Then & Now: Great Limerick reads to start the year
THIS WEEK I take a look at the 22nd edition of the Ballybrown Parish Journal which has been in the shops since its launch last December.
It is available to buy in the shops in Tervoe, and Clarina, for just €10, which is great value for its presentation, contents and size.
It includes all the events that took place there over the past year, and recalls past people, places, and events.
The journal printed in bright glossy paper contains 228 pages with many in full colour, including the front and back cover. The front cover features another delightful painting of Kenny's forge, Rahina, Clarina, by Jim O'Farrell whose artistic talents has enhanced the cover of each magazine since 2001. A photo of Pat Gallagher with his Benemerenti medal received from Pope Francis for outstanding service to the Church is on the back cover.
The following is a sample of the articles included: Fr Austine Inene from Nigeria writes about his time spent in Patrickswell and Ballybrown in the summer of 2022. History of Limerick Museum (1907-2022) is a four-page article by Matthew Potter Curator of Limerick Museum. The Limerick Refugees in Mungret 1922 is taken from the Mungret Annual Vol V1, No 2, July 1923. Three Women buried within Old Kilkeedy Church Ruins by Tom Donovan features details on Ruth Knox (née Cooper), Angel Moony and Bessie Anne Grealey over two pages with photographs of their headstones.
The Centenary of the death of Lionel Massey (1837-1922) 5th Lord Clarina is recalled with his obituary notice taken from the Limerick Chronicle dated October 17, 1922.
Whooper Swans wintering at Ballybrown by John N Murphy over three pages will be of interest to nature lovers. Limerick Hurling Glories and other Stories by Clara McGann centres on her support for the team who broke many records during the year. Nellie Cosgrave and Padre Pio is a story that made national news last October when Nellie from Corcamore claimed she had seen an apparition of the saint at Mass.
Photographs are very prominent in the Journal with all events included this year. Every photo tells a story and for this alone the journal is a real winner, capturing past and present people and events. Pages of wedding photographs, past and present graduations, family celebrations, new arrivals, out and about, bygone days, down memory lane, are all included.
The financial success of a journal often depends on the generosity of the advertisers, and with 90, plus included in this edition; the committee are to be congratulated for their efforts. They play a major role in every local journal and should be supported wherever possible, especially this year. I liked the two pages of Mortuary Cards, from 1912 to 1992 which is a lovely way of recalling absent friends in a parish. All who passed on in the last year are remembered with their photographs included.
There are many more articles sport and parish reports to browse through as well which readers can look forward to reading. The Ballybrown Pioneer Total Abstinence Association, and the Editorial committee of Tom Donovan, Mary Kelly, Michael McNamara, Carl Musgrave, Des Fitzgerald, Martin Hayes, and Willie Ryan, have compiled another fine parish journal which is highly recommended.
The proceeds from the sales go entirely to the Lourdes fund, which assists people from the parish to visit Lourdes, which they do each year with the Limerick Diocesan pilgrimage. A journal is a great way of keeping in contact with overseas readers, who always like to keep the home link alive. The journal is great value at € 10 and copies may be still available to purchase in the area.
GRASSROOTS BOOK
GAA GRASSROOTS book, stories from the heart of the GAA Volume 2 is compiled by Offaly native PJ Cunningham, and features five Limerick stories from, Mae and Joe Leonard, Seamus Walsh, Jim Mc Namara and this writer.
PJ is a former deputy editor of the Sunday Tribune and Evening Herald and sports editor of the Irish Independent. He is the author of five books and he has compiled and edited with Joe Kearney three collections of books on rural life stories -Around the Farm Gate, There was Light and From the Candy Store to the Galtymore. It was always his intention to publish this GAA collection and work got underway in step with Covid 19.
Volume 1 was launched in Winter 2021 and proved very successful with readers. Many stories were held over and Volume 2 was launched at Croke Park by President of the Gaelic Athletic Association Larry McCarthy.
Mae Leonard is a proud Limerick woman who has lived all her married life in County Kildare. Once upon a time she played camogie for Limerick and captured the heart of a Limerick hurler. The well known journalist is also an award winning author of short stories and poetry. Her story is titled Who Kildare's Wins on the Road to Ardee.
Her husband Joe Leonard is a native of Limerick and the eldest of a family of eight where hurling was the sole focus of interest growing up. He played on the Harty Cup team with Sexton Street CBS and was centre back on the Limerick team that won the All Ireland Minor Hurling title in 1958. The title of his story is Tracing my Hurling Career with Grandson Theo.
Séamus Walsh is a native of Clonlara and is ex-chairman of the Ahane club. He served as umpire in three All Ireland senior hurling finals with Limerick referee Pat O'Connor. Ring and Mackey's Verbal Joust is the title of his story. It concerns a photo from the 1957 Munster hurling final and the exchange between an injured Christy and Mick who was an umpire.
Jim McNamara from Tipperary is an organic farmer and founder of An tLonad Glas - the organic college in Dromcollogher and co-author of the herb book Cluain Chumhra; Fragrant Meadow. His story is titled Reaching the Moment of GAA Reason. My humble offering is titled Beaten by a Fellestrum Cutter in Glen of Tír na nÓg.
A green map of Ireland with a white light spot representing the GAA clubs is on the front cover. The hardback cover has 400 pages and 123 individual stories plus a few poems and songs, from people all over Ireland and beyond.
The book costs € 19.99 and is available in bookshops all over the country. The latest volume will provide plenty of laughs for readers who can dip in and out of it. Copies of both books will be kept in the Museum in Croke Park as part of the clubs contribution.