20th December, 2001
Well, it’s finally come around again, that
magic time for young and old when we wish everybody we meet a
‘Merry Christmas’. For some it will be a Christmas
tinged with sadness as they remember loved ones no longer around.
But what is really impressive are the crowds who visit the
cemeteries on Christmas Day to pay their respects and say a
silent hello to their loved ones. I always look on Christmas as a
time to reflect on the past year and thank God for the
opportunity to see another one. My wife and I were walking down
to the club last Friday night and it was bitterly cold but I
glanced up and the stars were all over the sky and a sharp, cold
frosty night with the stars twinkling makes a beautiful picture.
I can’t help it , Christmas brings out the sentiment in me.
Congratulations to John Cuddihy and his staff at the Texaco
Service Station who were recent winners in the top Texaco stop in
Ireland. I bought a few cartons of chicken wings dipped inn honey
and garlic from the deli back to the office and the staff wanted
more (now look what you’ve started John!)
Every Sunday I buy the Independent. i must admit I preferred the
old ‘Indo’ but then they introduced a new format, three
parts. I suppose nothing stays the same. But the writers are good.
Hugh Leonard, Gene Kerrigan, Eoghan Harris (a Douglas man), John
Drennan, Declan Lynch etc., one might not always agree with their
views, but that’s what makes it a good paper. It used to
cost £1.20 until last Sunday!! There was a price increase of 10p.
Did I read recently in the Indo that almost 1,000,000 copies of
that paper are sold every Sunday. Good luck to Dr. Tony or should
that be Sir Anthony? I knew him as Tony O’Reilly when he
lived in Ashton flats in Blackrock Road and worked in Suttons on
the South Mall, but that’s another story. It’s last
week’s story that amazes me. Former TD Seán Sherwin took
the Indo to the High court and sued for libel. He won, but was
awarded only £250, with each side being ordered by the court to
pay its own costs which were £100,000. So the Indo was stuck
with a legal bill of £100,000. What happens? The Indo goes up in
price by 10p. Multiply 10p by 1,000,000 copies or so sold and
what do we get? £100,000. On second thoughts I think I got it
wrong, that should be a million readers. I don’t know how
many copies of the Sunday Indo are sold but I do know and I feel
as if I’m paying my contribution to the lawyer’s fees.
What do you think?
on Tuesday night I called down to St. Patrick’s church in
Rochestown for the St. Columba’s school Christmas pagent. It
was fantastic. The church was beautiful and well done to the
organisers and of course the children who made it all possible.
What struck me on the night was the sense of community that was
apparent on the night. Perhaps in the future a local Christmas
panto might be an option worth looking at.
We finally got our Christmas tree lights switched on last Friday
night. Many thanks to Jim Hanley, Aidan Crowne, Seán Fitzgerald,
the lads from the County Council, Seán Treacy who played and
sung Christmas songs, the E.S.B’s John Courtney and Deirdre
Forde who made some very helpful telephone calls and finally to
local man and founding member of Douglas Credit Union, Alfie
Kavanagh who switched on the lights and thanks to the families
who turned up for the switch on.
The year has been a big one for us here in The Douglas Weekly. We
moved from Shamrock Lawn to St. Patrick’s Mills, the heart
of Douglas. I want to thank all within the Mill who made us feel
so welcome. The Mill really is a village within Douglas and one
only has to walk through it to discover how many retail and
services are on offer there.
Finally, thanks to all our advertisers, who continue to advertise
with us. Your support and confidence in The Douglas Weekly has
seen it grow from an acorn to an oak. Thank you to the readers
who support our advertisers. Thanks to all our contributors for
all their sports results every week. We hope to see some of you
at the Douglas Weekly Christmas Party night (sold out) and if
not, well there’s the Women’s Little Christmas party
night on January 6th with Dickie Rock and Rockin’ Gerry at
the Rochestown Park Hotel (tickets on sale only at the Douglas
Weekly office.
May God bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true.
May you always do for others.
And let others do for you.
May you build a ladder to the stars.
And climb every rung.
And may you stay forever young.
May you grow up to be righteous.
May you grow up to be true.
May you always know the truth.
And see the lights surrounding you.
May you always be courageous.
Stand upright and be strong.
And may you stay forever young. (Bob Dylan)
Happy Christmas, Michael O'Hanlon.
