Our columnist Frank Brandon on community spirit in Creggs, a special Parnell-related trip to Avondale, supporting England, the joys of grandchildren, and more!
It’s July 1966, and I am a typically lazy, sulky 15-year-old (haven’t changed much since then).
Home on holidays from school after doing my Inter Cert, I have absolutely no interest in any type of work around the house and have treated myself to my first-ever record purchase: a song by a very obscure artist called Jerry Samuels, called ‘They’re Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!’… which may have been the worst ever recording to have become a major international hit.
Anyway, for almost three weeks that July the World Cup was played in England, with eight stadiums used to host the games, and on July 30th the final between the home nation and West Germany took place in Wembley Stadium.
Back in those days, you didn’t have a telly in every room in the house, and so myself and my father (Bill) sat down to watch the final together in the sitting room. The problem was that he was fully supporting Germany (or maybe just being anti-English) while I was a huge England supporter.
For some reason, there was just the two of us, and you could almost cut the atmosphere with a knife. I don’t believe a single word passed between us all during the game.
When England won 4-2 after extra-time, I have to admit that I was delighted. But I wouldn’t have dared show it, and probably went down to my bedroom (or the dormitory, as we knew it by) and listened to ‘They’re Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!’ … I often thought maybe they should have!
Anyway, it’s now 60 years later, and on Sunday night I stayed up until the early hours to watch the amazing last 16 World Cup game between England and Mexico, and wondered what had happened to my unquestioned support for England. I wasn’t like my father all those years ago (totally anti-English), but I wouldn’t have been heartbroken if they’d lost!
And yet, I have to admit that I admired their resilience in the face of enormous adversity. As I write this on Monday morning, I think I am glad they came through a very tough encounter. Their defending was heroic, and every one of the England team played as if their lives depended on it.
I am not certain yet if I want them to win the whole thing again, but I have to admit that after Sunday night’s events, I have a different attitude to our nearest neighbours.
Maybe it’s because I am fully retired and haven’t a lot to do (very similar to 1966), but I have seen a fair bit of this year’s World Cup, and it’s been a highly enjoyable experience. The biggest improvement is the fact that referees are letting lots of things go, especially the lad who reffed the France-Paraguay game, and they are not pulling for every little incident. VAR is also much quicker to do stuff than in the English Premier League, and all told it has been a great success.
As we head into the business end of the tournament, despite rediscovering my liking of England, I hope the French take home the trophy, as they attempt to play fast, attractive football. By this day fortnight, we will know all!
Celebrating Parnell-related anniversary with trip to Avondale
As I’ve mentioned once or twice before, rural communities and local villages rely almost entirely on hard-working, unpaid volunteers to keep their places looking their best, and as in many areas all over the country the Tidy Town volunteers play a very significant part.
Out here in Creggs, the improvements that have taken place over the years are amazing, and it is safe to say that the village is quite spectacular at the moment, with flowers of all shapes and sizes in full bloom. Needless to say, the flowers and shrubs don’t look after themselves, so every Tuesday evening a group of local volunteers go out to tend to the flowers and do any other tipping up that needs to be done.
Another great local group, Creggs Rural Development, also works on a number of projects in the village, carrying out various activities of benefit to the local community.
In September of 1881, Charles Stewart Parnell made his last ever public speech in Creggs, little more than a month before his death, and in June 1946, the then-Taoiseach (and later President) Éamon de Valera unveiled a monument to the great man in the village to mark the centenary of his death.
Now, on August 8th next, the local rural development group are organising a trip to Avondale, Co Wicklow, home of Parnell, as part of the celebrations to mark the 80th anniversary of the unveiling of the monument.
A bus will leave Creggs at about 9 am on that Saturday morning, and should be back again by 9 pm that evening. Further details will be provided in the coming weeks.
There will be 25 places on the bus, and tickets – which include the bus trip, and a tour of Avondale – are only €40. So, if you would like to treat yourself to a nice day out, give your name and the few bob in at O’Roarke’s shop.
The organisers expect a full uptake of places, so if you want to go, get your name down now and don’t miss out!
As a founding member of the Irish Land League, Parnell was a very important political figure, and his funeral in 1891 was attended by about 200,000 people. The Avondale estate was sold by his brother-in-law after Parnell’s death, but five years later the State bought it and it is now a very popular place for individuals and touring parties to visit.
I’m sure our bus-load will have a wonderful day learning all about Parnell and enjoying the day out in lovely County Wicklow. Get your name in as soon as you can!
The best things in life
I used to always hear older people talking about how grandchildren meant so much to them, and how great it was to have some.
I will admit that while Carol, my late wife, always wanted to have them, I used to be relatively laid back about the whole thing. But then four of them came along, and now I understand what people were talking about.
The truth is, particularly now that Carol is gone, I absolutely love when they come to visit me, or vice versa. And one thing I have noticed is that despite having what seems like millions of toys, my grandchildren love the same things we used to; they love kicking football, playing with water and sand, and drawing on colouring books.
It’s funny how with all the other toys they have (although I’m not saying they don’t play with them), those three simple things seem to give them the most enjoyment!
I have to admit that in an age of all types of electronic gadgets, it’s lovely to see children having fun in the same uncomplicated way that we did back in our young days, and – like we used to do – getting good and dirty! Happy days indeed!
And finally…
Friends of mine who live very busy lives needed to post a few letters a couple of weeks ago, and so they decided to buy a book of ten stamps from An Post online.
The stamps were to be delivered last week, but when they didn’t arrive, my friends enquired as to their whereabouts only to find that (irony of ironies), they had been lost in the post.
So, An Post lost their own items and now the blame is being passed on to the Irish Stamp Office! Where that is, I have no idea, but I would presume it’s somewhere in the Post Office network.
Anyway, the letters are still waiting to be posted, my friends are still too busy to go to a post office, and so I’m off to Creggs to buy a book of ten for them – at least, if I don’t break down, I will get the stamps to them this week.
It sounds like a tall story, but sadly it’s a true one. An Post is generally regarded as a reliable delivery service that you can count on… but not this time!
‘Tll next week, bye for now!
