Masses Today

6.30: Elizabeth Coyne (nee Conneely), (Anniv)
9.00: Patrick & Bridget Finnerty, (Anniv)
11.00 Tess Hughes (recently deceased)
12.15 James Gibbons, (Anniv)
6.30 Eamon Lynskey, (Anniv)

AS I WAS SAYING...

It is almost impossible to concentrate on any other subject but the obvious at present. It is everywhere, at every time. I get the distinct impression that the country has taken Summer holidays early, like 7.00am, for example. The Far Eastern time zone has played havoc with my body clock and brought the country to a standstill, it would seem. Unable to sleep, I wandered the town at a very early hour a few times this week. With Shakespeare on the night of Macduff's murder, I would have to agree that 'time is out of joint'! (or, as the six feet four Niall Quinn almost discovered to our cost last Tuesday, 'the giant is out of time'!) But for different reasons, obviously.

There is now a euphoria abroad which is difficult to avoid (if one were interested in avoiding it in the first place, of course!) On Tuesday morning next, we joust at another windmill, or more accurately perhaps, at another oil well when we take on Saudi Arabia. Understandably, this sand-locked territory has yet to establish a respectable footballing tradition. All sports tend to be shaped by the environment in which they find themselves. And if a particular sport finds a particular environment hostile to its health, that sport simply perishes. (Dominoes do not flourish in coastal towns, for obvious reasons!) Consequently, up to relatively recent times, all the athletic energies of the Saudi Arabian people have concentrated on sky-hawking and camel racing.

While the Saudis can, with justification, boast a racecourse that would equal in quality and capacity anything Europe has to offer, they still lack the infrastructure that a true footballing nation requires. For example, they still haven't a National Stadium to their name! There has been talk for years of a stadium dubbed the 'Faisal-bowl' just outside Dubai, but sweet nothing has materialised. Yet the Saudi Arabian goalkeeper, Mr. Mohammed Al-Daeyea, had the neck to state on Friday afternoon last, "We were very unlucky against the Germans. The Irish will be different. We have no choice but to beat them so that we can persuade the people and especially the Saudis that we can play well at the highest level." The cheek of him, the bloody upstart!

Regardless of that old empty sabre-rattling, it does now look as if our National Euphoria will survive the Saudis and endure right up to 2.05pm on Sunday next, June 16th. By then -and not for the first time- in all probability eleven members of the Spanish nation will be doing their utmost to turn that Irish dream into a nightmare. I fear they are capable of same. History doesn't provide much consolation there! Remember the last time they scuppered us? Personally, I have never, ever trusted a Spaniard since 1601. How could you ever forget their poor time-keeping at Kinsale that year, when they failed to keep their appointment with our team and abandoned us to the tender mercies of one Lord Mountjoy?

But history has left some straws in the wind that are more ominous still! Please remember that Kinsale is in Cork. (Didn't I tell you the connections were ominous!) The captain of the Spanish team that day, one Fernando Águila, had a blazing row with the Irish manager Hugh O'Donnell. Fernando criticised the facilities, declined into a deep sulk, and, remaining in his tent, he failed to take the field. He was last seen walking his Irish Wolfhound down Main Street, Madrid. I don't like the sound of it. Enjoy the week!

-Dick Lyng.

EVENTS THIS WEEK

THE WEEK GONE BY

GENERAL MEETING:
We held a very satisfactory General Meeting on Tuesday night last in connection with the Mid Summer Festival (28-29 June). We had a very satisfactory attendance, thank you all. The festival will consist of 5 particular events or happenings. (See notice below). The co-ordination of these events will be quite demanding. Of course the great imponderable, as always, is the weather! Even good barbecues can fizzle out in a downpour! Individuals took responsibility for various tasks at the meeting on Tuesday last. If you think we should have a meeting this week, you can decide on the day and time after the 11.00 Mass today. We have just three weeks now to get our act together.




BALL IN YOUR COURT





MID-SUMMER FESTIVAL, 2002

The Mid-Summer Festival is now looming. The preparations swooped into full swing during the week. In general, the programme will follow the familiar pattern, but with some interesting individual variations. Please note events and dates:





CHILDREN'S' ART COMPETITION

Continue to plug the Children's Art Competition for the Mid Summer Festival. A Promotions Poster in now available at the Priory Office. The theme for this year's competition is "Irish Stories from the Past". We have five categories, with a 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize for each: (a) 15 and under; (b) 12 and under.; (c) 8 and under; (d) 6 and under; (e) Toddlers and other artists! 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.



GALWAY HOSPICE FOUNDATION

The Hospice Foundation need volunteers to help out with their Fundraising Day (SUNFLOWER DAY) on Friday, June 14th. If you can help out on that day, 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. The First Galway Unit was one of the first units to be founded in the country. 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 today, Sunday 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.





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