Christmas windows and a new bridge over The Oolagh river

Redden the hearth and sweep the floor,

Let the candle through the pane be showing,

Bring sweet well water, and leave the door

Loose on the hasp, for who would be knowing

What poor and lonely and travelled far,

Walking the world on the naked highway,

Might follow the gleam of a candle star,

And its welcome win in this lonesome byway.

So, for the sake of two who went out from the city

By bridle lanes down to Bethlehem

And who failed to find there for love or pity,

A kindly soul who would welcome them,

Redden the hearth, let the comfort-sharing

Glow of the peat fire shine fair and bright,

And may a tired poor man and a maiden wearing

A mantle of blue be our guests tonight.

This poem called Christmas Wayfarers by Cathal O’Byrne was published in a primary school anthology in 1951.

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The new Kingdom has two really artistic Christmas windows.

Here is the artist, Pia Thornton, at work.

Here is the finished product.

Across town another very artistic person, Trish Horgan of Manctuary, in Charles St did these beautiful windows.

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Tae Lane Boutique has relocated to Church St. to the premises previously occupied by the Blue Umbrella.

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Red Letter Day on Great Southern Trail at Abbeyfeale 7/12/12
plus Celebratory Walk on Dec. 27th at 2.15pm.

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On Friday Dec.7th 2012 a new bridge was installed over the Athea Road at Abbeyfeale, Co. Limerick to provide access to the latest 3km of the Great Southern Trail[GST].  Forty kilometres of the GST has now been developed between Rathkeale and the Kerry Border [at Rathoran townland]. These works have been undertaken by Limerick County Council with National Cycle Network funding. The GST group welcomes this initiative by the County Council and now looks forward to the continuation of the Greenway into County Kerry to the finali termini at Tralee and Fenit. At Limerick County  Council level the project was led by Anthony Coleman with the resurfacing being supervised by Pádraig Vallelly and Richard Gleeson. The overall Consulting Engineer was Tadhg McGillicuddy who also co-ordinated the installation of three new bridges. These were manufactured and installed by Fergus O' Keeffe, Kerry Mechanical Engineering, Kilmorna [over the Athea road at Abbeyfeale Station]; Pádraig Nolan, Nolan Steel, Castleisland [over the River Oolagh outside Abbeyfeale] and Mike Condon Trackcare, Devon Road, Templeglantine [over a farm roadway at Purt, Abbeyfeale].

The GST will now host the first walk along the new route on Thu. 27th December at 2.15pm from the old Abbeyfeale Station. The round trip is 4 miles and refreshments will be provided afterwards at the adjacent Railway Bar, Abbeyfeale. All the faithful supporters of the GST over the past 21 years are cordially invited as are all those who worked so diligently on the new extension and completed the job so quickly. Tá fáilte romhaibh go léir!

Coach House Travel are kindly providing a complimentary bus at 1.30pm from Rathkeale Old Station [now the Palatine Museum] and which will pick up at Ardagh[Church] 1.40pm, Newcastle West[Square]1.50pm and Templeglantine[Church] 2pm. Those travelling by public transport to Abbeyfeale should take the 12.35pm bus from Limerick; 1pm from Tralee or 1.30pm from Listowel.

The GST paved to the Kerry border

Richard Gleeson , Lk.Co.Co. with Denis McAuliffe, Mike MacDomhnaill and Liam O’Mahony of the GST at Abbeyfeale Station  for the installation of the new bridge over the Athea Road on Fri. 7^th Dec.2012

The new Bridge is put in place.

This story and accompanying photos was brought to us by a great friend of this blog, Jer. Kennelly. Thank you, Jer.

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Watch this space! Photos from the launch of Vincent Carmody's book tomorrow