NEWTOWN SENIOR CITIZENS
On Sunday 16th Dec the Newtown
Senior Citizens Group are hosting a Christmas Tea Party
in the hall from 2.30 p.m. to 6 p.m. A warm welcome to this
Tea Party is extended to one and all.
WREN BOYS CONCERT
The annual Tir na Mona Wren
Boys concert on St. Stephen's Day will be held in Donadea
Forest Park again this year. It will run from 2 - 3.30 pm.
We would like to invite everyone to enter into the spirit
of the event and come along in fancy dress. We would especially
invite all the children in the area to come along as Wren
boys and Girls to hunt the Wren. Members of the Donadea
Wren Boys and Straw Boys group will be featured on R.T.E.
Radio 1 at 11 a.m. on St. Stephen's Day so be sure to tune
in.
Liam Holton invites additional verses to his poem on "The
Donadea Wren Boys". If you feel the muse take you please
send your contributions to Morna at the Tir na Mona office
in St. Kevins.
YOUNG MAN FROM DONADEA
- ON TRACK FOR INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS
It was 'mission accomplished'
for John O'Hara this year as the 21 year old confirmed his
utter domination of Formula Europa with a convincing victory
in the Irish Formula Europa Championship and added the highly
prestigious Leinster Trophy to his 2001 victory haul.
Victory in September's eighth
round of the Formula Europa series at Mondello Park confirmed
his championship success a round early and he went on to
rubberstamp his status as one of the most promising Irish
drivers of recent times with a crushing victory in the Leinster
Trophy race, Ireland's most prestigious single race.
It confirmed a season of utter
dominance for the unassuming and dedicated young racer who
took seven race wins from nine starts including nine pole
positions with six fastest laps across the span of his dream
season.
Having joined the exclusive
club of Leinster Trophy winners that includes double world
champion Mika Hakkinen, O'Hara now turns his attention to
furthering his career in pastures new.
"I'm targeting a seat in the
British Formula Renault series next season," says John,
the man who won the £10,000 Friends of Mondello scholarship
for the most promising young driver in Ireland. "This has
been a fabulous season and I'm glad I was able to justify
the faith placed in me by my supporters, not least my Dad
Luke who has run the TCW Supplies/Walden Motors car so well."
O'Hara's debut season in wings
and slicks has been a battle with himself as much as his
rivals as only former champion Vivion Daly has been able
to offer any consistent competition.
O'Hara has had to remain focused
but, by repeatedly turning in times worthy of any of the
halcyon years of Formula Europa, he has marked himself out
as a driver worthy of a step up to a higher level.
THE DONADEA WREN BOYS
It's Stephen's Day, I wake
up very late,
Head feeling muzzy from all that I ate.
With Christmas Day gone I'm feeling a bit down,
As I mope round the house in my new dressing gown.
As my mind wanders back to Stephen's Days past.
To my childhood memories, oh! How they last!
I think of the fun and the innocent cheer,
As we went on the wran at this time of year.
We rummaged through drawers, wardrobes and presses,
As we looked for old headscarves, blankets and dresses.
With soot on my forehead and lipstick daubed on my face,
I looked like a poor lady who had fallen from grace.
I teamed up with my friends, who were also dressed very
funny,
As we went off on our quest of some fun, gifts and money.
A bright melodeon was carried by one,
A tin whistle, mouth organ, to play tunes with the song.
We arrived at the first house with cheers, shouts and smiles,
We chanted the wren song in our own local styles.
Some of the small children first saw us with fear,
But soon change to a smile when the music they hear.
When the music and song they come to a stop,
Then the tin can it was rattled, and in the coins drop.
When dark was approaching and
the day drawing in,
And the candles in windows were lit up again,
Our hands and our feet were feeling the nip of the frost,
and we quickened our return before in the dark we were lost.
The tin's contents were counted by the heat of the fire,
As we took, off and washed off, our wren boys attire.
But the old custom has now almost died away,
Except that in Donadea Park they will appear today.
So out with the lipstick and my wife's brand new dress,
I will appear in the forest the crowds to impress.
And remind them of old times past, - when -
On those Stephen's Day's we hunted the wren.
Liam Holton, Donadea
CRY FOR HELP!
The local Wren-Boys and Straw-Boys
who take the trouble to dress up in their exotic clothes
have a problem... They would like to add further SUITABLE
verses to the chant-like song they have composed describing
how they protect the little wren who is also "King of All
the Birds" when the Wren-Boys come looking for him on St.
Stephens Day.
The song is sung and chanted
to the air / rhythm of "Three Blind Mice".
The Straw-Boys are ready to
give a prize of £5 per verse for up to 10 additional verses
to add to the above - acceptable verses ofcourse - and the
writer will be duly acknowleged and thanked in a future
edition of Tir-na-Mona. If you have an idea start writing,
your entry is required before December 17, 2001.
Send Your entry to:
STRAWBOYS Song c/o MONA Magazine.
Here is what we have so far:
STRAWBOYS
STRAWBOYS are we, we'll mind
the wren,
STRAWBOYS are we, we'll mind the wren,
We've come here from everywhere,
From Wicklow, Dublin and Kildare,
To save the wren from trap and snare,
We'll mind the wren,
We'll mind the wren.
STRAWBOYS are we,
we'll mind the wren,
STRAWBOYS are we, we'll mind the wren,
On Stephens day we'll get our way,
We'll keep the wrenboys from their prey,
And bate them till they run away,
We'll mind the wren,
We'll mind the wren.
AIB Clane
opening hours
- Mon 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
- Tues 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
- Wed 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
- Thurs 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
- Fri 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- Sat 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
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