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Father John McCarthy PP 1996-- 2010
After 14 years as our parish Priest Fr John is retiring for good to knock on the Friday of the I6th July. This is, his last Sunday mass which is being recorded as we speak with the Connemara community Radio.
It is now time and appropriate just to say a few words, on behalf of the Roundstone Community, we are about to loose our parish priest, it is his time to retire, Father John came in quietly to our parish in 1996 and is about to leave us equally quietly 14 years later 2010.
One thing for sure Father John will be very sorely missed, and we pray to God that one day we will have a permanent priest to replace him. Father John is and was unique as our Parish Priest in so many ways. It is easy to see why members of the parish are feeling a little emotional with Father John’s departure today from Roundstone.
Just to go back a few years.
A little story;
In the early days of his arrival to this part of Connemara apparently Father John was a regular visitor to a butcher’s shop in Clifden to buy some chops which apparently he did on a regular, basis, however, this one particular day, the butcher asked some one, who was interdentally was from Roundstone, asking “who is this man” the member from Roundstone related that he was the new parish priest for Roundstone, slightly taken a back in hearing this, he burst out “oh my god I once said to this man “that’s a lot of chops sir”, yes Father John replied, I have to feed the wife.
Forever the joker and story teller, but there was always a little moral to his stories and allowed the listeners to work it out for themselves and do I dare stay it, Father John was a breath of fresh air when he first came into our lives 14 years ago and had kept it that way to the present day. It is felt that one of the gifts that he will leave behind, I suppose you could say a sort of legacy and that is bringing the young people back on a regular basis as well as my own generation.
Father John is responsible for the creation of a Pastoral committee, 12 ministers of the Eucharist, known as he put it the 12 apostles the creation of one day a week of a lay pastoral service each Wednesday in preparing us for the potential danger of no priests, just to keep our churches open but also to be of service for the next PP.
Let it be said, his reputation as the fastest priest in the west, holds true relating to this, other little story Paul Durkin a renowned poet and writer was visiting Mary Banotti, in 2002 and on a certain Sunday, Mary marched him off to mass, some weeks later a poem was spotted in the Irish times, in fact this poem is now officially in Paul Durkins book of poems entitled the Art of life which was published in London 2004
On Sunday the 28th July 2002
The summer it rained almost every day
In rain we strolled down the road
To the church on the hill overlooking the sea.
I had been told to expect “A fast mass”
Twenty minutes. A piece of information which disconcerted me.
“
Out onto the altar hurried a short, plump priest in middle age
With a horn of silver hair, in a green chasuble billowing like a poncho
Or a caftan over white surplice and a pair of Reeboks – mammoth trainers.
“
He whizzed along
Saying the readings himself as well as the gospel;
Yet he spoke with conviction and clarity;
His every action an action
Of what looked like effortless concentration;
Like tiger Woods on top of his form.
His brief homily concluded with a solemn request.
“
To the congregation he gravely announced:
“I want you each of you to pray for a special intention
A very special intention.
I want each of you – in the sanctity of your own souls-
To pray that, in the all Ireland Championship hurling quarter final this afternoon in Croake Park,
Clare will beat Galway”
“
The congregation splashed into laughter
And the church became a church of effortless prayer.
He whizzed through the consecration
As if the consecration was something
That occurs at every moment of the day and night;
As if betrayal and the overcoming betrayal
Were an every-minute occurrence.
“
As if the Consecration was the “Now”
In the “now” of the Hail Mary Prayer:
“Prayer for us now, and at the end of our death”
At the Sign of Peace he again went sombre
As he instructed the congregation;
“I want each of you to turn around and say to each other;
“You are beautiful”
“
The congregation was flabbergasted but everyone fluttered
And swung around and uttered that extraordinary phase;
“You are beautiful”
I shook hands with at least five strangers,
Two men and three women, to each of them saying;
“You are beautiful”. And they to me
“You are beautiful”
“
At the end of Mass, exactly twenty one minutes,
The priest advised; “go now and enjoy yourselves
For that is what god made you to do
To go out there and enjoy yourselves
And to pray that, in the all Ireland Championships hurling quarter-final between Clare and Galway
In Croke Park, Clare will win
“
After Mass, the rain had drained away
Into a tide of sunlight on which we sailed out
To St Macdara’s Island and dipped our sails-
Both of us smiling, radiant sinners.
In a game of pure delight, Clare beat Galway by one point.
Clare 1 goal and 17 points, Galway 19 points.
“Pray for us now, and at the hour of our death:
A short service is quite welcome, god forgive me for saying this, but I am sure every one of us will agree, short that his masses are they still remain very meaning full.
We would love to expand on a fuller scale on Father John’s capabilities but it would take much too long for me to explain the high regard and respect we hold for this man, trust me when I tell you, its a pity his age allows him to retire, but alas Father John has done his bit, Father, I don’t think that you have any idea what you have brought into our community, we will all have personal memories of you, in some way through your influence you have helped us with our religion in one way or another, particulaly for me, and it has been a real pleasure for of us to work with you. Most requests that were asked of you, which were out of your regular working day were always fulfilled, with good grace, not all mind you, but your reasons for declining some times, always put us back in our places.
So here it ends, Father, on behalf of our own community and other members of the other community we will miss your presence, we do wish you all the very best for the future, it is now time for you to enjoy retirement, we also hope that periodically you will come back to visit us in Roundstone for a cup of Coco, and I promise you, we will hold back in asking you to do a job for us when you come back to Roundstone.
We must also welcome Father Jarleth Heraty, who will be with us as an administrator for the next six months as from Friday 16th, Father Jarleth is in fact a from the same town Westport as was Fr Tom Heraty who was PP here 1967.Father Jarleth will have quite a challenge on his hands, but we will do all we can to help him.
As has been the norm at the end of mass, Fr McCarthy would all ways end off, thank you for coming on this lovely sunny day even if it is snowing or raining, or when you go home be sure to have a nice cup of coco, or don’t forget to look in the mirror and say “you are beautiful” but in this case its we will end off with the words “have a nice cup of tea and a cake” meaning that after this mass, cake &
Tea will be held in the Lower community Hall prepared by the ladies of Roundstone, Fr John will be there, so please come on down its a good opportunity for everybody just to wish him well, in your own personal way, and also at the same time in the community Hall certain presentations will be made to Father John on behalf of the Roundstone Community.
Well, there you have it
God Bless you Father McCarthy, we really appreciate your work that you have done over the years and we sincerely thank you.
Roundstone Pony Show results July 11th 2010
Yearling filly-1, Patrick King’s Derryeighter Freya, by Linsford Barney-Pride of the West; 2,Rodger & Laura Brady’s Vinura Lakita, by Currachmore Cashel-Vinura Lola; 3,Bernard Keaney’s Sweet Hanna, by Coollilaun Cushlawn-Sweet Ferdia.
Yearling colt-1, Mairtin Nee’s Doonreghan Marty, by Coolilaun Cushlaun-Doonreghan Star; 2,Michalle Conroy’s Dolan Peter, by Dolan Mick-Dolan Katie Lass; 3,Eddie Fleming’s Gneevebrack Fionn, by Monaghanstown Fionn-Gneevebrack Belle.
Two year old filly-1, Kieran McGrath’s Hazlerock Star, by Glencarrig Prince-Smokey Star; 2,Kieran Folan’s Corclough Lady Bella, by Tempo Active Atlas-Corclough Dreamer; 3,Caillin Conneely’s Letterdyfe Rachel Rose, by Frederiksminde Hazy Match-Letterdyfe Rose.
Three year old filly-1, Feichin & Kerry King’s Grey Realtin, by Tempo Active Atlas-Realt na Mharda; 2,Peter Molloy’s Dooneen Starlight, by Silver Shadow-Dooneen Castle; 3,Martin Sullivan’s Laura Lass, by Ballinavilla Prince-Cashel Hill Laura.
Two & Three year old colts-1, Anne Conroy & Patrick Conneely’s Errismore Rocky, by Currachmore Cashel-Gold Label; 2, Sean Conneely’s John’s Pride by Rathcoona Cove-Ros Eo; 3, Damien Gorham’s Connemara Eile, by Cloon-eile Cashel-Connemara Lady.
Junior Champion:
Hazlerock Star
Reserve:
Doonreghan Marty.
Open Youth Class-1, Noel Noonan’s Rosscon Windy Lady, by Laerkens Cascade Dawn-Winny (Maeve Conneely) 2, Darwin O’Halloran’sTruelight John Wayne.by TruelightSionnach FairyhillTomboy-Doon: 3,Kevin Mullen’s Garranbaun Lady, by Glendine Kestral-Hilltop.
Filly foal-1, John Joe O’Neill’s by Caherlistrane Prince-Laragh Bay; 2,Cathroina O’Toole’s Buttermilk Mayday, by Dooneen Supermatch-Buttermilk Melody; 3,Anne Conroy & Patrick Conneely’s Errismore Lola, by Callowfeenish Grey-Errismore Lorenda.
Colt foal-1, Michael & Deirdre Holmes’s Carnane Commander, by Skousboe Morning Rock-Robe Moonliht; 2,Pat O’Neill’s Illanurra Prince, by Gurteen Prince-Village Mist; 3,Tom Burke’s Abbeyside Paddy, by Currachmore Cashel-Misty.
Champion Foal: Carnane Commander
Reserve Champion: by Caherlistranne Prince-Lauragh Bay.
Four year old and over stallion-1, Eamon Burke’s Clooneile Cashel, by Cloonisle Cashel-Tolka Bridge; 2,Anne O’Brien Conroy’s Glencarrig Lexus, by Village Boy-Coosheen Breeze; 3,Pat * Mary Rabbitt’s Monaghanstown Prince by Glencarrig Prince-Monaghanstown Sheeba
Four to six year old mare-1, Noel Noonan’s Rosscon Windy lady, by Laerkens Cascade Dawn-Winnie; 2,Peter Molloy’s Dooneen Stephanie Rose, by Frederiksminde Hazy Match-Jennifer Rose; 3,Jarlath Grogan’s Mountain Heather, by Laerkens Cascade Dawn-Mountain Lady.
Seven to twelve year-old mare-1, Eamon Burke’s Manninard Sprigeen, by Tulira Robuck-Tara IV; 2,Bartley Conroy’s Glencarrig Tina, by Windy’s Boy-Starlit; 3,Sean Conneely’s Glenellens Fancy, by Blue Smokie-Fancy Phyilis.
Thirteen Years and over mare-1, Tom Burke’s Misty, by Carraroe Handy Andy-Bright Star; 2,Thomas Conneely’s Glenside Lady, by Seafield Pookhaun-Look Lady; 3,Patrick Joyce’s Starlit, by Ashfield Festy-Cloonisle Dancer.
Geldings-1, Liam Diamond’s Ballyshell Tommy, by Loughlum Sadat-Killane Queen; 2,Liam Diamond’s Berties Prince, by Emo Bertie-Con Summer Song; 3,
Marcella O’Halloran’s Truelight John Wayne, by Fairyhill Tomboy-Doon Truelight Sionnach.
Bay Mare two year old and over-1, Peter Molloy’s Dooneen Starlight, by Silver Shadow-Dooneen Starlight; Patrick Conneely’s Moyvoon Breeze, by Streamstown Larry-Moyvoon Lady; 3,Pat O, Neill.sIllanurra Heather, by Silver Shadow-Illanurra Mist.
Supreme Champion: Clooneile Cashel
Reserve: Rosscon Windy Lady
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