Farewell gathering for Robbie
FRIENDS and colleagues – both retired and current – of Valentia Coastguard Radio Station gathered last week to mark the retirement from the station of Robbie Evans, who was a Radio Officer there from 1999.
Robbie spent 21 years at sea as a Merchant Navy Officer between the years 1972-93 and from 93-98 worked in China and various other parts of the world as an electronics engineer/technician. While employed at Valentia Radio he was in latter times domiciled in Cahirsiveen, staying in an apartment at the Harp Hotel.
John Dreaper, who is the Divisional Controller at the Radio Station and Radio Officer Jim Guirey presented him with a picture of Dingle Bay by Peter Cox, as viewed from Valentia Island.
All good retirement wishes from Valentia are extended to Robbie and his wife Brid and family, and here we leave you with a tongue in cheek poem of good humour, written by him in farewell to the Valentia Coastguard Radio Station, entitled:
An Dairbhre - No Place for Old Men: Half a lifetime on the briny, And the other half hanging onto a rock,
Now gone are the days of banter my cousin, Red Head and the brothers. Gone are the feathers in the well supply,
The rain and stones against the window.
The nights that are hard to kill, But they kill us all in the end. No more burnt offerings, No more the East End Bar, The Queen Vic. Of wet Civeen. And no throbbing of disco underfoot, No ’’com’ere I want cha’s‘’, The people were friendly though, Even the picky people, On the other side of the bridge. Dohilla,you’re a lady, but a bitch to get to.
But now tis time to cut the cable, Earth the key and silence. And yet, I’ll really miss the place, The endless stream of brew, The buzz you get when someone says thanks, And verily I say unto ye, Whispering across the half door of the mind,
For always I am Kerry.
Footnote: The last two lines are taken from Sigerson Clifford’s poem I am Kerry
DEATH:
The death occurred on New Year’s Day in New Jersey, USA, of sister Alice Lynch, Valentia Island, who would have been 92 on January 2. A past pupil of the Ballyhearney National School, Valentia and St John Bosco Secondary School of Cahirsiveen, she subsequently worked with Rosney solicitors, Cahirsiveen.
In 1950 she joined the sisters of the Congregation of St. Joseph of Peace order and commenced in such a capacity in Newry, Co. Down. She then went to the USA, taking her final vows in New Jersey in August 1957. She graduated with a BS in Education from Seton Hall University, New Jersey and an MS in religion from Fordham University, New York.
Originally Sister Mary Clarisse, she spent most of her
BIRTHDAY:
Congratulations to Dion Corcoran of Chapeltown, who recently celebrated his 18th birthday in the Ring Lyne Bar and Restaurant with family and friends.
CYCLE:
The annual fundraising cycle to commemorate the late Ita Corridon of Caherdaniel will take place in February at a date to be confirmed.
NEW CHAIRMAN:
All good future wishes are extended Ger ’Cap’ Murphy of Emlaghpeiste in Portmagee, who was recently appointed as the Chairman of the Skellig Rangers GAA club.
He replaces Ger O’Shea, who stepped down after three years.
Ger, whose father the late John ’Cap’ Murphy coxed many a winning Cnuicin seine boat, winning a number of Johnny Mahony trophies, gave the years from 1989-96 on the construction sites of London and played football there with Kerry Gaels.
A former seine boat oarsman, he has been a referee on the Kerry domestic scene since 2007, and also played B football with a Skellig-Valentia combination.
His brother Kieran is the current Chairman of the South and Mid-Kerry Rowing organisation. Their caps are in the air. religious life in New Jersey, as a Director of Religion and school principal in numerous parishes there. She also spent a short period in San Francisco and served in Kenya for two years.
Sister Alice Lynch, originally of Coromore, Valentia Island, was laid to rest on January 6 in New Jersey and was the last of a family of nine born to Michael and Mary Lynch (nee Murphy of Ballycarbery). Her siblings were: John Joe, Dave, Mick and Den, Katie, Mary Catherine, Breeda and Nell.
Sincere sympathy is expressed to her nephews, nieces, grandnephews, grandnieces and all concerned of the Lynch, Lyne and McGill families of Valentia, Iveragh and elsewhere. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam.