‘Local Gossip’ December 1999 St Johnston and Carrigans News
Merry Christmas To All Our Readers!
December 1999
Greetings Readers,
As this is the last edition of the Newsletter for 1999 and for the Millennium,
we would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy Christmas.
We would also like to express many thanks to everyone who helped out with
activities throughout the year. There are far too many to name, but thanks…YOU
KNOW WHO YOU ARE! Don’t forget to check out what’s happening for the New Year’s
Celebrations on P.4.
Wishing you all the very best for the festive season and the New Year,
Best Wishes,
Resource Group AGM :
A New Committee for A New Year
By all accounts, the 1999 AGM of the St Johnston and Carrigans Resource Group
was a huge success. The AGM is something people usually try to avoid, to
minimise the risk of actually being elected to a committee. The usual dread
associated with an AGM was nowhere evident on Thursday, December 2nd when a new
committee was elected to manage both the project and the new Resource Centre.
After many years struggling to raise funds to build a resource centre for the
community, the end line is, at last, in sight. The Centre is due to be opened by
St Patrick’s Day and judging from the turn out at the AGM, we have finally begun
to see the importance of the project both to ourselves and to our children.
The following people were elected to the committee on the night:
· Derrig Higgins; Chairperson
· Mary Crossan; Vice –chair
· Frances Browne; Secretary
· Deirdre Browne; Treasurer
· Deborah Toland; PRO
· Nora Browne
· Peter Hickey
· Maureen Higgins
· Mabel Porter
· Mary Browne
· John McCartney
· Susan Duffy
· Nan Lynch
Inside This Issue
1
AGM : A New Committee for a New Year
2
Memories are made of this…
3
Killarney Bound – NOT
3
When Home is where the hurt is
4
Youth Drama Group Star Performance
4
Christmas and Millennium Celebrations
St Johnston and Carrigans Resource Group
As we stand on the edge of the twentieth century, I find myself looking back and
reminiscing on times gone by. St Johnston will never be in the league of famous
places but to a child growing up in the latter half of the century it was an
exciting, safe place to be. The sense of belonging was ever present. Child
rearing was a communal task, there was always some one watching over you. A
village of guardian angels, although this was not always appreciated by the
child in question.
The Railway station was a hub of activity, with constant comings and goings. The
trip to Derry was a scenic journey spanning the widest part of the river Foyle.
The train seemed to glide over the river in parts. As a child, it was magical to
view the wild life and fauna close up and to observe the colours and changes of
the river. How many stories never told of emmigrants leaving home with heavy
hearts, some never to return, happy couples honeymooning, shopping trips with a
bit of smuggling to add to the excitement. I often wonder at the lack of vision
of the people who took the decision to close the railway. For the villages of
Carrigans, St Johnston and Porthall it was a severance of their life-line, the
beginning of the end to prosperity.
School was a necessary part of life, the mod cons like central heating and
indoor toilets were far from where we were educated. Each child brought sticks
to school to provide what little heat there was. Before lunch the tea bottles
were lined up in front of the fire to heat. When the corks popped, it was time
for lunch. Singing class was the highlight of the day, all the old tunes got a
blast. We didn’t realise how lucky we were being taught by a famous poet and
song-writer, Sean McBride. I thought that he was ancient as he had taught my
mother in the old school house at Brown’s, opposite the chapel.
The village itself was seldom still. It’s hard to imagine, but it once boasted
fifteen shops all flourishing, providing for
MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS…
every need; sawmills, butchers, tailors, DIY, shoe-makers and grocers. On the
day of a funeral the pubs would be packed; occasionally there would be a row
that would spill out onto the street, but it would soon be resolved and
everybody would return to finish their drinks.
The fishing season was a very exciting time with the comings and the goings to
the shore. Talk of shots, weights, prices, boats, nets and bailiffs was the
order of the day. The river was prosperous then, men could earn enough to keep
their families for the lean winter months and some even managed to invest in
land or property.
Saturday was like a scene from a story book with the horses and hounds from the
hunt. The boys would run after the pack opening and closing the gates to be
rewarded with half crowns, tickets for the Carricklea Races in Strabane and
rides on the horses.
The excursion to the Letterkenny show and Portrush were the highlights of the
Summer. Martha Gilchrist would have been first on the bus with about twenty
children in her care. There was always crack on the street from the local
characters, including Willie Stephenson with his famous rendition of Stumpy’s
Brae. People seemed to have more time to enjoy each others company and still
managed to get their day’s work done.
If I have one wish for the Millennium, I would like for every child growing up
in St Johnston to have as happy a childhood as mine.
- Mary Crossan
NOTE TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE REGISTERED FOR COMPUTER TRAINING
Two introductory courses in computers are scheduled to begin early in the New
Year. These courses are fully booked. If you have registered for one of these
courses, you will receive a letter early in the Jan. with details of dates,
costs and venues.
· John O’Donnell
· Phonsie Browne
TO ALL OUR NEW MEMBERS; WELCOME ON BOARD!
WHEN HOME IS WHERE THE HURT IS…..
The Christmas Period should ideally be a time of happiness, but sadly for many
families it can become one of the most stressful times of the year with many
women and children dreading the festive season because of domestic violence.
In houses all over the country this Christmas, some women will be trying to do
their beas, often on a limited budget or maybe heavily in debt, to provide a
good christmas for the children while walking on eggshells themselves, trying to
placate an abusive partner. He may be seen by outsiders as a lovely man and a
good provider and ‘doesn’t she know how lucky she is’. This attitude in itself
can be enough to stop a woman seeking help as she fears that she will not be
believed.
With the children on holiday from school over the Christmas period, they will,
no martyr how much the mother tries to keep them out of harm’s way, witness more
of the abuse that is occurring in the house. Seeing, hearing their mother being
physically, emotionally, sexually and mentally abused by their father.
This can lead to bed wetting, withdrawn behaviour, being destructive of
surroundings, becoming abusive to mother and to the other children, being angry
with mother for not stopping the abuse, ‘keeping in with’ father by telling
tales about mother in order to keep themselves safe. With these traumatic
experiences occurring in their home life they may feel safer in school dreading
weekends and holidays.
Alcohol, especially over the festive season, is frequently blamed by men who
abuse their partners and children, stating that they were drunk, can’t remember
what has happened and so are not to blame for their actions. They will often
place the blame on their partner for ’naging’, for ‘not keeping the children
quiet’, for spending ‘too much money’, for ‘flirting’ with other men at parties,
etc. etc. Abusive men will always find and excuse for their behaviour.
THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
THEY ALONE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ABUSIVE BEHAVIOUR
Are you or anyone you know a victim of physical, mental, sexual or emotional
abuse at home? If you feel you need confidential support/information, emergency
accommodation or just someone to talk to ; contact the Women’s Refuge
Do not suffer in silence. Talk to some-one. Contact the Women’s Refuge. Tel.
(074) 27591 or (074) 26267.
KILLARNEY BOUND – NOT
Two young ladies from St Johnston who wish to remain anonymous, were caught
hook, line and sinker recently when they decided to go on a day trip. They were
told by their father that he had heard that there was a bus leaving Lifford for
Killarney, but what made the trip all the more tempting was that the return fare
was only £6. The two girls dolled up to the ninties, headed for Lifford and
boarded the bus. Shopping and the Killarney scenery was an exciting prospect,
with the added incentive that they might find a partner on the bus. However,
that notion quickly faded when they noticed that the bus was full with
pensioners. One man was so excited to see ‘two nice wee things’ on the bus, the
two girls become so preoccupied by his comments that they failed to notice the
direction the bus was travelling in.
Their father had mis-heard an advertisement on the local radio. He heard
correctly that the return fare was £6, but the destination was Kincasslagh and
the trip was targeted at O.A.P.’s.
It was not until the P.A. announced that the bus would be stopping at the Viking
Hotel for tea and scones that the two girls asked ‘What are we stopping here
for?’ They quickly received the answer!
- Mark McCrossan
RESOURCE OFFICE, HOLIDAY NOTICE
The Resource Office will be closed for Christmas from Monday, December 20th
until Jan. 5th, 2,000. See you all in the New Year!
USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS
RESOURCE OFFICE 074-48551
DOCTOR ON CALL IN EMERGENCIES 074-45835
PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE 074-48275
LETTERKENNY HOSPITAL 074-25888
SAMARITANS 074-27200
FR. CARR 074-48203
REV. JONES 074- 48194
CANON CROOKS 074-40135
EMERGENCY SERVICES 999 or 112
WOMEN’S REFUGE 074- 26267
Christmas and Millennium Celebrations
The last Christmas of the Millennium has witnessed a surge in community spirit
and the placing of Christmas Trees in both Carrigans and St Johnston. Despite
unsuccessful attempts to get funding from the Millennium Fund, a number of
people have been working very hard to plan a fireworks display to celebrate the
new Millennium.
At 6pm on Friday, December 31st there will be a Millennium Prayer service
involving all the different churches in the area. This will be followed by a New
Year’s Eve Fireworks display at 7pm. This is a family event and is being planned
at this time so that all members of the community, young and old, can come
along. Where you are at mid-night is up to you but don’t miss the celebrations
on New Year’s Eve……
YOUTH DRAMA GROUP
A STAR PERFORMANCE IN THE NEW THEATRE, LETTERKENNY
The Grianan Theatre in Letterkenny is the largest and newest theatre in the
North Western region. Since its opening earlier this year, the Theatre has
played host to a variety of professional drama, dance and music performances,
including the RTE Chamber Orchestra and the Blue Rain Coat Theatre Company.
On Sunday, December 5th, 1999, the St Johnston and Carrigans Youth Drama Group
took to the stage for their first public performance.
The group’s performance of ‘Villa in Venus’ was very well received and gained
huge applause.
The group, who have been working together for over a year, showed a level of
talent, professionalism and humour which left all of us fortunate enough to be
there on the day, looking forward to their next performance. The cast were;
John Paul McCartney
Aileen Crossan
Noleen McBrearty
Cathy Peoples,
Patrick McBrearty,
Clive Peoples,
Margaret Gillespie,
Suzanne Gillespie,
Clive Peoples,
Susan Crossan
The performance was part of ‘Youth fest’, the first Youth Theatre Festival for
the North West which the organisers hope to continue as an annual event.
Well done to all who took part!
- Paula Leonard