17th February, 2000
Every week another scandal hits us.
Hospitals supplying organs of dead children to Pharmaceutical
Companies is the latest and to most of us the most disturbing of
the ever growing list of scandals. I can write this piece with a
certain amount of anger, being someone who lost a child in the
70s. One of the Hospital's Spokes-people was asked if they were
paid by the Companies and the answer was "Not really paid,
but the Companies made a financial contribution to the
Hospital", talk about putting a spin on a sentence. We
weren't paid, but we got a contribution. The anguish this
disgraceful revelation has caused such hurt and trauma to
thousands of people all over Ireland who have lost children. Will
we ever learn about the extent of this disgraceful practice? I
doubt it.
Well done to the Council for cleaning the mound of earth from the
front of Douglas Lions House. It was beginning to grow to an
alarming height, but yesterday the diggers and lorries were
removing it. It will be much appreciated by the residents.
Best of luck to local man Paul Allanby who has opened up a
Driving School. Even if you can drive but do not have a full
licence and wish to apply for the test you would certainly need a
few lessons on the basic do's and don'ts of driving, and Paul is
the man to make sure you know what to do on the day of the test,
or if you have never driven he's still the man to contact.
My sympathy to the Carroll family on the death of Paddy Carroll,
I interviewed Paddy last year, being the oldest man in Douglas at
98. I figured he would have lots of stories to tell and how right
I was. He told me how he would know someone had been at a dance
the night before by the smell of parafin Oil from them. It seems
the dance organisers would put parafin on the wooden floor to
make it easier to dance. He spoke of his involvement in the War
of Independence, and when he spoke of Terence McSweeny he called
him "Terry Mac". He spoke of the sheep in the field
next to O'Driscoll's Pub. At the end of the interview he told me
that times were hard back in the early days and that medical care
was almost non existent. But the one thing he missed was the
sense of community that prevailed in the old days. A lovely man
who will be missed by all who knew and loved him. RIP
A reader who attended Mass last Sunday told me that during the
sermon the priest asked the people to pray for Lepers and Gay men
and women, to be fair as I wasn't there to hear the sermon, I
don't know the full content of the sermon. But I think to equate
leprosy with Homosexuality is a bit much. If we are going to pray
for people let us pray for everybody hetrosexuals, homosexuals,
bisexuals, transvestites, crossdressers, paedophiles the list
goes on. Perhaps the preachers should take more notice of what
takes place in the boardroom than in the bedroom. It seems to me
from reading the newspapers and watching TV that a lot more sins
are committed in the boardrooms.
Last Wednesday I went to see the Hucklebuck Show at Rochestown
Park Hotel the doors were to open at 7.30 but at 7.00 there was a
queue of about 100, and by 8.30 it was full up. As usual Declan
Ryan stole the show and the audience wanted an encore but time
did not permit. Like vintage wine Declan improves with age, and
Declan if you read this never stop opening the show with
"Let's Have A Party". Elvis would be proud of you. Keep
on rocking!!
The biggest Homes Exhibition Show outside Dublin opens in the
Rochestown Park Hotel on Friday Feb 25th, entitled Home Design
2000, it will feature almost every aspect of home design which is
available. On the same day Feb25th the Douglas Weekly begins its
third birthday and of course we will have a stand at the show,
distributing copies of the Douglas Weekly, taking photographs of
visitors which should make a great weekend for everybody who
visits the show. Keep this week's copy of the Douglas Weekly and
you’ll save £3.00 on admission to the show on Friday &
Saturday. Where would you get it?
Bye for now,
Michael O’Hanlon.
