CARNAUN NATIONAL SCHOOL Email 18.03.2001 Finbarr, Anita and all the students of my Alma Mater. Greetings from San Diego, California. It is always good to hear from you and to look at your web page. It is good to know what is happening around the Fields of Athenry. We had a beautiful day for St. Patrick's Day. After the morning Mass we had the parade which was quiet good but nothing in comparison to the parade in New York. A group of us who were in born in Ireland get together every year for an evening meal and this year we had tea and the traditional Irish breakfast. It was delightful. We had our usual wonderful weather for the day - clear skies and 72 degrees. This is our rainy season and we need the rain. We only get 16 sixteen inches of rain every year. Everything is fresh and green - looking like the fields of Athenry. I really admire the way that you keep Athenry connected with people around the world. I enjoyed reading in the Athenry column about bringing industry to Africa and Alan Lambert who is connected to Athenry. I have had a lot of connections with the Church in Africa and have helped the Missionary Sisters of the Holy Rosary to establish treatment centers to help people with their alcoholism and drug addiction. Sr. Brenda Kelly from Clough did a lot of work to pioneer this in Nigeria.. When I started the Athenry Reunion for Priests and Religios in 1976 , there were 137 priests, brothers and sisters serving not only in Ireland but in 28 other countries. These people have made outstanding contribution and done excellent work. Just to give one example. . Some of the top experts in maths and physics of NASA were taught by Sister Benigus Coffey in the U.S. , sister of Tess Brady, Church Street. She got many Fellowships to Columbia and Harvard and taught there during the Summer. I found out about this because I read about a reward that she got in the New York Times. She is 92 and will be coming home again this August.. I would love to get them all to write a page or two about their work and publish it. I would be happy to be the editor. However, I doubt if some would want to write as they would feel that they would be boasting about their accomplishments. The song "The Fields of Athenry" Is well known. I heard it a few times on radio today. I remember about 20 years ago, the Bishop of Guam and Saipan invited me to come to his Diocese and give some talks on theology and canon law.. In my introduction, I told them that I was from Athenry. A young priest who is a native of Guam came to me and said that his favorite sone was "The Fields of Athenry". I was really surprised that he knew about it becaue Guam is about fifteen thousand miles from Athenry. Guam is about five thousand miles the orher side of Hawaii. He sang it that night at supper and sang it well.. So is a small world.. It will be 50 years in May since I left Carnaum National School. You ask where have the years gone.. They were great years and we got a good education. Martin T. Kelly in his article talks about the close association of the O'Regan family with Carnaun School. He says that it is "intrigingly consistant with Irish Bardic tradition." I will conclude and take care. Peace and Joy
St. Patrick's Day Menu:
…the perfect St. Patrick's Day toast! On March 17, the magic begins… rivers and beer
run green, and kitchens and tables everywhere abound with the finest in
Irish fare!
 BAILE
ÁTHA 'N RÍ |