In his closing column of the year, Frank transports us from the hills of his youth to the lofty heights of Kilimanjaro, celebrating both personal milestones and the community efforts that uplift us during the Christmas period. It’s a reminder that even in challenging times, we can find strength in unity and purpose…
It’s very many years ago since I got my first taste of hill climbing, when as a special treat in school in Roscrea, we would go for what was called ‘the long walk’. The whole school would have a day off and we would all head off on the walk which, almost invariably, involved climbing to the top of the Devil’s Bit mountain near the town of Templemore, which rose to the enormous height of 480 metres.
We were all supposed to get to the top, but as there were so many of us and so few supervisors, it was easy enough to give them the slip and hide in a cowshed or a deserted haybarn for an hour or two before reappearing and claiming to have successfully reached the summit.
Funny enough I never actually got to the top, despite setting out on the journey every year of my time in school there. However some years later, when on holidays in Achill Island, we stayed in a house at the foot of a steep enough hill, and after one or two unsuccessful attempts I finally got to the top, which was at least 100 metres high.
I have to admit that I was pretty chuffed when I got to the top and felt a bit like Sir Edmund Hillary after he climbed Mount Everest in 1953.
I have always felt a bit of pride in my Achill achievement, but this week I have been brought back down to earth (not a very big fall) with the news that young Grace Hanley is going to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in the New Year. This mountain, which is in Tanzania, is the highest free-standing mountain in the world and rises to a massively impressive height of 5895 metres, which is just short of 20,000 feet.
Grace, who is the daughter of Grainne and Brian, and a talented rugby player and a medical student, is undertaking this enormous challenge to raise funds for Meningitis Research Ireland. To help her on her way she is organising a Charity Quiz night in Mikeen’s Bar on this Friday, 20th of December. It will all kick off at 9 pm with a quiz entry fee of €10 per person or €40 for a table of four.
With Christmas upon us a lot of people will want to go out socialising, so what better way to enjoy yourself and support a wonderful cause than at this event. Well done Grace… fair play to you. Hopefully as many people as possible get to Mikeen’s on Friday night, have a bit of fun, and contribute to this Meningitis Research fundraiser.
The Stephen’s Day Walk, up, around and down Mount Mary will have to do for my Christmas exercise. The proceeds will be divided between the Galway Hospice, the Mayo-Roscommon Hospice and the Sunshine Room in Creggs National School. There can be no more deserving causes anywhere.
The walk will start at Mikeen’s at 12.30 pm and after you have successfully got around, Sean Donoghue will be providing the music in Mikeen’s to get you dancing (if you are still able) with a 5 pm kick-off.
It goes without saying that Mary D’s will be open for her usual array of goodies and you had better call in or she will be very disappointed. For very many years now the visit to Mary D’s has been a huge highlight so pay her a call and you might even chance a hot one or at least a sandwich or a lovely bun.
I have told you recently how our eyes were opened by the extraordinary care, help and support we as a family got in the Mayo-Roscommon Hospice in Castlebar and we will never forget the kindness ourselves and Carol were shown.
The Sunshine Room in Creggs NS is a room with a class for children with moderate to profound disabilities and in the years since its inception in 2008 it has provided children and their parents with maximum support in developing the children socially, academically and spiritually.
So, even if you overdo the celebrations on Christmas Day, the walk will revitalise you and the money you help raise will, in turn, go to help people who are much worse off than you.
The sponsorship cards are now in Mikeen’s so make sure you get yours and raise as much as you can for these great causes. I usually go early to avoid being passed out by everyone but please God I will take part and see you all at some time during the day. It might not be Kilimanjaro, but after Christmas Day, Mount Mary might feel like it.
A delightful journey to Clifden (despite defeat on pitch)
It’s back to Sunday morning, and shortly after 10.30 am our touring party of Kieran Dowd, his son Eoin, and daughter Eabha and myself hit for Clifden where our lads were taking on the hosts in a Junior 1 Rugby League fixture. We went on the scenic route through Ballinrobe and Cong onto Maam Cross and into Clifden, and it truly was a delightful journey.
I have on occasion passed through Cong before but didn’t realise how beautiful of a village it is with any amount of appealing bars and restaurants. Obviously we didn’t have time to visit any of them but it is in the back of my mind to go there sometime.
Anyway, we arrived into Clifden in good time for the game, had a bite to eat and made it out to the pitch with time to spare. I’m sure there is a comprehensive report on the match elsewhere in this issue so all I will say is it followed an all too familiar pattern!
We headed home defeated yet again by the All Blacks and yet again feeling like we could, and maybe should have won, but as on so many other occasions we didn’t. However it might be a good thing as we may well get another crack at them later. As is often said, “there is nothing won in December”.
On our way home we took a different route and found ourselves in Ballindine where the filling station/Deli/Supermac’s/other food outlets must be among the busiest in the country. Funny enough I had been in Ballindine earlier in the week, and while I would normally eat a roll of some sort in the aforementioned filling station, this time we (Tara and I) went to Ellie McGuire’s restaurant at the other end of the village. Some time ago I told you about the amazing breakfast I had in Knock. I didn’t think I would ever get the likes again!
However I was wrong, as Ellie McGuire’s breakfast was every bit as good and the truth is, that even though I was ravenous, I couldn’t eat it all. I won’t tell you all the stuff that was on my plate as I would be writing all night long, but if you find yourself in Ballindine and you are really hungry, call in and see for yourself. As we left, at some point in the early afternoon, there was a queue of patrons outside waiting to get in – and all I can say is it’s no wonder.
Christmas Day Mass at Donamon Castle
For a lot of us, the Christmas Day Mass in Donamon Castle is almost unmissable. This year it’s on again at 10 am.
To make it even more special and unmissable, the wonderful Annette Griffin will be singing and will be accompanied by John Staunton on guitar. I don’t have to tell you how brilliant they both are, so even if you never said a prayer (but of course you should), you should still go to Donamon on Christmas morning for 10 am, listen to the lovely hymns and songs, and you will definitely leave feeling a bit better about life. I couldn’t go last year, but hopefully I will make it this time around. I look forward to seeing you there.
A time for reflection… season’s greetings
Finally for this week, and indeed for this year, I want to wish all our readers a pleasant and Holy Christmas and a Happy New Year.
For us, I know it will be very different, as during 2024 we lost my elder brother Peadar and my own wife Carol, and I wouldn’t be human if I was looking forward to the festive season in the way that I did in other years.
However, life must go on and despite those two massive losses, as a family we will try to make the most of it, and I think this year we may appreciate the true meaning of Christmas more than before.
I also want to wish our local parish priest Fr Donal Morris a full and speedy recovery and please include him in your prayers.
I wish you all well and hopefully we will talk again in the New Year!
