The Ballybunion thread

Paddy Camus wrote:

http://underawheelbarrow.blogspot.com/

RiderOnTheStorm wrote:

another one from that road, looking east to a farm building

SandhillRoad wrote:

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SNOWSCORPION:
Things have come a long way since your first question.
Hope we again will soon hear from AERO,ALFA, REIC, CHERRYTREE etc .
Thanks,
SANDHILLROAD

RiderOnTheStorm wrote:

News about town:
Tintean Theatre is presenting An Coleen Bawn, starting this weekend and running all week. I will try and get a few pics.
the timetable for events in the theatre is quite full!

RiderOnTheStorm wrote:

sorry Snow, I have no idea. Never seen the film. Did you get the emails?

Residents of the area will get a few extra hours sleep this Easter Sunday morning with the news that the annual Easter Sunday morning Mass on the summit of Cnoc an Fhomhair [Knockanore] has being terminated. The Mass was traditionally celebrated at 6am and has been upheld annually for the past 15 years and was only cancelled once due to the Foot and Mouth scare.

Now the ceremony has become the victim of its own success as in excess of 1000 people have been attending the Mass every year and such a large congregation gathering in the darkness brings serous safety concerns. The organisers have taken the decision to end the Mass after careful consideration as it was felt by most that the ceremony had run its course.

The History of Dawn Mass in Ireland goes back to 1829 when Mass was celebrated to mark Catholic Emancipation. Easter Sunday morning ceremonies of this nature are symbols of our Christianity as in bygone day people got up early to see the sun dance and its reflection was mirrored in a bucket of water.

The actual site where the Mass was celebrated is unique as it is the spot where the parishes of Ballylongford, Ballybunion and Ballydonoghue meet. From its humble beginning back in 1992 when just a small group of people attended the Mass has developed into a huge ceremony with hundreds of people from all over the North Kerry area and beyond attending.

One of its most appealing features was the big parcel Fire which was set alight around 5am and it could be seen all over the Shannonside area. It was an occasion that the local community looked forward to every year with a great camaraderie built up between the people that met every year on the hilltop. It was a place where many new friendships were made with people lingering on after Mass for a chat as daylight arrived.

Every year many tourists attended the Mass and they were fascinated by its appeal and uniqueness. Of course the main function of the ceremony was to celebrate Easter and it was a ceremony where prayers were said for people that were sick on in hospital and those that had passed on to their eternal reward. The annual Mass was the brainchild of Fr Pat Moore and his interesting and humorous homilies made the ceremony much more enjoyable for everyone.

A lot of hard work went on behind the scenes organising the event and the man in the engine room was Martin Mulvihill and he had everything organised to perfection every year.

The sound system was provided free of charge by Donal of Sullivan of Listowel while the commodities for the big Pascal Fire were brought in by Donie O Keeffe and Denis O Sullivan who also had the task of setting the fire alight. The ceremonies were enhanced by the vocal and musical contributions of the Asdee Church choirs. There was often special guest entertainers including piper Danny Houlihan, Peggy Sweeney, Tommy O Carroll and the famous Rambling House man Sonny Egan. People were given gardening tips by Mike Joe Thornton who handed out sunflower seeds at the ceremony every year for people to grow at home.

Ballybunion Sea and Cliff Rescue were on duty every year directing traffic and had their ambulance on stand by should any emergency arise. While the termination of the Mass will leave a huge vacuum in local people's itinerary on Easter Sunday morning there will be plenty of fond memories to hold onto which will be around for many decades to come.

Each and everyone that helped out at the Mass over the past 15 years are to be commended.