‘SALT’ FOR THE MINISTER

Dear Sir,

Most of us look upon Mr. Gormley as being a bit of a windbag, lots of hot air but no substance. We did not realise that Mr Gormley possesses a very practical ability also.

Realising that some of his policies may be difficult to understand and put into practice, he has established his own website to help those who do not understand. Those nasty unmannered jaunting car horses in Killarney have been defiling the roads and driveways creating unnecessary work for council employees.

Despite a special receptacle being provided for attachment to the horses to counter this, the drivers are having difficulty in affixing them. Up steps Mr Gormley with a detailed method on his website, explaining which end of the horse this receptacle is attached to and how it is done.

Considering the debacle created by Noel Dempsey in how he is managing his portfolio as Minister of Transport in the wake of his encounter with useless and costly voting machines, substandard breathalyser testing devices and an arrogance that defies his complete lack of ability to hold any portfolio, could redeem himself and take a leaf out of Mr Gormley’s book.

To counter the cost of the importation of salt and grit he could substitute animal and human urine, so he could design and provide pee bags for attaching to animals and humans.

Our Little and Large Willie O’Dea and Brian Cowen could assist in the design and capacity for humans and Mary Coughlan could put some input into the design for cows and bring back Bertie for the donkeys and horses.

The flavour and scent may need adjusting to suit locations - nose and peach scent, etc., where Minister’s live; garlic and brussels sprouts for the rest of us!

The ball is in your court Mr Dempsey.

Thank you,
Richard Prendergast,
Mondaniel,
Rathcormac.

HOW T.O. PARK STARTED

Dear Editor,

I read with interest Brian Moore’s interview with Tom O’Flynn in last week’s edition of The Avondhu.

However, I would like to put the record straight on exactly how the club started.

In 1994 Ger Walsh approached Tom O’Flynn about renting a field from him for the local lads to play soccer in. Tom readily agreed to this. He was paid the going rate annually for the rent of the field. Two parents paid the insurance of the field so that no liability would fall on Tom.

It was Tom’s decision to call it T.O’s Park. The insurance was refunded at a later date when the club had funds. Our first committee was elected in October ’94 with Tom O’Flynn elected as President.

Word spread quickly about the field and it was thronged every night with the local youths under the supervision of the parents on a rota basis.

Our first gala day on 28th August ’94 proved to be a tremendous success and it became an annual event. The lotto was started in November ’94 and fifteen years later it is very well supported. The bingo was then started and is still going strong. The local lads formed the Knockadea Soccer Club. Today they are top of the Avondhu League. A nine hole pitch and putt course was put in place.

This proved to be a great source of entertainment for the senior members of the club. A tennis/basketball court and open air dancing arena were ready for the official opening by John Gallahue in 1997. Music was supplied on the night by the late great Charlie Sweeney R.I.P.

Open Air Dancing continued for the summer months, weather permitting. The point I want to make is that it was the hard working committee with 100% support from the local community that got TO’s park up and running in 1994 – thus laying the foundation for all that is there today.

Yours sincerely,
Paul Walsh,
Gortnaminna,
Knockanevin.

WAR CASUALTIES

Dear Editor,

I refer to the above and a recent article that appeared in your newspaper concerned with the role of the Murphy brothers, Bill and Thomas, in the 1939 - 45 war, which I read with great interest.

I knew both of them when I was a young schoolboy, living with my parents in Thomas Street, Mitchelstown. Bill (William Thomas, Murphy) was a pilot in the Royal Air Force, and was killed in action on September 4, 1939, the day after war broke out.

He is buried in Sage Cemetery, Germany, which was opened around this same time - September 1939. There are some 948 casualties buried in the cemetery but only 817 have names/details recorded, the other names are known only to God.

I have visited Sage Cemetery on a number of occasions on my own and sometimes with members of the Volksbund, where I took photographs/videos of the grave for relatives and friends.

I gave a number of the photographs to my late friend, John White of Mulberry Lane, Mitchelstown, who in turn handed them to Rena Murphy - sister of Bill and Thomas Kiely Murphy, who was a Lt. Col., in the Royal Army Medical Corps and who was also killed in action on the February 15, 1942. His name appears on the Memorial at Kranji Cemetery, Singapore, column 103.

There are other servicemen from Mitchelstown, who also lost their lives in the World Wars, particularly 2 brothers named Best, who died within 11 days of each other in World War 1, with their other brother Robert being wounded and suffering shell shock, which seriously affected him. He is buried in Mitchelstown Cemetery in an unmarked grave.

Another is Flight Sergeant, Edmond Joseph Kiely, member of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who was shot down over Germany and died on October 20, 1944, aged 22 years, and is buried in Vintzenbach Protestant Churchyard, (formerly Germany) France, grave No. 7. He was the brother of Paddy Kiely, of Copacabana, Ballinwillin, Mitchelstown, who has all of his brother’s flight records.

I have also visited this churchyard to view his grave and those of his fellow crew members.

To all those people who paid the supreme price, fighting to defend our freedom, we should be eternally grateful and not take what they sacrificed for granted.

Many thanks,
John O’Leary,
formerly of James St.,
and St Fanahan’s Place,
Mitchelstown.