Easter Lights of Faith and Hope
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THEKilcullen's Community Magazine BRIDGE Vol 50 No 2 April 2020 E-Edition Free Easter lights of faith and hope Some 130 candles were left lit in jars and other containers on the steps of Kilcullen Parish Church on Holy Saturday evening as part of the physical distanced Easter Vigil initiative. In addition, 22 bags of blessed salt and 32 small bottles of holy water were given out. (Photo: Niamh Traynor.) No April printed The Easter Bridge Bunny found a comfortable Due to the Coronavirus situation, we spot to social decided not to publish our normal print distance on edition of The Bridge, as most of the events and organisations which fill the when he pages are currently inactive because dropped into of the restrictions. But for the sake of continuity, this elecronic edition is Kilcullen, offered to everyone in the community. with a wave For obvious reasons, it has far fewer pages than normally. But we hope you for every enjoy reading it anyway. passer-by. Pic Keep safe and healthy, courtesy Cathy The Editorial Board. Davies. High Quality Household Repairs & Odd Jobs Revamps Serving Homeowners, Landlords Makeovers & Home Property Managers and Small Improvements Businesses in Co. Kildare and [email protected] www.re-vamps.ie Surrounding Areas. Follow us on Facebook Teddy reminds children how to keep their social distance A Cnoc na Greine mother used a Teddy Bear in her window to remind children to keep their distance from other people during the Coronavirus restrictions. Anne-Marie Masterson's bear says it clearly: Remember, keep 4 big Daddy Bear steps away from other people. She is also showing the #TeddyBearHunt trender which encourages people to put Teddy Bears in their windows so children out walking with their families in estates have something to entertain them. 2 [email protected] 50 YEARS OF THE BRIDGE MAGAZINE April 2020 AED locations TALKING POINT Strange times, strange times indeed. But we will get through them, hopefully with as few local casualties as possible. Picking up the pieces when things move on will be difficult, for families, workers who have lost jobs, businesses which have closed and may not be in a position to reopen. We, again, can only hope that there will not be too much such outcome amongst our own neighbours and friends. What we can do in the meantime is carry on as best we can, looking after our- selves and each other, and thinking also about those in our own country and in countries away who are especially vulnerable, whether because of homelessness, poor health, poor government or living in anarchy conditions. In Kilcullen, as in every other Irish community at the moment, we are fortunate in the dedication of the emergency services, the volunteers, the health professionals, and many oth- Kilcullen Community First Responders have issued a list of public access ers to look after us. Most of us won't fall through the cracks, but let us remember defibrillators (AEDs) in Kilcullen. those who are not so fortunate. They are located at Kilcullen Be well. Have hope. The late Bernard Berney was one of many who always Community Centre, Eurospar on Main offered consolation in the phrase attributed to the medieval Persians, 'This too Street, and at Kilcullen Credit Union They all look very different and all shall pass'. It shall. open in different ways. "But they work in the same way," says Nichola BRIDGE BOARD: Noel Clare, Frances Clare, Nuala Collins, Mark Phelan. EDITOR: Brian Byrne. All content strictly copyright the publishers and original contributors. Kennedy of KCFR. "Just follow the Every care is taken in ensuring that information herein is correct, but the publishers take no instructions the machine gives you responsibility for errors or other matters arising therefrom. when turned on." Ballyshannon's HOME Jim Crawford MAINTENANCE now managing For all those Ireland's small repairs and maintenance international works around the home. No job too soccer small. References Under-21s available. Free quotations. Ballyshannon resident Jim Crawford Education Department, and his has been appointed manager of the playing career included serving with Contact Irish Under-21 Mens Football team. Bohemians, Newcastle United, Dundee He was previously assistant coach United, Reading, Shelbourne, and David of the team under manager Stephen Sporting Fingal. Kenny, who has recently moved up to Jim is also Fundraising Manager manage the Senior Mens international for the Ballyshannon Action Group, team. currently fighting a campaign against (045) 401927 Jim Crawford was formerly Head the development of a sand and Coach of the U-18 side, and was also gravel extraction facility in the area by or Assistant Coach to Paul Doolin with Kilsaran Concrete. the Ireland U-19s. An interview with Jim can be heard (086) 8949590 He is a tutor for the FAI Coach on the Kilcullen Diary SoundCloud. 3 [email protected] 50 YEARS OF THE BRIDGE MAGAZINE April 2020 The Birds Colour in the Moanbane morning Still Sing A poem by Hazel Gaynor There is a house On a distant hill, Where life goes on While the world stands still, Where the daffodils dance in a gentle breeze, And the birds still sing in the morning. There is a tree Where the first buds grow, As time moves on And life goes slow, And blossom swirls in a pink spring snow, And the birds still sing in the morning. There is a home This sunrise over Moanbane Park was captured by Dermot Mitchell. Full of love and fear, Where the days go by While we pause the year, Where the kitchen clock chimes the Springtime at Abbeyaun start of school, And the birds still sing in the morning. There is a street Where, behind front doors, The kettles boil While the month is paused, And once a week, strangers unite in applause, And the birds still sing in the morning. There is a sky Full of stars and sun, Watching over us all While we pause the run, And we heal and mend as we miss our friends, And the birds still sing in the morning. There is a world We used to know, Where the clocks go forward And the flowers still grow, And while we save those we’ll never know, The birds will still sing in the morning. ©Hazel Gaynor. A friend of Hazel's subsequently By way of a seasonal diversion from all the bad stuff of the moment, added music to the poem. You can here's a picture of black lambs at Abbeyaun, Nicholastown, taken by Mary hear the result on Shane Dunphy's Brennan. Life goes on. And will go on. Youtube. 4 [email protected] 50 YEARS OF THE BRIDGE MAGAZINE April 2020 The case for a Postgraduate Disability Student Grant or Scholarship College can be some of the best I contacted SUSI and asked if my is not one offered. experiences and times of your life and financial situation remained the same, This is something that needs to be a time that you can study something how much funding would they be able offered, not only for people like me you like. However, there is one thing to give me and I was told €1,500. with Dypsraxia and Dyscalculia, but that has happened the past few years Which is not a lot when most Level 9 for people with Dyslexia etc. Now due to the increased prosperity of degrees start at €5,500 euro at least. you could say, why don’t I just get a Ireland, citizens of Ireland going to The statistics back up the fact the part-time job? Because of my learning higher education and obtaining a Level Level 9 graduates earn more than difficulty I struggle to find part-time 8 degree. This is no small feat and Level 8 graduates as well with the work that suits my skill set because should be commended, however this mean salary for someone with a Level my learning difficulty makes my has led to a situation where most of 9 degree on average being €40,840 manual labour skills about as useful as your competition in the job market compared to €29,601 — that is an a radiator in the Sahara Desert. now has degrees as well. A Level 8 income boost of €11,239, well worth There are scholarships for people degree is now nearly on the same the Level 9 degree. who excel at sport. Why not have importance of the Leaving Certificate I have a learning difficulty, so surely scholarships for students with in terms of how employers now view the college has financial assistance disabilities who defy the barriers it due to the increasing number of job grants/scholarships for people with seekers with Level 8 degrees. learning disabilities who want to and excel at education and want to So, how do you distinguish yourself? study more and progress onto Level progress in their education? It is time, If you are like me, you think a Level 9 education? Nope. There is DARE particularly at this time during the 9 degree, it highlights that you went (Disabled Access Route to Education) pandemic, when it is likely that due the extra step, you tried harder which could help you get a place on to the volatile economic climate more etc. However there is one problem: the course. However, when it comes people will return to education due to SUSI does not offer the same level to actually having financial assistance the lack of jobs. of funding for Level 9 as it does for for attempting to progress yourself in Level 8.