In Reply to: re: mchale road christmas tree posted by Bernard Halligan on December 14, 2009 at 23:35:20:

a cara.......thank you bernard for your kind words......your family were an integral part of the fibre and family quality that made the families of mchale road what they were......people on the road were not afraid to wish each other merry christmas.....we as lads would go out the roads to find holly.....my favourite holly haven was rehins......there was an excitement... why....even a rush at the very thought of getting holly....i would loof for the most berried bush ...and then start cutting.....
holly was placed around the house and the shiny green leaves and fire engine red berries brought the house to life.....ironically way back then i still believed in santa....and was into my teens when that dream was shattered .....there was a mystery of santa.....it was magical to imagine and believe that this old man from the north pole was going to come down our chimney.....he was always so quiet.....and my fellow pals on the road too had this buzz of christmas.....the thinking of roast goose stuffed ....and a selection of vegetables....after christmas cake ....homemade....or perhaps a cake from the shop......i remember using the cake box and some oof the crepe paper for a wren box.....the chimneys of the houses on the road against the grey umbrella skies emitted garlands of smoke that even they too seemed to be in harmony...there was agenuine warmth....i remember hanging up my sock on the line above the range.....wondering what it might be filled with on christmas night....masses were short on christmas day.......no sermons ...just a merry christmas wish from the priest....recently i was in sao paulo.....and i felt like a kid again when i went into a shopping mall in alphaville and was greeted by santa....we embraced and later he brought me to his dais and i had my picture taken.....his cheer .....his christmas infectious spirit brought me again to castlebar and that time many years ago......one of the things i like about brazil is its cotradictions....the bustle of modern day cities but as you move out into the suburbs a step back in time ....horse drawn carts ....and hoses riden on the streets... but every where the buzz of christmas.....for the christmas of my youth perhaps some of the old toy stores are gone like phil hobans.....bernie reillys.....gussy wynns...or r j wynns....but for me and scals moylette they were certainly magical escapes into a disneyland.....watching the hornby trains ....and other toys.....wondering what santa might bring me.....
boys do not grow up gradually.....they move forward in spurts........like the hands of clocks in railway stations.....christmas is the one season that allows people a time for reflection ......for me even to this day it is a time of joy....hope .....and goodwill......
scrooge was better than his word.....he became as good a friend as good a masterand as good a man as the good old city knew....and it was said of him that he knew how to keep christmas well ....may that be truly said of us and all of us .......christmas joy....peace....happiness....and love to all
....tog go bog e....