Cór na nÓg is a choir of 65 children aged 10-15 established in 1987  by the Irish National TV and Radio (RTÉ). It provides expert musical training and the choir's connection with RTÉ gives it opportunities for regular broadcasts in programmes on Lyric fm, Radio 1, Mass on Sunday, and in well-known venues such as the National Concert Hall.

Why am I talking about Cór na nÓg? Because my young grand-niece has been a member of the choir for some time now, I'm proud of her and I wish her all the best. Perhaps she'll become a famous diva someday!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5YcPfWNvrk

Last Saturday the people of Co. Mayo in the west of Ireland retraced the dreadful ‘journey of horror’ of March 30th/31st 1849 during the 'Great Potato Famine".

The people of the village of Louisburgh had been told that Colonel Hogrove and Captain Primrose, would arrive in Louisburgh and certify as paupers the people who would gather to meet them, thus entitling them to a small ration of meal each. Several hundred people assembled in Louisburgh but the commissioners failed to appear, having decided to see the people in Delphi Lodge - 1830 home of the Marquis of Sligo - instead. The people set out on their 11 mile walk along the mountain road in the bitter cold. When they finally managed to meet the commissioners they were refused either food or tickets of admission to the workhouse and so they began their weary, dispirited return journey. Many – some say hundreds – died along the way, many of whom were buried where they fell.

On Saturday last, people again assembled in Louisburgh and walked  to Delphi Lodge carrying with them the names of those definitely known to have died on the same route in 1849 and remembering all those who have died in modern famines throughout the world. This time the gates of Delphi Lodge were open in welcome and  symbols of life, a tree and potatoes, were planted.

Michael Wade, Manager of Delphi Lodge Hotel today, said “By opening our gates to the Famine Walk, Delphi Lodge is acknowledging our part in what happened in 1849."


Dephi Lodge Hotel today.

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Perhaps the most memorable thing that has emerged from The Eurovision Song Contest in its 57 years has been the Irish dance group Riverdance. I'm sure everyone is familiar with this group by now. It originated as an interval performance during the 1994 Song Contest. Its dance routine is, basically, the story of Irish culture and of the Irish emigration to America and elsewhere down through the years.

This year, Ireland is inviting as many of its emigrants as can to come visit us again in what is called The Gathering.  Jean Butler, original star of Riverdance, invites all to come to Dublin in July and join her and other Riverdance castmembers along the banks of the River Liffey in an attempt to set a new World Record for Riverdance line dancing. So if you have a few dance steps in you why not join them?

From 15-19 July, The Gathering will also host a Masterclass Series, an invitation for 50 dancers to embark on their careers as show dancers. The best and brightest applicants from Ireland and abroad will be chosen to attend the week of free masterclasses where they will learn best practice for show dancers as well as technical aspects of show-performance and stagecraft. Tuition and mentoring will be provided by some of Riverdance’s most experienced and talented dancers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H617vzKyIT0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DioTTxmE_74

The European Song Contest is over for 2013, thank God! What expensive rubbish! It has been going on now for the last 57 years and still no end of it in sight.

In fact, Ireland has won it 7 times in all - more than any other country. What is that saying about us I wonder? And we have hosted the show 7 times. I understand that this time we ended up last. To add insult to injury it has been commentated on for RTÉ by Marty Whelan. Enough said!

It must be my age!

This year's Dawn Chorus Day in Ireland will take place tomorrow with events planned throughout the country.

The best time to hear the birds, of course, is in the twilight period just before the sun comes up. Birds sing throughout the day, so why not just listen to them then? I suppose that is a well-worth thing to do, but the most amazing thing about the period just before dawn, I'm told, is the sheer number of birds that are singing and the high volume of their songs.

Bird Watch Ireland have branches all over the country and will be holding guided dawn chorus events tomorrow. Here in Wexford we have the Evening Dusk Chorus on Forth Mountain at 8pm and at Tintern Abbey near Saltmills at 4.30am. This last will be followed by breakfast at Fethard-on-Sea. This event will be hosted in conjunction with the South Australia Branch of Birds Australia.

I'm afraid half-four in the morning is a bit early for me, so I'll be giving these formal meets a miss. However I might like to take part I'll have to make do with my own garden lot!  But they say you might think that you have a lot of birds in your garden or local park, but until you hear the dawn chorus you honestly have no idea how many are there.

Strange to say there is no officially recognised national bird of Ireland but I especially like the Blackbird, Robin, Wren and Thrush.

We live in a world that is very hostile toward religion of all kinds and Christians, some might argue, bear the brunt of this discrimination.

Last evening I attended another in a series of 10 video talks on Catholicism by Fr. Robert Barron being hosted by our local Franciscan Friary. Each presentation in the series is led by a different person who also responds to comments from the floor at the end of the presentation. Fr. Barron is a priest in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago.

I find the presentations very thought-provoking and helpful in the living out of my Christianity and, apart from anything else, the photography is stunning.

              

Kerry teenager Donal Walsh (16) was buried yesterday in Kerry after losing his four year battle with cancer. Donal had been a wonderfully active young chap involved in games and music when he was struck down with cancer. He had raised €50,000 for charity.

Saddened by the huge number of teenagers who were so pained by life that they committed suicide, he publicly appealed to young people not to end their lives. He told them that he had no choice in the matter but that there is always another way to cope. He wrote a letter on the subject which brought him to national prominence. Weeks before his death, Donal was interviewed by RTÉ TV and also recorded a message to be circulated in schools. I wonder will they listen.

Thousands turned out for his funeral yesterday in his home town in Kerry. What an inspiration this young man is. May he now find peace.

The silver trumpets rang across the Dome:
The people knelt upon the ground with awe:
And borne upon the necks of men I saw,
Like some great God, the Holy Lord of Rome.
Priest-like, he wore a robe more white than foam,
And, king-like, swathed himself in royal red,
Three crowns of gold rose high upon his head:
In splendour and in light the Pope passed home.
My heart stole back across wide wastes of years
To One who wandered by a lonely sea,
And sought in vain for any place of rest:
'Foxes have holes, and every bird its nest,
I, only I, must wander wearily,
And bruise my feet, and drink wine salt with tears.'

A Soyuz space capsule carrying a three-man international crew has landed safely in Kazakhstan last night after a three-and-a-half hour journey from the International Space Station after their five month stay. The boss is Commander Chris Hadfield. Although a Canadian, he has become very popular in Ireland for a couple of reasons: his daughter, Kirsten (26), is studying psychology in TCD in Dublin, and he sent many tweets and pictures to Ireland as the capsule passed over the country. On St. Patrick's Day he dressed in a green jumper, shirt and bow tie, sang 'Danny Boy'  and " said "Tá  Éire fíor álainn"  - "Ireland is very beautiful".




Dublin at night from space

This evening we had the annual May devotions at the local shrine to the Blessed Virgin, Our Lady of Rocklands. This beautiful shrine was erected in May 1955 and has continued to be a sanctuary of peace and devotion for the people of Wexford. Wayfarers pause to pray there, whilst the practice of gathering in groups to recite the Rosary has become common. Up to a few years ago an annual torchlight procession in May was reminiscent of Lourdes. A group faithfully attend to the votive lights and flowers. The Shrine, which is brilliantly illuminated at night, can turn a travellers’ thoughts to things spiritual