CALENDAR FEATURES COTTAGES
Recently I came across a 2022 calendar featuring rather impressive images of Ireland, in a Euro shop on Thomas Street. Among many well-known spots throughout Ireland, it features the familiar colourful cottages just below the Toll House on Verdant Place, for the month of November. It is quite attractive and St. Munchin's graveyard and Church feature in the background. Costs just €2.
NEW BOOKS
Locally, a healthy crop of books have arrived on the scene, and it seems, just in good time for the festive season. First, we have the constant arrival from photographer, Seán Curtin, the 21st edition of his outstanding success, “A Stroll Down Memory Lane” (I understand Seán is at the market every Saturday selling his books), then comes comes the Master of Memories, Joe Coleman, with his fourth (and last) publication entitled, “Down by the Bare Place”. This book is embellished with some excellently-chosen pictures. Star rugby players book, Keith Earls, speaks for itself and by all accounts, a riveting read, and not alone for sports fans. Yet another in the sporting vein is a thoroughly good read from the pen of Ronnie Long, a man of vast experience both in the sporting arena as well as in life. Now for a thoroughly pure Limerick musical note! “Leader of the Band” has been written by Derek Mulcahy, long-time member of St. Mary's Fife and Drum Band (est. 1885), about the originator of that same band, Patrick J. McNamara. Two CDs accompany this magnificent effort on the part of Derek who graduated from MMTC with a Phd. Much more about Derek next week. The book and CDs can be procured from the Bandroom on Mary Street any Sunday from 12 -1pm, on line and from local bookshops. Good luck to all our writers!
LADY WRITERS
And there's a lady, yes indeed, and a highly successful one at that. Judi Curtin, has penned a wonderful book, a third in a series about a girl called Lily. I've read the two former publications and shared them with my young teenage grand-daughter. And, outside of the truly aesthetic value of her books, I find the writing just beautiful. Her latest offering featured in this year's “Holly Bough”. And lest I forget, my latest publication entitled, “A New Day Dawns” short stories with a speckling of poetry throughout, and richly enhanced with delightful sketches from the pen of local Artist, Patrick Collins, it costs just €12. This publication as well as some former publications can be procured at Celtic Bookshop, Hunt Museum, Quay Books (around the corner from Billy Higgin's shop), O'Mahony's Bookshop, Eason's at the Parkway, Castletroy Shopping Centre, and Super Valu in Grove Island.
MAE PICKS BLACKBERRIES
It was just 6.15am on the morning of October 27th when my memory was taken back to decades ago. While tuned in to RTE Radio One 'Rising Time', the dulcet tones of our native Parish writer and broadcaster, Mae Leonard, comes bouncing over the airwaves. Her theme being Autumn. she being out for her early morning walk. Upon spotting the absence of blackberries on the bushes, her mind reverts to a time when she and her family cycled single file out past Corbally, on to Gillogue until they end up at Plassey banks and her mother spreads the blanket for a picnic. An all too familiar scene back in the 50s. Of course they pick blackberries, eat some and bring the rest home to make jam. According to Mae, pure contentment! And she wonders, what do youngsters call 'contentment' nowadays? Thanks for the memory, Mae! Incidentally, it is possible that you may come across some of Mae's brilliant publications on some bookshops. Seek and you may find.
