31st January, 2002
Congratulations to Ray Lally, Colin Doyle and
Kevin Mulcahy who have been picked to play for Ireland in
international soccer matches. Having three local Douglas lads to
represent our country is a fantastic achievement. Well done to
the local clubs who have nurtured these lads down through the
years. Now all the timeless hard work and training has paid off.
Last Saturday I called up to the Douglas Hall football grounds to
take some photographs of the new members of the U12 girls team.
We sometimes take for granted all their mentors and trainers who
give up their weekends to train the young players, their only
reward being when the players walk onto the ‘field of dreams’.
and win, lose or draw. Finally thanks to Cummin Sports of Douglas
court Shopping Centre who presented Ray Lally with a pair of
football boots for next Monday’s international against the
Czech Republic in Dublin. Anytime I’ve gone looking for
support from the Douglas Business Community, they’ve always
come up ‘trumps’. The words ‘community spirit’
spring to mind. Well done to all.
A reader asked me to mention the speed at which cars drive down
the Donnybrook Hill. This reader’s elderly father lives in
James Connolly Place and he has to cross the road to get the bus
into town. Most of you will know that the bus stop is situated at
the entrance to the Hillcourt Estate. There are also a lot of
children who live in Mount Pellier Estate and they also have to
cross the road to get the bus, so drivers please remember as you
drive down Donnybrook Hill, there are no Linford Christies or
Jesse Owens living in either of these estates mentioned. Please
slow down.
Get well soon to mine, and I’m sure everybody else’s
friend in Douglas, Aidan Dalton. Aidan is the jovial and ever
smiling bar manager of the East Village Bar & Restaurant.
Hope to see you back at work soon. Aidan, you’re missed by
all the customers in the bar.
In about three months time there will be scenes of agony and
ecstasy, weeping and washing of teeth. No, I’m not talking
about ‘Telly Bingo’ being shown every night of the
week, I’m referring to the general Election.
As the candidates travel through estates, the highways and byways
of Ireland whispering to themselves the lines from a Robert Frost
poem “Promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep”,
I sometimes wonder what drives people to seek political office (excluding
Liam Lawlor). Yet, every five years they tell us that they can do
better than the others, that they really care, and perhaps they
do, but they say that power corrupts in the land of the wink and
the nod, it probably does. But then we turn a blind eye to it and
I remember what a member of a political party said to me some
time ago. “This is the real world, these things happen, don’t
let it upset you, join the club.” No thanks, I’ve never
been a member of any club, and never will. Anyway, I wish them
all well as they seek to hold onto or secure for the first time
these two letters after their name, TD.
Did any of you watch the UTV documentary on Sunday night? It was
entitled “Miracles”. It followed the lives of two
American christian fundamentalists, faith healers, what people do
to other people in the name Jesus. One Hindu couple with a
terminally ill ten year old son became christians so that Jesus
would cure their son. Then the preacher told them that Jesus
needed more money. They borrowed, went into debt, no food in the
fridge, but sadly their child died six months later. The preacher
lived in a mansion, had his own private jet. In one scene where
he’s on stage before a huge audience of sick, infirm,
crippled, blind, terminally ill people he organises his bucket
collectors to collect cheques. Then he whispers to the audience
“Don’t forget to include the expiry date of your credit
card”. Obscene!! St. Nick, stoke up the fires, your friends
are still around.
Finally, with an election on the way, do you believe as I do that
the most serious issue in our country at the moment is not the
Bertie Bowl, the Eircom share holders, the Nice Treaty, Louis
Walsh’s pop bands, but the most serious issue if the
terrifying rise in serious crime, muggings, assaults, etc... John
O’Donoghue promised zero tolerance on crime. For God’s
sake, take the streets back from the gurriers, because people are
afraid to walk them at night. Ask yourself this question “Would
I walk through Cork city alone at night?” I thought so, a
sad reflection on our society and our law enforcers who only
answer a call when the evil deed is done. Prevention is better
than cure. Put Gardaí on the beat now, you’ll get my number
one if you do.
Bye for now,
Michael O'Hanlon.
