SAVING THE HAY
He was very meticulous about cutting and saving the hay. As soon as June arrived he was out and about studying wind and weather and examining growth in the various meadows.
“The man who waits for a fine day will always get it.” he was fond of saying.
He checked the bottle and turned on Radio Eireann for the weather forecast. They said it would stay dry. He was not convinced. He went outside and looked up at the sky and back at the towering MacGillicuddy Reeks shimmering in the distance. There was a gentle breeze from the west. A good sign. He made up his mind.
“Run down to Mikey Noble,” he instructed the youngest of us “and ask him if he could come up and cut the long meadow by the road as soon as he gets a chance.”
Mikey Noble owned a Massey Ferguson tractor and mowing machine, and was very much in demand at harvest time.
Mikey arrived the next morning to great excitement and we cleared the heavy stones away from the gap so that he could drive in to the meadow.
He started mowing at the verges and worked his way around in ever-decreasing circles until he arrived in the middle. When he was finished, swathes of grass in neat and uniform rows lay drying under the noon-day sun while nature took its course.
“God spare you in the health.” himself acknowledged as Mikey gathered up his traps and drove away. Payment would be made at the end of the month when the next creamery check arrived.
The scythe was carefully sharpened and honed. He then went around cutting any headlands that the mowing machine could not reach. Not a blade of grass would be wasted.
“It is all in God's hands now.” he observed as he surveyed the meadow of mown hay before shouldering his scythe and slowly heading for home, with the rest of us following behind. The next couple of days would be critical. Any break in the weather and the crop could be lost.
He was out and about early the following morning. A heavy dew fell during the night but the rain had held off. There was fog on the mountains but it would soon lift.
We milked the cows, ferried the milk to the creamery and did our various chores. By midday the fog had cleared and the sun was beating down from a clear blue sky. He walked over to the meadow and examined the drying hay.
“We'll give it another hour,” he decided " and then we'll turn it.”
An hour later we arrived back in the meadow with our pikes and began the tedious job of turning the hay. He led the way with a three-pronged pike, walking along and quickly flipping over the swards of grass with an ease born from years of practise. We followed with our humble two-pronged pikes and tried to keep up with him. By early afternoon we had turned all the hay and the meadow now looked like a furry blanket.
He gazed anxiously up at the sky where an odd cloud had begun to appear.
“We could be close to rain.” he predicted. However, there was little we could do now but wait. We were at the mercy of the elements.
We went home and ate the dinner and he turned on the radio to get the latest forecast. It was not good. There would be showers later in the evening.
“Come on,” he said, collecting a couple of hay racks from the barn and heading over the road “We'll rack it in to rows and make creabhars before the weather breaks.”
There was a sense of urgency now as we worked quickly in pairs, one racking the hay and the other gathering it in to small heaps. We finished as the first drops of rain began to fall. The creabhars offered some protection against the weather but it would be only temporary. If it kept raining we were in trouble.
It rained on and off all evening but there was a drying breeze between the showers. He took some comfort from this. “It'll keep it fresh.” he said.
The next morning the rain had stopped and a warm sun began raising steam from the damp creabhars. We grabbed our pikes and shook out the hay again. It was a race against time now and we kept going until it was all turned.
The waiting continued. The midday sun beat down upon the meadow and the hay slowly began to change from green to gold. In the late afternoon we turned it again, exposing more green underneath. The blazing sun continued to do its work.
The forecast said we could expect more showers overnight. He took a gamble and decided to leave it as it was, saying “Tomorrow will tell its own tale.” We headed for the house, our day's work done.
His judgement was sound. It stayed dry overnight and in the morning the mist lifted to reveal a deep blue sky and a scorching summer day.
We waited a couple of hours and then racked the hay into rows again. He went around lifting fists of hay and examining it closely. It was dry and crisp.
“We'll start gathering it now” he said, satisfied that it was finally ready to be made up.
We went along the rows, piking the hay into piles. We then collected the piles and began making them into cocks of hay. Himself directed operations, laying down the bases and then heaping hay up in to cone-shaped structures. As each hay-cock was completed we secured it and tied it down with sugáns, himself using his penknife to cut the twine to the correct lengths. It was heavy, back-breaking work and we paused occasionally to catch our breath and take a drink of water or cold tea.
Finally, we were finished. Twelve impressive cocks of hay stood straight and tall around the meadow like ghostly turrets from some medieval castle.
He sat on the ditch, reddened his pipe and puffed away contentedly as he gazed out at the fruits of our labour.
In all his years of farming it was his proud boast that he had never yet lost a meadow of hay.
“The man who waits for a fine day will always get it.” he was fond of saying.
He checked the bottle and turned on Radio Eireann for the weather forecast. They said it would stay dry. He was not convinced. He went outside and looked up at the sky and back at the towering MacGillicuddy Reeks shimmering in the distance. There was a gentle breeze from the west. A good sign. He made up his mind.
“Run down to Mikey Noble,” he instructed the youngest of us “and ask him if he could come up and cut the long meadow by the road as soon as he gets a chance.”
Mikey Noble owned a Massey Ferguson tractor and mowing machine, and was very much in demand at harvest time.
Mikey arrived the next morning to great excitement and we cleared the heavy stones away from the gap so that he could drive in to the meadow.
He started mowing at the verges and worked his way around in ever-decreasing circles until he arrived in the middle. When he was finished, swathes of grass in neat and uniform rows lay drying under the noon-day sun while nature took its course.
“God spare you in the health.” himself acknowledged as Mikey gathered up his traps and drove away. Payment would be made at the end of the month when the next creamery check arrived.
The scythe was carefully sharpened and honed. He then went around cutting any headlands that the mowing machine could not reach. Not a blade of grass would be wasted.
“It is all in God's hands now.” he observed as he surveyed the meadow of mown hay before shouldering his scythe and slowly heading for home, with the rest of us following behind. The next couple of days would be critical. Any break in the weather and the crop could be lost.
He was out and about early the following morning. A heavy dew fell during the night but the rain had held off. There was fog on the mountains but it would soon lift.
We milked the cows, ferried the milk to the creamery and did our various chores. By midday the fog had cleared and the sun was beating down from a clear blue sky. He walked over to the meadow and examined the drying hay.
“We'll give it another hour,” he decided " and then we'll turn it.”
An hour later we arrived back in the meadow with our pikes and began the tedious job of turning the hay. He led the way with a three-pronged pike, walking along and quickly flipping over the swards of grass with an ease born from years of practise. We followed with our humble two-pronged pikes and tried to keep up with him. By early afternoon we had turned all the hay and the meadow now looked like a furry blanket.
He gazed anxiously up at the sky where an odd cloud had begun to appear.
“We could be close to rain.” he predicted. However, there was little we could do now but wait. We were at the mercy of the elements.
We went home and ate the dinner and he turned on the radio to get the latest forecast. It was not good. There would be showers later in the evening.
“Come on,” he said, collecting a couple of hay racks from the barn and heading over the road “We'll rack it in to rows and make creabhars before the weather breaks.”
There was a sense of urgency now as we worked quickly in pairs, one racking the hay and the other gathering it in to small heaps. We finished as the first drops of rain began to fall. The creabhars offered some protection against the weather but it would be only temporary. If it kept raining we were in trouble.
It rained on and off all evening but there was a drying breeze between the showers. He took some comfort from this. “It'll keep it fresh.” he said.
The next morning the rain had stopped and a warm sun began raising steam from the damp creabhars. We grabbed our pikes and shook out the hay again. It was a race against time now and we kept going until it was all turned.
The waiting continued. The midday sun beat down upon the meadow and the hay slowly began to change from green to gold. In the late afternoon we turned it again, exposing more green underneath. The blazing sun continued to do its work.
The forecast said we could expect more showers overnight. He took a gamble and decided to leave it as it was, saying “Tomorrow will tell its own tale.” We headed for the house, our day's work done.
His judgement was sound. It stayed dry overnight and in the morning the mist lifted to reveal a deep blue sky and a scorching summer day.
We waited a couple of hours and then racked the hay into rows again. He went around lifting fists of hay and examining it closely. It was dry and crisp.
“We'll start gathering it now” he said, satisfied that it was finally ready to be made up.
We went along the rows, piking the hay into piles. We then collected the piles and began making them into cocks of hay. Himself directed operations, laying down the bases and then heaping hay up in to cone-shaped structures. As each hay-cock was completed we secured it and tied it down with sugáns, himself using his penknife to cut the twine to the correct lengths. It was heavy, back-breaking work and we paused occasionally to catch our breath and take a drink of water or cold tea.
Finally, we were finished. Twelve impressive cocks of hay stood straight and tall around the meadow like ghostly turrets from some medieval castle.
He sat on the ditch, reddened his pipe and puffed away contentedly as he gazed out at the fruits of our labour.
In all his years of farming it was his proud boast that he had never yet lost a meadow of hay.
This may have meant very little in the grand scheme of things but, in his world, it meant everything.
LOCAL NOTES
CELEBRATE
THE SEASON WITH MICHEAL ENGLISH:
A
reminder that Micheal
English will give a Christmas themed concert and will also sing a
selection of his own popular songs next Friday, December 6. A
few tickets are still available. All proceeds will go towards
the ongoing maintenance of St. Ita’s Hall – the Hall on Main St.
that provides a warm comfortable convenient meeting place for up to
20 groups including the youth club, crafty corner, writers group,
Wednesday club to name but a few. Tickets at €25 are available by
ringing the dedicated ticket line on 089 4356981 or from Moss the
Farmers, The Coffee Pot, Ann Lyons. O’Donoghues Spar and Kathleen’s
Foodstore in Abbeyfeale, Around the county,
Ardagh where our pastor Fr. Tony comes from tickets are
available at Greaney’s Butchers, in NCW they can be purchased at
the Zip Yard and in Hayes’s Newsagent. Tickets are also
available in Pat Buckley’s Templeglantine, Templeglantine PO, the
PO in Duagh, the parish office in Listowel, Collins’s in Athea and
Daffys in Kilmallock and Lisselton. If you’d like to
dine before attending the concert Leens Hotel are offering an Early
Bird Dinner and Ticket for the concert for €45, reservations
to be made directly with the hotel at 068 31121. Doors open at
7pm and there will be a raffle for giant hampers.
WEDDING
BELLS: Congratulations to Fiona Harnett and John Murphy who
celebrated the Sacrament of Marriage in Abbeyfeale recently.
BOOK
LAUNCH: Fluid Forms: Liam Flynn. A
Limited edition of 128 page hard back full colour coffee table book
featuring over 90 colour photographs of Liam Flynn’s artwork will
be launched at 6.30pm on Wednesday, December 11 at Abbeyfeale
Library. Everyone welcome.
SHOP
LOCAL: Vouchers will be available to give as Christmas gifts
and help encourage the shop local campaign.
SEENAGER
CHOIR AKA JIMMY AND THE JEZEBELLES: 25 beautiful ladies, with
voices to match plus an array of African drums and Jimmy! In
Concert at Glórach Thursday, December 5 at 7pm. Abbeyfeale’s
latest close harmony choir have been put through their paces, during
the past 5 weeks, by none other than Ruth and Joyce O’Leary,
otherwise known as Sephira, who will orchestrate and conduct the
entire evening. Therefore, we may expect a thoroughly professional
performance from the ladies as they sing and drum their way through
such classics as The Lion Sleeps Tonight, Edelweiss, your favourite
Xmas Carols and many more tunes that have become standards. Who
knows, Ruth and Joyce may even perform a song or two! Jimmy Dennison
is the token male presence in the choir, however, we have bolstered
the male numbers by adding Kerry Seanachai Timmy Hannafin to the line
up, who can brighten up any winter’s night. Free admission
tickets from West Limerick Resources 087 9042477.
CONGRATULATIONS:
Jack Ennis’s uncle Padddy Finucane would like to congratulate Jack
and the Brosna team on reaching the North Kerry Football final
on Sunday, December 15 in Ballylongford.
CHRISTMAS
TRACTOR RUN:"Estuary Rollers will hold a Christmas Tractor Run
on Sunday, December 15. Registration will begin from
1.30pm at Abbeyfeale Mart with a fee of €20 per tractor. The run
will start at Abbeyfeale Mart before heading up through Abbeyfeale
Town, it will then continue to Athea, Moyvane, Tarbert, Glin before
concluding for refreshments in The Knockdown Arms. There will also be
a prize for the most decorated Christmas tractor. All proceeds are in
aid of a wonderful local charity - Milford Hospice."
ABBEYFEALE
FOR AFRICA CAKE SALE: The annual cake sale to support Fr. Tim
Galvin’s Mission in South Sudan takes place on Sunday, December 8
at St. Ita’s Hall from 9-1pm. Calling all our usual bakers
and supporters. Home baking can be left into Batt’s in the
Square for collection or delivered to the Hall on the morning of
December 8. As always we appreciate your continued support for
our local man.
ARA
COFFEE MORNING: Abbeyfeale’s Active Retirement Group are
hosting a coffee morning on Friday, December 6 with the proceeds
being donated to the Christmas Lights.
NIGHT
AT THE OSKARS: Casting night for Abbeyfeale’s
Night at the Oskars was on Tuesday last in St. Ita’s Day Care
Centre. The events company will now come back to us shortly
with the films that they have chosen and the participants in each
film, they will then provide acting coaching . We will shortly
have a date for the commencement of the training which will take
place over 4 weeks.
CONCERT:
West Limerick 102fm Community Radio Grand
Variety Christmas Concert in The Longcourt House Hotel on
Wednesday, December 11 at 8pm. Admission €15. Doors
open 7.30pm.
GATE
CLOSED: The church gates will be locked each evening at 8pm for
the winter months.
YOGA
CLASS: Wednesday from 7 – 8.30pm Abbeyfeale Rugby Club.
Ring Mike on 087 2732591.
NOONAN’S
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS: The landscape is lit up with the lights from
Noonan’s lights which were officially switched on last Friday
night.
MANCHESTER
UNITED CLUB: Paddy Finucane is sending out a call to old and
new members to join him in reforming the Manchester United Club in
Donal and Ann’s Bar at 9pm on Friday, December 13.
WEST
LIMERICK SINGING CLUB: The club meet on the first Friday of each
month in Philip Enrights, The Ramble Inn, Church Street from 9pm.
ST.
VINCENT DE PAUL: Annual church gate collection on the weekend
of December 7 and 8.
FIRST
FRIDAY REFLECTIONS WITH FR. SHOJI: On the First Friday of
each month, Fr Shoji will lead an hour of Praise and Worship in the
Blessed Sacrament Chapel beginning at 9am.
HARNETT
MAGAZINE: Some Harnett Reunion magazines are still available at
Ann Lyons Shop and from James Harnett, also the final items of
Harnett merchandise are available at Heavenly Gifts.
KNOCK
ALL NIGHT VIGIL: Pro-Life Vigil on Saturday, December 7
Saturday midnight to Sunday morning departing Dero’s Main St at 3pm
on December 7. Contact Deros 064 6631251.
GLÓRACH:
Bingo every Monday night at 8.30pm
