Léargas

Nollag shona daoibhse.  I like Christmas. I like the Christmas story. Joseph and Mary and the wee donkey fleeing from the Roman occupation forces. The baby Jesus being born in a stable. I marvel about the impact of Jesus Christ in this human world and I still believe in his teaching. I no longer have any confidence in the institutional Christian churches but I do value the efforts of many priests and nuns to bring justice to a divided world.  I like the simplicity of Christmas. Daddy and Mammy Christmas, the elves. The joy that little children bring. I like Christmas carols. And my Christmas dinner. I dislike the stress that Christmas means for some people. I detest the commercialism and exploitive activities that accompanies this festive time. My heart goes out to those less fortunate than me.  Like most everyone else I remember old pals and family members who are no longer with us and I enjoy raising a glass to their memory. And another glass for my many blessings. So have as

  Croí na Carraige - Investing in our young Recently I met with activists involved in the Glór na Móna project in west Belfast. Along with the local MLA Aisling Reilly they briefed us on their work in the field of youth provision through the medium of Irish. Glór na Móna was  established in 2004 and since then has gone from strength to strength. The enthusiasm of its activists reflects the growth in the numbers of people who now conduct their everyday business and social life through Irish. This is especially true of the Irish medium education sector. In 1971 the first Bunscoil was opened on the Shaws Road in west Belfast with nine pupils. Today there are pre-school, primary level and secondary level schools across the North accommodating almost 7,000 children. Glór na Móna has pioneered Irish-medium youth-work and now caters fro 450 young people each week across the city. Among other projects it has also established are several dealing with local community history and heritage recover

Six of The Best. I’m reading Colin Broderick’s ‘That’s That,’ an evocative account of growing up in Altnamuskin in Tyrone at the height of the conflict. Colin’s mother and her efforts to protect her brood are at the heart of this story. Her ‘That’s That’ as she lays down the law and the final words in any dispute with young Colin, gives this book its title.  In one little cameo Colin tells of getting ‘slapped’ at school.  He describes the strap as ‘a twenty inch length of thick leather about an inch and a half wide, worn smooth from years of skin contact.’  He goes on to describe how the teacher ordered him to hold his hand out, palm upwards as he struck him forcefully across the hand with the strap. By coincidence Richard and I were discussing corporal punishment a few days before I read this. I don’t recall how that came into the conversation but that’s the way with conversations between Richard and me. They are inclined to meander. When I read Colin’s account of being slapped