Category Parish Life

Jan 21 2014

Christmas Eve, 1995

Fenor 1996 – Diary of a Parish Community

 “Christmas Eve, 1995”

24th December, 1995

Fenor Crib

The Vigil Mass was celebrated by candlelight at 8 p.m. in Fenor Church tonight. The new crib, designed and made last year by Hugh Kerley, was erected by Dan Cowman and Michael Flynn, and in the window over the crib stood a traditional red Christmas candle. The candle was held in a beautiful bog oak stand, made from a root which came from a local bog. It has been cleaned and polished by Michael Flynn. It is truly a work of art.

The cottage was floodlit and the giant Christmas tree placed beside the garden was festooned with hundreds of tiny white lights. The community joined the choir of schoolchildren and Fr. O’Brien in the singing of the Mass and Christmas carols. Traditional carols were played by the Byrne family of Ballyscanlon with Mrs. R. Byrne N.T. on the organ.

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One of the most beautiful of our Irish customs is the lighting of the Christmas candle in the kitchen window on Christmas eve. This was done in honour of the Holy Family which sought shelter on the first Christmas night and was refused. The light was also a beacon for the lonely and the homeless and signified that there was a bed for them beside the fire. The candle was lit by the oldest and youngest members of the family at nightfall.

On this night the farm animals were given an extra ration of feed because they also celebrate the birth of Our Saviour. Only the ass and the cows know the moment of Christ’s birth and, at this moment on Christmas night, they kneel down in adoration of the new-born King.

Jan 21 2014

Dedication

Fenor 1996 – Diary of a Parish Community

“Dedication”

During the course of a Sale Of Work meeting in late 1995, a suggestion was made that a year book, recording the life of the parish, would be an interesting and worthwhile addition to the two books on the parish published in 1994.

The year 1996 was an ideal year to begin this project. In this year the present National School is 50 years old and the original school in the village opened its doors 170 years ago. Fenor Development Committee, which organised the first Sale of Work as a fund raiser, is 25 years in existence and this Sale of Work is now one of the longest-running and most successful in the South-East.

The Gymkhana Committee held its 22nd Equestrian event in the parish and Fenor Macra na Feirma, this year, celebrates its 21st year in existence. Fenor G.A.A. has started the second phase of its building project and, by the end of the year, the new dressing rooms will be well underway.

For some parishioners this was “the best of years”. For others it was “the worst of years”. For most of us it has been a year we will always remember.

We dedicate this book to the memory of John O’Mahony, James Chapman, Mary Barry, Ann Hynes, Conor O’Grady, Johnny Flynn, Eddie Murphy, Paddy Hayes, and Jack O’Sullivan.

 

May the light of heaven shine on them all.

Jan 21 2014

Fenor 1996 – Diary of a Parish

Parish Life in the Past

Fenor 1996 – Diary of a Parish Community

pencil-paper

The events recorded here and listed in the menu on the left first appeared in the book “Fenor 1996 – Diary of a Parish Community“. Other events appear in the book that are not recorded here. We have selected these particular events because they relate in some way to the religious life of the community. Anyone wishing to see the full diary is advised to obtain a copy of the book.

The reason for the choice of 1996 as the diary year is set out in the book’s dedication, which is the first item in the menu. We hope that you enjoy reading our selection.

Jan 21 2014

Fenor 2010 – Growing and Changing

Parish Life in the Past

Fenor 2010 – Growing and Changing

This is the title of the latest book to be published about the village of Fenor and the surrounding area. It is a collection of memories of the people who live there, or who once lived there, as many of them are now gone. “This little book is a window to our past and the essence of who we are now”.Young people who have experienced life only as it is lived today may find it difficult to imagine that life was ever different. Those of us in our middle years who have known different times still often refuse to believe some of the stories told by our parents or grandparents about the way it was in their day.To help and encourage you to peek through the window of time we have reproduced just two of the stories told in the book. You can read them by clicking on the titles at top left. We hope you will enjoy them.
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The map is an old 19th century map of Fenor

Jan 21 2014

Parish Life In The Past

Parish Life in the Past

Spinning

The Way It Was

This photo of a woman spinning was taken around the time our two churches were built – about 1890. How on earth did she get by without a mobile phone or a tablet?
Young people are often amazed when they hear how different parish life was when their parents and grandparents were young. So much has changed in the practice of religion. Of course, many religious practices were not religious at all but were merely superstitions, and many of them were driven off by the Archangel Solas – the electric light. Even grannies and granddads forget how it was until they are reminded.

Sore head
For instance, do you remember that characteristic “bonk!” sound that was heard from time to time during Mass when the head of a fainting child banged into the bench in front? Of course you do, but you haven’t heard it for a long time, have you? Not since the rule about fasting from midnight was relaxed.

Writing

Now is your chance to remind us all of the way it was. Why not put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and write out a wee something. Post it or hand it in to the parish office or e-mail it to the communications team. You will find contact details on the Contact Us page. It doesn’t have to be a 10,000-word opus. Little things are also important and if you think your story is interesting or humorous, we will too. So send it in to us and we will let everyone enjoy it.

Writing

To encourage you we have published a few stories which were, mostly, reproduced from books on Fenor, including the latest book, ‘Fenor 2010 – Growing and Changing’. They are available from the menu on the left of this page. Stories from Dunhill and some new stories are on the way.
We hereby exhort you grannies and granddads to compel your offspring to read these stories. It will do them good and let them see what a tough life you had and how easy it is for them now, and how ungrateful they are, and how they should appreciate you more, and … you know the routine!

Jan 21 2014

Dunhill Community Hall

Dunhill Community Hall

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coffee-pot

Newcomers to the parish may not know that there is a community hall in Dunhill. Old stagers will know that the hall has been vacant and boarded up for quite a while. Such a pity for it to be lying idle when there are so many uses for it. Unfortunately, bringing the hall back into use is a costly endevour, both in money terms and in human effort. The good news is that something is now being done to put new life into the hall. A committee has been formed which has spent much time considering the various options and has already made a number of important decisions. Sarah O’Brien has put together some documents and pictures to illustrate the present status of the hall and these may be accessed from the upper menu opposite. Also, the Friends of Dunhill Hall newsletter is available from the lower menu opposite.

readingkarate-manink-facesingingka-pow
Jan 21 2014

Winter Wonderland 2010

Winter Wonderland

The North Pole comes to Dunhill and Fenor!

Ireland is not noted for skiing. They sometimes get a few inches of snow in the far north of Donegal, which is good enough for them up there, but here in the sunny south east snow is a rarity. If more than ten snowflakes fall on the roof of the car in one day, we all go into hibernation. Just as in Camelot, “there’s a legal limit to the snow here”, and “winter is forbidden till December”. However, late last month (November 2010) we got an awful shock. The whole country was hit by a combination of unusually early arctic and Siberian air masses which conspired to dump a lot more than the regulation ten snowflakes on an unsuspecting populace.

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In Ireland, waking up to snow is like stepping through the looking glass. You find yourself in a different land in a different time. There are no cars passing by the gate; there are no people to be seen; all is silent. Even the birds stay at home while they figure out what all the white stuff is for. After a while things start to happen – magical things. A neighbour you have only nodded to in the last two years drops in for a chat; someone phones to say that he is going to attempt to drive to Tramore and is there anything we need; there is an invitation to trudge half a mile through the snow to share a coffee with a friend.

The scenery is changed, too. The house or the tree or the hill that you see every day has now a magical, mysterious quality. Naturally, you feel that you want to preserve the magic, so you reach for the camera. We did, too, and we have made our photos available to you in a “Winter Wonderland ” photo gallery which you can see if you click HERE. We hope that you enjoy them.

snow suitsnow dogfrozen
Jan 21 2014

Christmas Parties

Christmas Parties

The Christmas party begins with a meal organised by the Community Care volunteers who cook the food and serve it to the guests. After the meal the tables are moved away, the band sets up its gear, and the dancing starts. Several people add their singing voices to the proceedings. You will see some of our senior members enjoying themselves at the party if you go to Parish Photo Albums.
The Community Care group works very hard to put on a great party. You will also see some of the members of the group in the gallery photos.

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Jan 21 2014

2010 Parish Pilgrimage Description

2010 Parish Pilgrimage

Thank you, Mount Melleray!

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Click this photo to view the gallery of photos.

im02-bigim02-thumbsWe must thank the monks of Mount Melleray abbey for a very pleasant pilgrimage. Perhaps pilgrimages are not meant to be pleasant experiences but this one certainly was. We all arrived by car at about 3:30 p.m. (on Sunday 6th June 2010, the feast of Corpus Christi) and we wandered around and chatted in the beautiful, warm sunshine until the audio/visual display began at 4:15 p.m.

On leaving the exhibition hall we were shepherded by Fr. Paul Murphy, our tour leader/guide/organiser/parish administrator into a tight flock for a group photograph, assisted by an obliging passing visitor who took the shot. After that we explored the grounds, the lovely flower and heather beds, the fountain and, not least, the café and gift shop. They have very nice apple pie in the café and, although the place was full of visitors, their production line kept the queue quite short.

At 5:45 p.m. we were given a short talk on the monastery by Fr. Denis Luke, after which we joined the monks for the singing of Vespers followed by Benediction and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Then we were all back out in the sunshine to make our way home at leisure. All in all, it was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon. You can see photographs of the pilgrimage if you click the photograph.