Stamullen

IN MEMORY.

Sympathy is extended to the family and friends of Mrs Rosaleen Gaughran, nee Dunne, formerly of Kells and late of Lisdornan, who recently passed away. Following funeral Mass at St. Mary`s Church in Julianstown on Monday August 14th last, Mrs Gaughran was laid to rest in Moorechurch Cemetery.

HERITAGE SUNDAY.

The Old Drogheda Society will host an Open Day at the Drogheda Museum at Millmount on Sunday next, August 27th as part of National Heritage Sunday. The great Cannon Guns at the Martello Tower within the complex will also be blasted at various stages throughout the afternoon, while there will be artefacts and implements of yesteryear on display both inside the Museum and outside in the Courtyard. There will also be help for those on the day who wish to trace their Family Tree, along with music, banter and craic. This event is free of charge and kicks off around 2pm, all are welcome to attend.

NEW ARRIVALS.

Congratulations and best wishes to the parents, guardians and extended familes of the following children who were recently baptized in the parish. Zoe Bermingham, Matilda Gavin, Darcy Gilsenan and Pippa Smith.

HARVEST FRUITS.

As we approach the ending of another summer and the return of the children to school, we can also hopefully, look forward to a pleasant and perhaps a beautiful autumn.

As the vegetation begins to stall and the leaves float down from the trees, the often glorious September sun reflects a stunning rural landscape across Ireland with an array of colours. It is certainly a good year for the wild fruits that are coming into and/ or are currently in bloom. It is a particularly good year for the wild Blackberries which are growing in abundance across the parish, as is the Elderberry, Hawberry and the Sloe Berries, while the Meadowsweet and Honeysuckle is also thriving along the sides of the roads and hedgerows. The high tempretures, some sunshine and the rain that we have had over the summer months have all played their role in such a quantity of the wild fruits and berries that are flowering at the moment. As we approach the Autumnal Equinox within the next three weeks or so, the darker evenings will unfortuneately occur.

In the past, our ancestors would have been particularly busy at this time of the year, reaping the harvest and indeed the wild herbs, fruit, berries and nuts of the countryside, collecting sticks and branches that had also fallen from trees as a result of the high winds of autumn coming off the Atlantic; preparing for the winter ahead. “No need for that any longer” I hear you say! Nowadays we have supermarkets to replace all that the natural countryside has to offer us. No need to go to the hedgerow anymore, just the `till`!