Halloweens of yesteryear have a lot to teach us today
WINTER time began yesterday at 2am when clocks went back and now it’s getting dark earlier.
Halloween will be celebrated on Wednesday when we Irish traditionally carve out the menacing face of Jack-o’-lantern on a pumpkin on Halloween night, place a lit candle inside it and put it on the window sill to spook passers-by.
Bonfires are lit and children dress up to go ‘trick or treating’.
I remember a time when each family member would be given a slice of barnbrack and great interest would have been taken in the outcome as there is a pea, a coin and a ring wrapped in baking paper in each cake, predicting an uncertain financial future, a prosperous year and a good marriage, respectively.
One wonders how many families will enjoy nuts and fruit and how many will play children’s games such as ‘blind man’s buff’ and ‘snap apple’.
Halloween week was once a time for children to enjoy outdoor activity in the winter sun. Children derived hours of pleasure, exercise and fresh air from games such as cracking conkers, skipping rope, hopscotch and marbles. These games helped them develop life skills such as creativity, co-operation, physical movement, strategy, imagination, mobility, competitiveness and social interaction. Today’s children are growing up in an indoor world with virtual games and they are a tech-savvy generation. But traditional children’s games still have a lot to offer.
BILLY RYLE, Tralee, Co. Kerry.
Call in the gardaí
WHEN the contract to build schools was handed out, surely there was a tendering process? How many other building firms were asked to take part and who was responsible for selecting Western Building Systems for a multimillion-euro contract?
The Department of Education and the minister should have been involved.
It seems the standard of workmanship fell below what would be required from the average tradesman. It does not take a building engineer or architect to notice bad workmanship, as a good builder’s labourer could spot what’s wrong.
This crisis – and that’s what it is – is far too serious for politicians to investigate. The gardaí are the people who can get to the bottom of this and sort out what went wrong and who is responsible quicker than any Government inquiry. Parents, staff and the general public need answers.
PAUL PRICE, Clondalkin, Dublin 22.
Who’s in charge here?
SO the Education Minister at the time was told about dodgy schools seven years ago (Irish Daily Mail, Friday).
Does it ring a bell? For the cancer scandal, Fine Gael were in power and they ignored it. Now this one, which they also ignored.
Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have been running this country since the formation of this Republic and they have a contemptible attitude towards Irish citizens. This school builder was allowed to self-certify the finished buildings and the Government department just accepted his decision.
People should wake up and stop putting these wasters into power as it will stop this country going deeper into trouble.
DAVID BURKE, Gorey, Co. Wexford.
Housing scandal
THE hatred against landlords and even someone who has an extra house to let on Airbnb continues unabated under this awful Government, which is now targeting the pocket money that can be made on the current system of householders trying to rise above the decade-long austerity years.
The appalling passing on of responsibilty for the Government’s housing crisis to private property owners is an outrage that cannot be allowed to continue.