Athgarvan Musings

9th Feb, 2010

Art

While waiting to have a medical prescription prepared this afternoon I strolled into nearby Greenacres Art Gallery on Main Street. Besides being a neat and heated place to rest on a very cold February afternoon Greenacres attempts to help one appreciate art. I often find it difficult to understand how one item is valued at €7,000 while, in my estimation a superior work, is valued at €250!

Anyway, my attention was drawn to a sculpture by Éamonn O'Doherty called 'Pikemen'. It is a replica of his large sculpture called 'Fuascailt' one sees beside the New Ross road near Barntown.

O'Doherty has produced many public sculptures. One was the famously nicknamed 'Floosie in the Jacuzzi' fountain in O'Connell St. Another is the well-known 'Crann an Óir' on the Central Bank Plaza.

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8th Feb, 2010

Relic of ol' times

We still have a relic from another world in use in Wexford. It is an Edward VII pos

tbox which stands outside the Friary on School Street. Apart from getting a lick of green instead of red paint it has not changed in spite of wars and rumours of wars since about 1905.

Edward VII (1841-1910) was a son of Queen Victoria who reigned for nearly 64 years - so he had a long wait before taking over in 1901- and he reigned until 1910.

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Br. Beausang School, Nairobi

The town of Embulbul is situated just outside greater Nairobi, one degree south of the equator, at an altitude of 5500 feet. Fr Kevin McGarry was Parish Priest in Embulul for 8 years and during that time he accomplished an extraordinary transformation. He built a series of fine buildings - Counseling Centre, Dispensary, Presbytery, Convent and Church. He also commenced an education program.
Fr McGarry, had been taught by the Christian Brothers when he was a youth in Ireland; he was so appreciative of the education he received that he named the schools he founded in Embulbul after one of his teachers– Br Thomas Finbarr Beausang; he also successfully sought the Christian Brothers to administer the schools. There are striking parallels between the initiatives taken by Kevin McGarry in Embulbul 2000 with those of Edmund Rice in Waterford, Ireland 1802.

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7th Feb, 2010

Edmund Rice International

Today, the Brothers in Wexford and the Brothers from Brú na Cruinne, Carrick-on-Suir, were invited by the Brothers in the Edmund Rice International Heritage Centre, Waterford, to join them for an informal prayer session, meal and chat. We enjoyed the day immensely.

The Centre's "Vision" is to unite communities in Waterford by promoting the social inclusion and integration of its non-Irish Nationals. Opened to the public on September 2006, to date over 1000 Non-Irish Nationals from 50 different countries are using its services . Its main function is to provide information and supports to Refugees, Asylum Seekers and other non-Irish Nationals.

Among its facilities and activities are the provision of English Language classes, Computer Skills, Refugee Legal Services, Information on Equality & Labour laws, Personal Development supports, etc., etc.

www.edmundrice.ie/isu/

www.brunacruinne.eu/

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY

BELATED HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Colin!

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6th Feb, 2010

(no subject)

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4th Feb, 2010

CBS, Wexford

Coláiste Éamonn Rís is extending its facilities at the moment. The formal signing of contracts between the Board of Management and contractors J & J Sinnott took place on 25 January. Preparatory work for the extension has commenced and it is hoped to have the work completed before the State Exams in June. Attending the signing were Board members, representatives of J & J Sinnott, the project’s architect and a Students’ Council representative.

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3rd Feb, 2010

A word from the Pope

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQysmt9VSXg

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This man influenced my life.

In July 1946, at the age of 14, I decided to become a member of the Irish Christian Brothers, a Catholic Congregation of Teaching Brothers founded by Edmund Rice in Waterford. At 14 years of age!, you may ask in disbelief! Yes. Those were different times!

An elderly member of the Congregation called at our village school one day and spoke to us about the Brothers and their work and invited us youngsters to consider becoming a Christian Brother. I was immediately smitten, not so much by what he had to say, as by the Brother himself. His mere presence had a compelling influence on one. In his quiet way he influenced me immediately. He had this lovable personality that one feared to offend. He had a pleasing face with softly moulded features on which the furrows of the years (he was then 70) had made little impression. Isn't it amazing how one encounter with a good man or woman can influence a person's whole life. I was so fortunate to have met such a man in my young teenage years!

His name was Peter O'Farrell (1876-1956), a County Dublin man, who was a past-pupil of Synge Street School. As a Christian Brother he taught in Dingle, Mitchelstown, Cork, Kilkenny (for 17 years), Drogheda, Athy, Tralee, and one year in Artane where he died in 1956. May the good Lord have mercy on this kind, lovable soul.

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1st Feb, 2010

St. Brigid of Ireland

The 1st of February is the feast of St. Brigid. She was born (middle of 5th cent.) in what is now Co. Louth. Her father is said to have been a chieftain of his clan and her mother one of his slaves. She is said to have been associated with St. Patrick and St. Mel of Armagh. With a small group of other women she lived in a Christian community. About 470 she founded the first monastery in Ireland at Cill Dara which became a centre of learning and spirituality. Apart from the many stories that grew up about her, Brigid's own extraordinary spirituality, charity and compassion was very real. With St Patrick and St. Columba she is considered one of the great Patrons of the Irish Church.

The tapestry of St. Brigid was made by the ladies of Clonard parish, Wexford, and hangs in their Church. Tradition tells us that on asking a chieftain for some land he said he would give her what her cloak would cover. Brigid's cloak began to spread until it reached the area she required for her needs! Brigid is also known for the cross of reeds she is said to have used to instruct others.

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30th Jan, 2010

Head Shops

The presence of head shops has greatly increased in many towns in Ireland recently. They are not illegal but many people, especially parents, have become very worried about these 'over 18' outlets which specialize in stuff related to consumption of cannabis, other recreational drugs, and dangerous herbs, as well as magazines, bongs, vaporizers, and other sex-enhancing products. We have one here in Wexford at the junction of John Street and Hill Street.

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29th Jan, 2010

Redmond Park, Wexford, Jan 2010

Willie Redmond (1861 – 1917) was a Wexford nationalist politician, a land reform agitator imprisoned three times, a determined advocate of Irish Home Rule, and a WW1 fatality. He grew up at Ballytrent, beside Carne beach near Rosslare.

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28th Jan, 2010

St. Mary's Church and Graveyard, Wexford, 2010

This graveyard is no longer open for burials but was used up to the middle of 19th cent. Go raibh suaimhneas síorraí ar a bhfuil curtha ann.
The church itself was destroyed by Cromwellian troops in 1649. The bell which stood on its rooftop is now on the roof of the Christian Brothers' monastery here in Wexford.

['Burial' by Ceiri Torjussen b. 1976, Cardiff]

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27th Jan, 2010

Observation City, Perth

Observation City is part of Scarborough Beach about 14 km from downtown Perth. It has the only high-rise five-star resort on the coast. Here Ciara and friends view the area from the observation tower.

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25th Jan, 2010

Wexford Quay in Jan..avi

Pope Benedict XVI asks us to use modern means of communicating the Word of God (blogs, iPods, Facebook, etc.) as well as the traditional ways. Some of those 'traditional' ways are noted in this short video: music, conversation, nature (trees), boats, bridges, roads, trains, and churches.

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Pope Benedict tells priests: For God's sake, blog!

Pope Benedict, although at 82 he does not love computers or the internet himself, told priests on Saturday, they must learn to use new forms of communication to spread the gospel message.

Priests are challenged to proclaim the Gospel by employing the latest generation of audiovisual resources - images, videos, animated features, blogs, websites - which, alongside traditional means, can open up broad new vistas for dialogue, evangelization and catechesis. But he says that priests should not strive to become stars of the new media!

The pope meets you on the new Vatican website www.pope2you.net, Facebook, iPhones and iPods.

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23rd Jan, 2010

via della Maglianella 375, Roma

Many of my colleagues will be familiar with that address. You will be glad that it has finally changed hands! In October last it was officially opened by il Sig. David Miscavige as a Church of Scientology! It is now an information centre for visitors of the 'church' and has a permanent exhibition of 230 videos dealing with their faith, practices and activities as well as information about their founder Ron Hubbard.

Scientology is a set of beliefs and practices started by Ron Hubbard in 1952. Hubbard called it a religion. It teaches that people are immortal spiritual beings who have forgotten their true human nature. Rehabilitation is by counselling and by re-experiencing painful events of their past.

Happy days in via della Maglianella

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22nd Jan, 2010

A Stroll and a Coffee

What a beautiful afternoon for a walk! Most roads from the town of Wexford radiate

towards the N25 which more or less encircles the town at about two miles distance. At each junction there is a place where one can have a coffee. But sometimes I drop into the Centrepoint
Café at the Wexford Enterprise Centre at Kerlogue. It caters mainly for office workers in the Centre or in offices nearby. It is open from 8am to 4pm. Monday to Friday for breakfast, lunch, snacks and beverages at reasonable prices (e.g lunch for €8.00). No, they didn't pay me for the advertising!!

Rosslare from Kerlogue

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21st Jan, 2010

GLENWOOD, BALLYDUNGAN

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19th Jan, 2010

George's Family

Apartment in Paddington, London, where my brother, George, lived and died. Seen here with his daughter, Rose (left), wife (Patricia) centre, grandson, Colin and family (above right), and grand-daughter, Cheryl and family (below right). George died in 1957 at 28 years of age. Go raibh suaimhneas síorraí ar a anam dílis

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