summer can school return

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summer and school return

Posted by oliver killeen on September 02, 2013 at 20:34:54:

a cara.....
our memories are a warehouse and vault of sentimental fondness ...joys....and sadness.....of yore.......oh yes ...they are the ecperiences and influences that moulded the mosaic of our psyche....and the sculptings and influences that kept us mesmerised .....and ...yes sane....through the many years......the greatest pleasure of writing about these experiences ...is the symphony that wells up and kindles a warm glow....from out of the hardships of the times.....there was a magic about our youth ...not orchestrated by .....reality tv or....two and a half men....but raw living of life ....in once upon a time......our past is like the wind......we feel it ....but cannot touch it.......our memories of youth touch every chord in our souls.......and will vibrate to eternity.....golden days in the sunshine of our happy youth......golden days full of gaiety ....and full of truth........our golden days are our sunshine....our mist....our fog........and for me ai was overcome with a sunburst of memories....as my plane bringing me from cebu philippines to vancouver was roaring down the the searing tarmac....as we soared towards the skies......and i saw the ocean below.....as the plane began its descent into vancouver i saw the pacific soothe the rugged b.c. coast...i saw the mountains ......the fir trees grow to the sky......in a cover of heavy green....i began to think of the ocean far away but ever so near to my heart ....the atlantic that sweeps and washes the shores of mayo.......i remembered of a time i was flying from new york to shannon.........as we approached the irish coast i was awed as the sea ..bathed the aran islands and teased the bathers at salthill and kissed galway bay......then power washed the cliffs of moher.......as we descended ....the patched multi green of ireland embraced.....then i awakened as we arrived in vancouver .....and changed planes for toronto......the sight of the b.c mountain range triggered me with thoughts of the reek....but more of the the first time i climbed her magnificence....for ever my vision of her ...her conical perfection and finger top....from mchale road are forever etched in my mind....it was of that i was planning to write and will another time.......because the first time of anything is always memorable.......but soon on my arrival in toronto .....i found myself driving to bannf alderta.....and the national glacier park.......a memorable trip......so over the weekend ....today being labor day.......i realised this was the last day of summer holidays for school kids....yes tomorrow school reopens.....and yes in my day school reopened the first monday of september....i began to think back on summer and school when i was a kid.......oh....school summer holidays were a treasure.......back then....no we didnt go to the canaries .....the greek islands or the algarve.....if we were lucky....we might have made an exciting trip to pontoon.......by bike....if not ....saleen lake was the oasis.......tripping to the lake with tatto and danny corcoran ....perty whittaker.....brian and norm wilson was a high point....and weather permitting was a daily joy.............as the summer went on in august ..jack cassidy had posted two very important posters.......agriculture fair and gymkhana . ....and the annual carnival with tofts amusements ....johnny cross climbing a mast 90 feet and standing on his head.....and as he balanced he made us gasp by rocking his mast......or maybe the wall of death....or lindberg ....diving into a tank of flaming water.........geez ...wast it great.......the next high point was the agriculture show and gymkhana at the lawn........for us who grew up on mchale road the lawn ....was our backdrop.....it was there ....perennial......the nuns had a sign facing our windows....trespassers will be prosecuted....and it dared us even the more.....but on the day of the gymkhana/////the gates were flung open...but manned by alec campbell.....our right of entry was secured free ....if we got magazines to sell .....and we did....a tanner a time.......i remember well walking so brazenly on the red pathway.....even waved as i passed my kitchen window.....and walked until we were under the shadows of the nuns residence and convent....there was a certain smugness at looking at the nuns......for many times they summoned the siocholonie on us invaders from mchale road....only to be chased by sgt patsy egan....we foiled the garda ....by climbing over mrs finns wall and falling into her flowers and wrath......as she yelled i'll talk to your father ....and often she did....she always got my name right....tarzan......the lawn was such a tease for us as well as being our mushroom provider....how often i walked it early in the morning with my trawneen........the gymkhana was exciting .....my heroes pat o malley .....son of vet omalley and ....paddy merrick always displayed their mastery of jump and steed.......after the show my friends perty whittaker and the burke brothers would go to our favourite tree......it was our camp tree ....right in the periscope of sr attracta...or magdalene......the carnival arrived on the mall and tofts set up their rides....the swing boats...the bumpers...the chairoplane......etc.....again there was excitement as the everards installed the multi colored lights along the walk up to the military gates......we had to be ingenious ...to convince eddy lynn let us in.....we helped collect ride fares ....my favourite was riding on the back of the bumper cars....or sitting in its control room getting to play the records........the music that blasted through the military square.......i remember so well one night going with my friend michael gavin into one of the buildings...and watching the joe louis and billy conn fight ....15 rounds of great boxing by the great....brown bomber.........then there was the clay pidgeon shoot......patsy horkan stands out as a master shot.......but too soon the carnival went as we got prepared for school........the vision of alice coopers schools out for summer...races through my mind......there was always a confusion and contradiction of feelings......going into a new class ...new books............a yearn for learning...a dread of our barbaric teachers....in st pats ....primary school....bro. nicholas patro;ed the yard with his bell.....as bro abban...bro baptist....john hoban .....mrs mcdonagh got ready for a new year.....my friends and i would line up.....sean heydon....kevin oconnell......tommy doherty ...jimmy sweeney....sean o maille......sean gilboy .....danny corcoran...jon feeney....oaddy moylette....and dread another year of schooll.....i remember every marble hole......every piece of the shed with its iron girders.....every fire grate,,,,,every roll of inscribrd wall paper.....over in st geralds....bro cyril ruled the roost ....with brother leo....bro john....jerry ryan and edward ..the bull nally.......i remember my first day at st geralds........i was impressed ....because in classes ahead was dan o neil...franny muligan ...the martin brothers ...i remember well that october of 1950....when our heroes brought the sam to mayo....and paddy prendergast tom lngan eamon mongey....brought the cup to st geralds ....a picture was taken....ans when i look at it i see myself standing in the back row proud of the green and red........and now school begins again....times have changed .....the rod and strap have been buried ....but the comraderie,,,the out of class goofs are inscribed in my mind......and now here in toronto ....kids get ready....the national exhibition comes to a close ....the summer wind is being chilled by the northern flows....i never forget going back to school ....jumping up at the sandeman port sign that hung over the door of rattigans pub...looking at the clock at morrisons jewery shop on castle street.......frank beckett feeding thee pidgeons outside his shop....eddy cannon filling up a bucket of water at the pump in market square.....and the long walk up capel street.....pat jordan by the church...with his friendly smile and hello.....and the dread of the wrought iron fence at the school.......johnny ruanne busy with chores.......school days were ...yes ....hell....and fun....a friend came to visit withme recently and commented on my bed.....olly you've got a beautiful bed....after a moment ..i replied...yes...but i will die in it......life is a journey not a destination......its ta journey of experiences.....joys and sorrows....but live it and stand up and be counted................
tog go bog e,,,,,

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