May 2nd, 2021

Adamstown Parish Newsletter

Weekend of Sat 1st & Sun 2nd May 2021    

Volume 22.     Number 16

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ADAMSTOWN TIDY TOWNS

Adamstown Tidy Towns are participating in the Annual Spring Clean and bags and gloves will be available in Cullen’s Gala from Monday 3rd May.

CULLEN’S GALA  –  WORKING THROUGH COVID-19

At Cullen’s Gala we are taking all the necessary care to ensure our store continues to provide a safe environment for our community. Our staff have provided excellent front line services and we commend their efforts in how they have enabled us to continue doing what we do.

Covid-19 has been challenging for all of us. We have had to change our model to facilitate guidelines, utilising sanitation stations, Plexiglas at our counter, face masks, social distancing and limiting numbers shopping in store at any one time. Similarly our opening hours have varied too. Safety for all is our focus. We will continue to carry out our sanitisation protocols daily.

Our store has endeavoured to make available all supplies during this pandemic. The staff are replenishing hourly to get as many products onto all our shelves. Our customers have always been considerate in the way they have shopped and only purchased what they needed, this has helped everyone.

During these times we are very conscious of the elderly and vulnerable people in our community. We have prioritised these groups, and our staff are committed to ensuring these people are looked after when they visit. This is how we will continue to operate on a daily basis. We ask you to continue to protect each other, sanitise your hands, follow government guidelines and use contactless payments where possible.

Finally I would like to say a huge thanks to my staff and all our customers. Without your support we cannot service our community.

Paul Cullen.

SYMPATHY

The death occurred on Wednesday last of Tom O’Neill, Raheenvarren, Newbawn, to his daughter Brenda, son Philip our deepest sympathy. Tom was predeceased by his wife Marcella (née Furlong, Tomgarrow) and his son Shane.

To Agnes and all the Furlong and O’Neill families and Josie our sincere sympathy. A private family funeral Mass was celebrated in the Sacred Heart Church, Newbawn on Saturday followed by burial in Adamstown Cemetery

May he rest in peace.

WEDDING CONGRATULATIONS – Adamstown N.S.

The whole school community would like to wish our 2nd and 3rd class teacher Ms. Walsh all the very best on her marriage to her fiancée Daire. They were married in St. Mary’s Church in Lagg, Malin Co. Donegal.  May they have many years of happiness and many blessings on them both for their future together.

A BIT OF HISTORY – The Big Snow

Taken from Memories & Dreams by Sean Cullen (2005)

On 3rd March 1947 the people of Wexford woke up to a heavy snowfall. It was no different to any other heavy snowfall except it was accompanied by a north easterly gale which caused the snow to drift, blocking roads and laneways to a depth of several feet in places. Abban Delaney, whose mother ran a shop at the Barracks for years, was on the cross of Adamstown at nine o’clock that morning with his “Alice Chambers” tractor preparing to go to Pat Brownes, Clonroche for bread. Paddy Booth, Bill Bradley, Abban and myself set off with “Alice” and four shovels and unknown to us we were ill equipped for such an immense task. When we reached the top of the hill of The Leap the whole snow clad countryside open up before us and rolled pleasantly away to the mountain. We got to Jer O’Leary’s lane at twelve o’clock and the overpowering aroma of bacon and cabbage drifting gently on the breeze was a mouth-watering experience.

We spent an hour shovelling on Jer O’Leary’s bend where we met Jackie Green, Oldcourt, who was mastering the snowdrifts on foot and was on his way home from Clonroche with a half sack of bread flung across his shoulder to provide a welcome treat for his large and isolated family. We encountered our biggest drift so far at Richie Butler’s cottage. We were shovelling there for nearly two hours and making scant headway. Paddy Booth remarked “We won’t get to the North Pole tonight.” In the heel of the hunt Abban took “Alice” for a spin around the house down across the half acre and out onto the road where there was a gap in the ditch. Another half hour would get us to Chapel Station but there was still a long way to go and it was after four o’clock. The blessings of God on Garry Byrne, he had opened the road from Bree to Chapel Station and through Ballyeden to Ballymackessy where the main road was clear. We got to Clonroche via Ballyeden Cross around five o’clock. We got two bags of bread from Browne’s Bakery, then we called to Breen’s Tearoom where Mrs Breen gave us the best of attention. We ate two loaves of fresh bread, never left a crust, and two tins of salmon and all the tea we could drink. We were very well replenished and ready for the road again.

Abban decided to go back via Ballyeden Cross and the rest of us walked down the Spout Road to the Cross of Chapel, where Abban picked us up.  There were no flags or bunting out to greet us on our arrival back in Adamstown. We were quickly informed that the Shelburne Co-op bread van had reached the village in mid afternoon accompanied by a large and skilfully operated snow plough. Some of the principal suppliers of bread to Adamstown in those years were Godkins Van, Wexford, with the big gas cylinder fitted with Stephen Byrne in charge, O’Connor’s Van, Wexford with a similar contraption and looked after by Peter Curran, Johnny “The Dazzler” Owens who played most of his hurling on the stage was in the driver’s seat for Pat Browne, Clonroche. Larry Dillon and Tom Foley for “The Shelburne Co-op lost no time in delivering the famous Campile duck loaf.

CHURCH NOTICES –  IN MEMORIAL

Sat 1st May – Peter, Tommy, Joey & Aoife Kelly,

Doononey (A)

Sun 2nd May – Peg & Joe Kelly, Coonogue (A)

& deceased members of the Kirwan family, Coonogue (A)

Sat 8th May – Breda O’Brien, Templeshelin (A)

Pray for Noel Whitty, Clonroche (Month’s Mind) &

Maureen Whitty, Clonroche (A)

Pray for Mary Furlong, Tomgarrow. (Month’s Mind)

May they rest in peace.

THE MONTH OF MAY – MARY’S MONTH

The month of May is set aside by the Church for special devotion and exercises in honour of the Mother of God.

The Irish name for the month “Bealtaine” is associated with a pre-Christian festival celebrated at this time of year, while the English word “May” is derived from the name of the Roman Goddess who was Mother of all Gods.

Before Covid-19 we would be gathering at our lovely Grotto at Knockreigh each week night for the month, reciting the Rosary, and remembering those on Pilgrimage to Lourdes.

Unfortunately again this year this will not be possible, privately you may still visit the Grotto for a quiet moment and offer a prayer.

O Mary we crown thee with blossoms today!

Queen of the Angels and Queen of the May.

CHURCH TOWER

As the work continues on repairs to the Church tower, we ask everyone to follow the safety notices erected in the cemetery and front of church gates. The only entrance to the church is from the cemetery through the Little Chapel.

TRÓCAIRE

To date the amount contributed to the Trócaire Lenten Appeal is €1,120, thanks for your generosity.

WELCOMING MAY AND SUMMER

The May Bush:

The summer was welcomed by setting up a May bush.

A branch or bough of a tree – was set up outside the house in the yard or fields to guard against bad luck. Whitethorn or ‘skeagh’ was the most popular tree for the May bush. In different parts of the country different trees were used, some places favouring the sycamore, others rowan, hazel or elder. The May bush was decorated with flowers, ribbons, streamers and coloured eggshells.

Recently the custom of putting up a May bush is being encouraged and in the county the Wexford May Bush Festival was established in 2017 by Michael Fortune and Aileen Lambert in a bid to bring attention to the Wexford May bush. With the success of the last few years, they are encouraging everyone to participate this year and to share photos of you & your family with your decorated May bush to ‘The May Bush’ Facebook page or alternatively email to micfortune@gmail.com.

CHURCH ALTARS & DECORATION

Thanks to the ladies from Newtown/The Leap for looking after the church & altars for April. It is now the turn of parishioners from Misterin for the month of May.

May – Weather lore

A wet and windy May fill the barns with corn and hay

A wet May and dry June make the farmer whistle a tune

A swarm of bees in May is worth a load of hay.

The Cuckoo:

The cuckoo is a pretty bird, she sings as she flies,

She brings us good tidings, she tells us no lies.

She drinks the rock water to keep her voice clear,

And she never calls ‘cuckoo’ till the summer draws near.

JÉROME LEJEUNE (1926-1994)

Jérome Lejeune was a genetic researcher who discovered the origins of Down Syndrome – the condition known as trisomy 21. At the beginning of the pandemic last year a 14 year old boy, Adam won a photographic competition entitled ‘A summer like no other.’ The photo showed an empty holy water font with the inserted message, ‘Sorry, no holy water. Please bless yourself and thank God for the gift of your Baptism.’ Adam has Down Syndrome. His keen photographic eye opens up for us the wonder of God’s gift of life and love that we receive in Baptism.

Charles de Gaulle (1890-1970) was President of France from 1959-1969. His daughter Anne had Down Syndrome. She was in his own words ‘a child of grace’, she is my joy, she helps me look beyond all the failures and honours, and always looking higher. De Gaulle was fully aware of the Nazi regime and their Eugenics plan and attitude to people with special needs. After Anne’s death the Foundation Anne-de-Gaulle opened its doors to creating a home for children with special needs. It continues to serve them today.

Sadly, in Europe and in parts of the Western world today, Down Syndrome babies in the womb are not brought to full term.  The aim of the results of Jérome Lejeune’s research was to advocate for the protection of the unborn with Down Syndrome. He was an ardent champion for life. He was an indefatigable defender of people who in today’s society are treated as the least, the lost and the last. Jérome has been officially declared Venerable by Pope Francis in the name of the Catholic Church. This is a step to possible sainthood.

We live in what Pope Francis calls a ‘throwaway culture’ that considers the weak, elderly, disabled, vulnerable or the dying as easily disposable.  We have in intercessor in Venerable Jérome Lejeune to guide and inspire us today to appreciate, value, cherish and protect the gift that is the sacredness of all human life.

(Canon Benedict Fee PP. Coalisland – Intercom April 2021)

POPE’S INTENTION FOR MAY

Universal Intention – The world of finance

Let us pray that those in charge of finance will work with governments to regulate the financial sphere and protect citizens from its dangers.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT! – A Smile

Human beings get rich as they grow old:

Silver in Hair:

Gold in Teeth;

Sugar in Blood:

Precious Stones in Kidney: And a never-ending supply of Gas!