Drumkeerin Community News 27 August 2010
The Head Sheaf Many people in Leitrim remember the field of oats being harvested in September.
The man mowing with the scythe, sometimes the wife "lifting" the grain rich straws and forming the sheaves to be followed by the older children who tied the sheaves. Towards evening the sheaves were gathered into stooks, usually ten sheaves standing five against five. To secure the grain against the hungry birds, two sheaves were placed upside-down and tied to prevent the birds from eating the grains. These two sheaves were known as the head sheaves.
Over the last five years, an energtic committee drawn mainly from Aughnasheelin, Kiltubrid, Ballinamore and Drumshanbo set out to locate, capture and record stories and memories from the generations of families that lived on the sides and foothills of Slieve Andarinn, the "Seed of the Ultachs," refugees who fled from Ulster, an area right across from Donegal to South Down.
A small skirmish at a crossroads in Co. Armagh on September 21st 1795, known as the Battle of the Diamond gave the Protestant 'Peep O'Day Boys' victory over the Catholic 'Defenders' and within weeks they began to drive Catholics from their homes. They fled in thousands in the winter of 1795 and Spring 1796 to Connaught and settled where they could, high on the hills and mountainsides of Leitrim, Sligo and Mayo. Large numbers settled on the sides of Sliabh an Iarainn and on the mountains and hills around Drumkeerin. So like the peoples of Aughnasheelin, Kiltubrid, etc, Drumkeerin people are descended from the seed of the Ultachs.
Three books were written, each one full of stories that capture the lives and ways of the generations living on Sliabh an Iarainn. At first it was to be one book, "Mountain Echoes" but such was its success that "Mountain Shadows" and "Mountain Roots" followed - a trilogy. But in the foreword from the chairperson, Marie Keegan she asks in "The Head Sheaf", "When is a trilogy not a trilogy?" but answers "When it needs a Head Sheaf."
So "The Head Sheaf", the final publication, sets out to secure the rich grains in the three publications. Like the other books it is a wonderful read. The four books should be sought and bought for each one will draw the descendants of the Ultachs around Drumkeerin into a fuller knowledge of their roots. Families such as Gallaghers, Fallons, Loughlins, McLoughlins, McWeeneys, McGoverns, Fees, Harveys, Flanagans, O'Dowds, Harkins and Maguires among others have all descended from the Flight of the Ultachs 1795/96.
Job Seeking Skills Programme
Leitrim Job Club in conjunction with FAS are running a jog seeking skills programme in the Rowantree Centre, Drumkeerin commencing on Monday September 6th. This course will run five mornings per week 10am-1pm for 4 weeks. An attendance allowance is available to participants who complete the course. To reserve a place on the course, please contact Martina, Mary or Peig 071-9641770 at Leitrim Development Company or email leitrimjobclub@ldco.ie
Excellent Results
Congratulations to the students and teachers in Lough Allen College on their excellent results in the Leaving Certificate Examination. We wish the students every success in their further studies.
Table Quiz
Last Sunday night the Table Quiz in Wynne's Lounge was once again a most enjoyable and most entertaining. The fourth and final nights will see the Table Quiz in Davitt's on next Sunday night commencing at 9pm with Quiz Master Gabriel adding that bit of light-hearted humour.
North Leitrim Glens Run/Walk
Have you registered for the North Leitrim Glens Run/Walk in aid of North West Hospice? Register now on www.northleitrimglensrun.com or ring Betty at 087-6471071
What a Comeback!
Down 1-7 to 0-1 at half-time and having been outplayed in every sector of the field, it looked as if our interest in the Intermediate Championship would be over by full-time. Such was the power-play of Ballinaglera and the inept reponse from our boys, one could not foresee the dramatic turn-around that was to unfold in the final twenty minutes of the game. When we hadn't scored until ten minutes into the second half, the worst appeared ominous. Suddenly substitute Richard McTiernan started to lord it at midfield. We were sending quick and long balls into the forwards who up to then had been starved for possession. The scores started coming. Urged on by the large Drumkeerin following, the whole team was transformed. It was nailbiting. The equally large Ballinaglera following were now stunned into silence and wishing that their lads could hang on. But fortunes had completely changed. Glera had no answer to Drumkeerin's power play and by the final whistle it was 2-7 to 1-7, Ballinaglera having failed to score in the second half.
The huge effort put into training by the players and management paid off in those last twenty minutes. Great credit to the lads that they found the will and determination to rescue an almost seemingly impossible situtation. The management team deserve credit also for what they must have said at the interval and for the inspired substitutions. But now that the euphoria has subsided, management and players must ask themselves: why in the first half against Aughawillan and also on Sunday last Drumkeerin played so badly? How can that be ever allowed to happen again? The answer is with the players. Management can only put out what it considers the best team. They can only watch helplessly on the sidelines as they behold players who have put so much into training such January, allowing themselves to be so outplayed. If they can rediscover the formula that enriched the last twenty minutes on Sunday last, they can go all the way to ulimate success.
Late Margaret Rita McHugh
The death at Sligo General hospital on Saturday, August 21st of Margaret Rita McHugh, Greaghnadarragh, Durmkeerin has greatly saddened our community. Rita's early and unexpected death is a tragic blow to her husband Jimmy and sons Francis and Damian. She will be dearly missed as she will also be greatly missed in our community to which the quiet, sincere and gentle ways endeared her. Sympathy is extended to Jimmy, Francis and Damian, her brothers and sister and relatives.
Good fortunes
We wish good fortunes to our Minors who play Leitrim Gaels in Leitrim on this Wednesday evening. A win would put them in the final. Our Under-12 Girls have been playing with great committment and skill and have reached the A-Final. Good luck, girls. The Minor girls playing in the top grade found the going tough but they acquitted themselves very well. The U-16 and Junior girls have yet to commence their championships. We wish them success.
The Men's Junior team play their quarter-final championship game against Ballinamore at the weekend. Check fixtures. We sincerely hope that they rediscover the zeal and drive that saw them overcome Annaduff, making up for their poor display against Allen Gaels in their opening championship match.
Children's Eye Screening
A Special Eye screening programme willrun for all children/teenagers for the month of September at our clinic in Ballinamore. The campaign is designed to offer a 6 point screening process to children of school-going age to detectearly signs of vision problems in children.Early detection can prevent many problems later on in life. Researchers agree that manylearning difficulties experienced by children have links to visual deficiencies.
This programme is strictly by appointment only and a full visual report will be given to all parents. If you require further information, or if you wish to make an appointment please contact 071-9169090/ 087-6188763. Eilis Dolan BSc. (Optom).
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Sunday 05 February 2012
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