TEMPLEGLANTINE

BÁS

The death occurred on Sunday last, June 21 of Templeglantine’s most senior citizen. Mary Cotter, Barnagh was in her 102nd year when she passed to eternal reward. Go dtuga Dia suaimhneas síoraí dá hanam dilis agus solás dá gaolta uilig.

CENTENARY OF BRITISH GENERAL’S CAPTURE

Around this time one hundred years ago there was considerable activity in the general locality in the fight for Irish Independence. One of the incidents in the struggle resulted in a high-ranking British Army man being held in captivity in Templeglantine before being moved on to other locations. Friday next, June 26 will mark the centenary of the capture of General Henry Tyndall Lucas by the IRA which occurred while he and two army companions were on a fishing trip on the Blackwater river near Fermoy. Lucas was the Officer Commanding the British Army Brigade in Fermoy and had previously served in the Boer War and World War 1. After being held in captivity for two days at various locations in Cork he was handed over to the West Limerick Old IRA brigade who brought him to the Sheehan homestead at Berna, Templeglantine West. John Sheehan, his wife Johanna (née Quirke) and family were very nationalistic in outlook resulting in their house being raided by the Tans on a number of occasions. Their son Paddy fought in the Easter Rising in Dublin and their son Seán was active in the local Volunteers and in Conradh na Gaeilge. Locals claimed that General Lucas was held for two days at this location while others say it may have been one day, before being moved to the Dore family homestead in Balliston, Shanagolden. The story goes that while at Sheehan’s house he found out where he was being held when he saw the printed wrapper of Devon Road Creamery Butter. The story is also handed down that on being moved from Sheehan’s he thanked Johanna for the respectful treatment which he was afforded and asked her what she will be getting out of this, to which she replied that all she wanted was a free Ireland. Lucas was later taken to Clare and then to East Limerick where he gained his freedom after a month or so in captivity. Around the time he was being brought to Templeglantine questions were being asked in the House of

Commons in London concerning his capture. Later General Lucas spoke about the very fine treatment which he got while in captivity. Letters which he wrote to his wife while held captive are being published, which confirm this.

CHURCH EASING OF RESTRICTIONS

The further easing of Covid-19 restrictions as from June 29 allows the re-opening of churches for public prayer. The following announcement has been issued for our three parishes, Mountcollins, Tournafulla and Templeglantine, as guidance to those wishing to attend weekly mass.

“In order to re-open safely, the following actions have been put forward and agreed by our parish teams.

1. In order to comply with the two metre social distance measures, all our churches would have a much reduced seating capacity and therefore as a result, it was decided that from June 29 to July 20, all weekend masses will be held outdoors, Templeglantine at 6pm on Saturday evenings, Mountcollins at 7:30pm on Saturday evenings and Tournafulla on Sunday Mornings at 11am. Everyone is encouraged to attend their own parish churches and to avoid parking on the church grounds.

Weekend mass will continue to be live streamed.

2. We are also concerned about our vulnerable, our elders and our parishioners who are at risk and therefore it is asked that only the cocooners attend the weekday masses. These masses will be held indoors-Tuesday mornings at 10am in Templeglantine, Thursday evenings at 7pm in Mountcollins and on Friday evenings at 7pm in Tournafulla.

3. Now more than ever is a time for working together as a community and as a parish with shared responsibility. To ensure that masses do continue, it is vital to have as many volunteers as possible. Therefore, we are appealing for many people to volunteer their time to help with stewarding/sanitizing/cleaning/ and other essential ministries that are evolving to ensure that when we all return to mass; it will be a safe place for everyone. Please contact your local sacristan, Fr Mullane or message the parish facebook page if you wish to put your name forward.

4. In terms of church contributions, the basket will no longer be passed around. Instead, on entering the church grounds, there will be a box placed at each gate for parishioners to drop their envelopes/donations into for the upkeep and support of our churches”.