AS I WAS SAYING...
This weekend marks the real beginning of Summer, on the calendar, at any rate. Third Level colleges have closed; Secondary and Primary schools are in the process of winding down. If the sun would only favour us with a little more attention, we could all get a bit more seasonal!
However, this is a very special Summer, a Summer marked apart from most others: we are in the Finals of the World Cup in Japan and Korea. It is a privilege we should never underestimate or, worse still, take for granted. We graced that competition for the first time in 1990. And I used the word 'graced' deliberately. The stage was beautiful sunny Italy. And our supporters, still travelling under the unsullied flag of innocence, set a marvellous and much need example to a sport that was still reeling from scandals and avoidable disasters. The previous April 95 fans perished and 170 were seriously injured on the terraces in Hillsborough. In that same month 14 Liverpool football hooligans received lengthy jail sentences for their part in the massacre of 41 Italian and Belgian fans in Belgium's Heysel stadium in Brussels. Soccer (and above all its supposed supporters) was sorely in need of redemption. Irish soccer supporters had all the credential for this redemptive role. Their greatest asset was their innocence: in the entire history of the competition they had never been involved before at this level. In the 'sound-bite' of the time, 'we carried no baggage'. Our history was still in the future! However, as things transpired, 'Italia 90' surpassed all our expectations. We actually qualified for the quarter finals and it took the host nation to put a stop to our gallop! And then with a freak goal! (Remember Charlie Haugheys' lap of honour around the sweltering stadium. God, weren't we an innocent lot too!)
The innocence wore thin rather quickly in the last couple of weeks. The two features that dominate all soccer raised their unpleasant heads: enormous greed and enormous egos. In a game that necessarily has more than its share of prima donnas, it comes as no surprise that egos would assert themselves. But the greed could at least have been concealed. Footballers are paid enormous money to play football. Managers are paid enormous money to manager. Why do footballers and managers have to resort to journalism? Why are they allowed such platforms from which to conduct their megaphone diplomacy? Is it a case of they being unable to contain their volcanic literary skills? They simply bubble to the surface regardless of the efforts to contain them? I would say, hardly!
Perhaps after yesterday morning's splendid work, the innocence and the dream may yet be recaptured. Should we dare to dream? Could we yet advance? The year 1950 should provide us with some strange straws. The World Cup had only just resumed after the war. America had -late in the day- entered that war. One night a few fellows in a bar in New York asked: if we were good enough for the war, why not the World Cup? 'Why not?' his friends concurred, and thereby began a dream. This ragbag of ragamuffins advanced to play England in the Quarter Finals. And beat them 1-0! The match wasn't even broadcast. When the scoreline came to Britain on the wire, it was deemed a mistake. The Daily Telegraph published the result as England 10, America 0! How dare they! You just never know in sport. Long may it remain so!
-Dick Lyng.
EVENTS THIS WEEK
- GENERAL MEETING: We will try to have a General Meeting sometime this week of all those involved in any way with the forthcoming Mid Summer Festival. This is necessarily guesswork, but perhaps Tuesday night at 8.00pm would suit most? We can have a quick chat about the best night after the 11.00 Mass today. If Tuesday doesn't suit, we can arrange some other night. We do need to get our act together soon on this.
- RENOVATION GROUP MEETING: Because of the Monday Bank Holiday, the Church Renovation Group will meet on Tuesday evening at 5.30 (rather than the usual Monday meeting.)
- THE AUGUSTINIAN PLAYACTORS GUILD: Since our Producer and Director has had occasion to visit France this week on dramatic business, we will refrain from rehearsals this week. However, we are still looking for volunteers to help out with the play and matters behind the scene - literally! All hands much appreciated at this stage.
- AN ILL WIND: Due to the recent election, we now have sufficient material to construct stage sets for years to come! Michael D's posters are very popular with us since they are fashioned from particularly durable material. The Fianna Fáil ones were good too, but they lacked the flexibility of the former. The PDs was a '3-in-1' job! We left the Sinn Fein ones alone, out of respect for our own knee caps!
CHILDREN'S ART COMPETITION
As we announced here last week, we are holding a Children's Art Competition again this year as part of our Mid Summer Festival. In years past this has been a highly successful aspect of our Festival.
The theme for this year's competition is "Irish Stories from the Past". That should give the young artists sufficient scope to express their talents. We have five categories: (a) 15 and under; (b) 12 and under.; (c) 8 and under; (d) 6 and under; (e) Toddlers and other artists! Some very attractive prizes are on offer once again this year. At the time of going to press, the prizes included a great variety of art artefacts, books and book tokens, and gift vouchers. A panel of failed artists will sit in solemn judgement. The decision of the judges will be announced at the party after the Liturgy on Saturday night. Please have your entries in the priory on or before Wednesday, June 26th.
Memorable Quotes
- "He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts: for support rather than for illumination." - Andrew Lang.
- "While I cannot be regarded as a pillar, I must be regarded as a buttress of the Church. After all, I support it from the outside." -Lord Melbourne.
- "Genius does what genius must. Talent does what it can." -Owen Meredith.
- "Mother is far too clever to understand anything she does not like." -Arnold Bennett.
- "Common Sense is a collection of prejudices acquired by most people by the age of eighteen.." - Albert Einstein.
- "Were it not for imagination, Sir, a man would be as happy in the arms of a chambermaid as of a Duchess." -Samuel Johnson.
- "Half the modern drugs might well be thrown out the window, except that the birds might eat them." -Martin H. Fischer.
- "Culture is an instrument wielded by professors to manufacture professors, who when their turn comes will manufacture professors." -Simone Weil.
- "I've met a lot of hard-boiled eggs in my time, but you're twenty minutes." -Samuel Wilder.
- "A committee is a cul-de-sac down which ideas are lured and then quietly strangled.." -Barnett Cocks.
GALWAY HOSPICE FOUNDATION
The Hospice Foundation provided Home Care and Day Care Services to those in need of Palliative Care throughout Galway city and county. It is a voluntary organisation and, as such, has two very obvious ongoing needs: volunteers and money!
They hold an annual fund-raising day each year, called SUNFLOWER DAY. It is being held on Friday week next, June 14th. If you have can help out on that day, please please contact Fiona or Michael at (091) 770868.
SCOUTS CELEBRATIONS
This year 'Scouting Ireland' are celebrating 75 years of scouting in Ireland and in Galway. (This organisation was known as 'Catholic Boys Scouts of Ireland' before the women put their stilettos down!) The First Galway Unit was one of the first units to be founded in the country. As many of you know, this unit is based in St. Augustine's Parish here, having their Den at Ozanam House, Augustine St.
To mark this occasion the Scouts will hold a Flag Parade through the parish on Sunday next, June 9th, culminating in a Unit Mass for members and their families in the Augustinian Church at 4.00pm. All past members are warmly invited to come along.
BREAKING NEWS
2002
WORLD CUPGROUP E
FIRST ROUND
IRELAND 1
KEANE 0
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