an obstruction”. A short shower falls . The sun peeps out. The organisers breathe again. Time passes. The pre Mass  bells for eleven ring.Did the priest forget to disable the preset bells? What about it. He has a lot on his plate.one man running a Parish where two were needed just a few years ago.

Kick off time comes. Midday. Angelus tolls. The ball is in the game is on. Crowd seems big. Ate the breakfast , glance at the papers , check the pockets, tighten the ferrule on the walking stick ,don the “man bag”and hobble out the gate.Stalls to the right of me, stalls to the left of me ,stalls all over the main street and the pitch and Geraghty.s field.Barriers  blocking the roads. Adults charged .Kids free. Stalls of Shetland ponies,sheep ,poultry ,cattle ,ponies ,horses .dexter cattle,goats,ducks ,geese,boiled sweets,horse,pony and ass tack.

A ninety year old woman is making butter from a two litre bottle of pasteurised milk. A basket weaver is weaving baskets. A harness maker is stitching a leather strap to working saddle with an awl and waxed thread using a wooden vice of ingenious design. Beside him another man is making a three legged stool ,shaping the legs with the help of a wooden vice designed hundreds of years ago. A blacksmith is putting shoes on horses and asses. The smoke from their hooves bellow up as the red hot shoes are tested for size.The city people are in awe and the cameras click. The animals take it all in their stride.

Everywhere parents and grandparents show their awe struck kids how things work and the cameras click. And the teenagers strut their thing,coolness itself as they lay down their markers. Everybody is on the mobile telling those absent the wonderful craic they are missing and they clutch them tighter as the tannoy announces that there are pickpockets at large.As Molly said”there is always something to sour the sweet”. As auld Mc Cormack said “the curse of God on them”. I’m with auld Mc Cormack on this one.

Bouncy castles,swing boats ,balloons,all nature of fairground rides and contraptions,stalls selling treble glazed windows and all nature of thermal  contraption. Walking sticks,tools ,chains and chainsaws. Everyone haggles over everything bar the food. Lovely smells of curries,fish and chips,hot dogs,burgers,bundies,fried onions ,that German sausage I can’t spell but can smell. Sandwiches,teas,coffees,buns ,cakes,ice creams,chocolates,fudge,mashed spuds,rice. No shortage of foodstuffs as hard pressed stallholders and voluntary groups are squeezed to the limit by our political masters. Not one of them in sight. Wonder why.

The GAA club selling ducks for the duck derby at a fiver a go, the juvenikle club selling tickets for its draw and the facepainting. All for good causes. For a few hours we can forget our misery.

The horse whisperer does his thing. Amazing.And a good few throw caution to the wind and down a few jars and sing the songs of Ireland. And Matt Leavy and his people are brilliant as they warm up for Crystal Srping,who strut their stuff as our Molly jives to the music. And our Emily has her photo taken with them. She is four months. And the ceili band and dancers play away around the corner and a piper pipes away to his heart’s content. All at the same time. We are spoilt for choice. There is no sound like it anywhere i’d say.God bless Dunderry.

The vintage car owners and the guys who own the horse caravans start to pack up. The matchmaker closes for business and the traveller who has been told by the vendor of a mare ass that she is young enough to breed tells him that the ass is similarly closed. No sale there. The carnival winds down and a most personable lady who had been showcasing a dog as a baby and a pig as a man on behalf of the autistic and most special of children gives yours truly a few buns as a present. Good luck down in Westmeath via Drumbarragh

And a special thanks to Fergal and Kevin who carried my purchases home for me and to the good friends, men and women, I met again today and who we had the chat with.

Till next year D.V.

And how’s it going Sean o Cearbhaill in Milton Keynes.

Fir Breaga Mark 2

I am overwhelmed by the wisdom of my ancestors.Of formal education they had little ,of decency they had tons and of honesty their store was immeasurable.My uncle Tommy Mc Cormack told me a short time before he met his maker that he never told a lie in his life.I can remember him setting the broken leg of a new born lamb with splints,scrim and tar so that the lamb might live.(AS the bone grew the tar would expand and allow circulation as opposed to plaster of paris which would not allow expansion).It would never enter their heads to kill any animal if it could be avoided.The expense was irrevelant.
I contrast this with what is unfolding on the world stage where weasel words are used by all sides to justify  barbarism.Secularists stand up please and explain the source of your morality.
Blessed John Paul 23 pray for us.
And my ancestors I did listen to ye when ye lived .Ye had it sussed .The fir breaga are winning.(see earlier post on the subject).WE badly need a new Messiah.

Father Carney, Fred Farmer, Mick Cleary and Blanchardstown.

I grew up in Blanchardstown (then Baile Luindin, se mile o lar na cathrac ar an taobh thuaidh den cathrac, but later revised to Baile Blainseir) in the fifties and sixties.There’s one thing sure and that is that children then had to be responsible at a much earlier age than today.And lest it becomes the consensus that the Catholic Church was a brooding evil presence,as many revisionists maintain these days,as far as I am concerned it was anything but.I would say that there are millions like me who served as altar boys ,played Gaelic games as boys and men,went to the Christian Brothers,had loving and decent parents and who never experienced the shocking sexual abuse which it seems was around at the time.Nor even heard of it.It appears to have taken place in an arena that I never visited nor came into contact with.I suppose that I was lucky and didn’t know it.

I was an altar boy in Blanch from about 9 years of age to ,I would say, 14 years.The Mass was then in Latin and you had to learn the responses by rote,which you did even though you couldn’t fully understand them.It was only when I learned Latin in secondary school,through Irish,in Brunswick Street,that the meanings became clear to me.You learned the words from a leaflet and the other facets from the older hands with whom one served an apprenticeship of sorts.You learned when to ring the bell,when to go for the cruets of water and wine,when to put the altar cloth over the altar rails for communion and when to get the article ( I can’t remember its name) to catch any fragments of the host that might fall from the Priest’s hands when giving out communion.If you got up by mistake, the best tip was to bow and return as the congregation hadn’t a clue either.

Much like today,I suppose,except that the Latin has gone and very regrettably there were no altar girls.(Will the next Church scandal relate to the interaction of altar boys and alter girls.If it does the Church can’t win-if it doesn’t have altar girls it is anti woman and if it does and improper things happen between the sexes  it will also be condemned by the usual suspects.)

After a while you graduated to Funerals and weddings,much looked forward to because you got a few bob in most cases.And the same surplice and sutane (are these spelled correctly),which your parents bought and laundered had universal use.These vestments were owned by yourself and were costly for working families to buy.When you retired from the job they could be passed on to your younger brothers ,if you had any,or sold to new recruits if minded well and in good condition.

When you mastered all these aspects of the job you became fit for your turn to do the weekly church clerking.This meant that for one week (Monday morning until the following Sunday evening ),you looked after all aspects of the Church .This involved opening the Church at seven thirty each  morning,serving first Mass at eight a.m.,ringing the Mass bell fifteen minutes before that,ringing the Angelus bell at twelve and six,serving  devotions and all weddings and funerals that fell into your shift.You also served Sunday Mass and Devotions and then handed over the Church keys to the next fellow on the rote.It fell to you to keep the Church neat and tidy for your week.This you did from the time you were in fourth class ,say ten years of age, and we took it in our stride.

The national school was within a few minutes walk of the Church so there was no problem getting to ring the Angelus bell at twelve.The six o clock bell was more of a challenge ,especially if you had to play a schools match in the fifteen acres in the Phoenix Park after School.To get to the matches itself presented a challenge.Only one teacher went to the matches in my time ,Paddy Murray a good one,and his car would only bring a few.Most of us used get the bus to the Ashtown gates and walk from there past Aras and the American Embassy to the fifteen acres.There we would meet up with the others and play the game,hurling or football depending on the season,tog back in and make our way back to Blanchardstown by the same route.More often than not you would have to run most of the way back to the Ashtown Gate if you had to ring the six o clock Angelus bell .And we did and thought nothing of it .No wonder we were fit.

We were in constant company of all the clergy of the Parish all the time and apart from the odd bout of contrariness from one of two of the curates,nobody ever interfered with or molested us.On the contrary,I have the most pleasant memories of those times.The Parish priest of my tenure was Father Carney,a thorough gentleman.He lived in the Parish House with his servant Essie a most formidable and decent woman totally devoted to him.It was to his house we repaired after Sunday devotions to watch the Flintstones on television and to be treated to tea and the best of buns baked by Essie,when none of us had televisions.It was him who brought us to Croke Park to watch intercounty matches and on drives and holidays whenever he had the money.

Every Christmas he bought from his own pocket the same number of gifts from Mc Birney’s that there were altar boys and on Christmas eve all the boys would assemble in the Parochial House,with the longest serving having first pick of the gifts and so on.Believe me when I say that even the worst of these was at least equal to what Santy brought us.

I well remember when the vernacular replaced the Latin.I lay claim to serving the first Irish Mass celebrated in Blanchardstown by Father O Keeffee,another gentleman.Another favourite of the servers and indeed of all the Parishioners was Father Brown ,the curate in Porterstown,who could say a Mass in fifteen minutes flat,sermon and all.Full house always guaranteed for his Mass.At that time the only Churches in the Parish were in Blanchardstown and Porterstown.Aside from Castleknock College ,which ordinary people like us had no truck with,Mass was also celebrated in Blanchardstown Hospital,James Connolly hospital.But the Blanch servers had no involvement there.

When I say there was no truck between Blanch people and Castleknock College,I am not fully accurate.There was interaction on two fronts.One was that a monk there was a GAA man and he used smuggle to Brigids GAA Club the used boots of the boarders before their rugby playing owners threw them out.Secondly the College had a working farm and working horses.A Blanch man who shall be nameless had a horse’s cart ,a crosscut saw,a few healthy sons ,feck all money and a desire to sell logs.This he achieved by “borrowing” a College horse at nightfall from the College,walking it to Blanch.,yolking it to the dray and heading to the woods surrounding the Hospital at night with the crosscut and sons and felling timber for the night.The timber would be drawn home and the horse returned before dawn.Many’s the time the farmhands in the College scratched their heads in wonderment at the exhaustion of their steed after small effort for them the next day.And manys the time his kids fell asleep in school the next day.But nobody ratted.

Incidentally I have criticised  Vincent Brown and some of his guests,who never let an opportunity pass to either dig at the Church directly or as slyly as they can get away with.I understand that he was a boarder at the College at the time I am writing about.Had he experienced life on our side of the fence his outlook might be different.

One more thing needs rectifying and this I gladly do.Father Michael Cleary was a  Blanchardstown man.His people owned the Greyhound Bar.We all drank there.His father paid the fines if we were caught for breaking the “bonified “drinking ban.He played football with us and if I’m not mistaken also with Dublin at Junior level in 1959 and won a Junior All Ireland.His family were and I’m sure are the most decent and respectable of people.I played football with him ,although he was a bit older.I was Cairman of Brigid’s when we helped him organis hairman of Brigid’s when we helped him celebrate his silver jubilee of the priesthood in a huge tent in the Club.It was the same weekend that a fellow called Liam Skelly won an unexpected bye election for Fine Gael,after Charlie’s stroke in appointing Richard Burke a Commissioner failed. I know this because we were asked by Fine Gael to keep on the tent for an extra night to accommodate victory and we did.They paid and the Clubhouse was an inner sanctum where Garret Fitzgerald and the top boys received the chosen few from the main tent that Garrett wished to see.An innocent civil servant at the time who believed that politics was divorced from public service ,I was flabbergasted to see many serving civil servants paying homage.They wouldn’t have copped me as I was dressed as a toilet cleaner,which I was for the night.

I can say that Mick Cleary was as decent a man as I ever met.He was subsequently found to have fallen to human weakness and fathered three children while still a priest.He should have left the Priesthood,if this was what he wanted to do but didn’t for whatever reason.As events have panned out his transgressions were relatively harmless and there is no way that he or his family deserve the opprobrium heaped on him by certain commentators,one of whom I heard on Christmas Day a few years ago talk of him as though he was the devil incarnate.He was anything but and anyone from Blanch .,who knew him would agree I’d say.

Finally I send regards to Fred Farmer ,another Blanchie who I bumped into in a Station above the station we were used to recently, and whose memories in this article mirror my own.Except that he rang the Angelus bell on Good Friday.