7th March, 2002
Regarding the piece I wrote last week concerning
the condition of the entrance into the Grange/Frankfield
community centre. A reader and member of a local indoor bowls
club told me that both he and fellow members felt ashamed when
visiting teams called to take part in competitions at the centre.
Chairman of Grange/Frankfield Community Association, Michael
Burke range me on Monday to tell me that the association have
finally taken over control of the entrance and that residents and
visitors to the centre will see a huge improvement taking place
very shortly. It seems that for years and years nobody quite knew
who owned the land on which the entrance was, now that all of the
legal aspects have been sorted out, the saga has reached a
satisfactory conclusion. Michael also told me that they have an
ongoing problem with acts of vandalism to the centre. Teenagers
smashing the windows of the centre, just for fun!! It costs
€35 to replace one pane of glass. this cost has to be borne
by the residents. I’m tired of writing about mindless acts
of vandalism.
We now live in a society and an age where we and our children are
better educated than ever before. Through the internet we have
access to the world in seconds. Our children are taught to the
highest standards at all stages of schooling, but do they know
right from wrong? Do we teach them about respect for other people’s
property? Do we we teach them to give up their seat on a bus to a
woman or an elderly person? There is more to education than 2+2=4.
As parents we also have a duty to know where our children are and
what they are doing when they leave home. School teachers also
have an obligation to educate our children in social rights and
wrongs. Perhaps a visit by a community Garda to the schools to
talk to the students would not be wasted. Either way, we as
parents and adults must tell our children what is wrong in such
anti-social behaviour as breaking windows in a centre which is
there for us all. But then perhaps the culprits don’t know
its wrong because nobody ever told them right from wrong.
Here in the weekly office, we got a nice phone call last week
from Passage West to thank us for highlighting the fact that
residents in the area had not received mail for two days due to a
shortage of postal delivery staff! The caller told us that the
delivery service resumed on the day after a local councillor made
several calls. So well done to the caller to Deirdre Forde, M.C.C.
and An Post for their prompt response to the situation. All's
well that ends well.
A reader and a Nemo Rangers supporter was in jubilant mood when I
met him on Tuesday. He told me last weekend Nemo had won all
their senior games, senior, intermediate, junior A, B & C,
five games and five wins, well done Nemo. Get Croke PArk ready
for the big one!!!
Did anybody see any television adverts for the fifteen cent levy
on plastic bags? I didn’t. But like the abortion referendum
it’s not plain black and white. The retailers will give you
a bag at no cost if you purchase solely fresh meat, fish, ice or
poultry, loose fruit or vegetables. So what’s to stop you
buying two apple, getting the assistant to put them in a bag and
then buy the rest of your goods whilst using the bag containing
the two apples to carry the other groceries. Sounds like an Irish
solution to an Irish problem. Remember C.J. Haughey as Minister
of Health in the ‘70’s? Condoms on prescription only.
By the time you read this you will have cast your vote in the
referendum. Will it be yes or no or more of the same? I believe
nothing will change, and that as the years go by we will have
more and more referendums on one if not the most controversial
subject ever to touch us all, abortion. it’s one time I’m
glad I’m not a legislator.
It’s the time of the year for estate grass cutting and there
is a strong possibility that the grass in shamrock Lawn will not
be cut this year. The cost increases each year because less than
half the residents pay towards the cost. The committee are in the
red since last year. Every year the same people pay and the other
half don’t, so we are paying twice as much as we should
because our neighbours don’t give a cent. In American towns
smaller than Douglas, they print the names of the people who paid
and thank them in the local paper. Good idea, what’s that
word again, ah yes, community ..........!
Bye for now,
Michael O’Hanlon.
P.S. Good luck to Michelle Burke on Friday as she walks up the
aisle.
