a cara.....driving along an expressway on the western gates to toronto i couldn't help but notice the number of families driving by with their christmas tree strapped to the roof of their cars......my favourite radio station was playing a selection of hits......gene autry singing rudolph the red nosed reindeer.....christmas 1949 number 1.....and bing crosby and the andrew singers ....dont fence me in....number 1 dec 11 1944.....both songs registered deep in my subconscious .....listening to those tunes my mind drifted back to once upon a good time when i first heard those on radio eireann.....it brought me back to number 10 mchale road.......the december chills and dampness had taken a grip on inland mayo.....but the excitement of christmas was echoing from one end of the road to the other....the old stone and asphalt sidewalks on the road were being replaced with concrete.....i remember the council workers mixing and pouring into the forms and covering them over with flattened tar barrel steel.....in the evening tom scott and hughie feeney would light oil lamps and place them over danger areas they were the night watchmen....and as a young lad often wondered how they spent the night in their night shacks....the post man came around laden with letters and cards from all parts of the world and points beyond.....there was an air of excitement as some families hoped for that registered letter from england ...or even a parcel....the chicken house at the bacon was ahive of activity as chickens ...ducks ....gees....got their necks streched....joe mitchell ran that dept....and my dear friend martha ruanne...mary cannon...were in full stride.....the xmas decorations of the time were mainly paper streamers.....that folded out like giant accordions.....lights were not quite in fashion yet...although some had them....the old christmas pudiing hung from the ceiling....tom dunne had by now installed the crib in the church......it was magical .....desssie dunne and paddy clarke et al....were out at night with the waits.....we on the road ...i particulary remember myself and scals ...paddy moylette...pat ludden...getting together ...we were just filled with the joys of the season....we talked of cards that arrived at our various homes.....there was always this vibrance on the road....this mystical marvellous atmosphere....it permeated the air.....no matter how poor....we engaged in harmonious festive celebration.....radio eireann was still on limited broadcast air time.....but we listened to the hymns ...and songs of the season trying to memorize the words.....and as i reflectedon those magical times of once upon a good time......i was summoned to the current times ....reading about the switching on of the lights on the mchale road christmads tree filled me with overwhelming emotion.....i was so proud of how the families of mchale road had got together to light the torch of the season ......but not just a torch to this season but a torch for further seasons......and pass on the torch and spirit to new generations of mchale roadites.....i tried to visualize where exactly the tree might be......as a boy christmas was a very special ...happy time.....for me it was the disneyland of chritianity...........
twas the night before christmas....when all through the house ....not a creature was stirring not even a mouse.....the stockings were hung by the chimney with care.....in hopes that santa soon would be there.......happy christmas to all ....and to all a good night.......
...i am so proud of my roots to mchale road for after years of being labelled second class citizens we have taken our true place in the community that is castlebar.....merry christmas to all from number 1 to number 116.......
....tog go bog e.......