How does 53-year-old guild stay so strong?
Just three years after it was set up in 1958, the guild started a choir and a drama group, both of which are still going strong.
On Monday mornings, member Marion Lenihan runs a Go For Life gentle exercise class.
The guild has a monthly book club and takes in literary events each year (including a trip to the Tutankhamun exhibition in Dublin this year).
Each year, in the run-up to Christmas, a six-week craft course is held. This year, Kay Twomey had members making Christmas cribs out of paper sculptures, as well as snowmen and festive wreaths.
“We’ve got 54 signed up members, but they wouldn’t all necessarily turn up on the one night. They dip into what they want, and there’s no pressure on anybody to attend all the time. Someone might just do the craft course or the choir on Mondays, there’s flexibility,” says guild secretary Eleanor O’Connor, who describes Douglas ICA as “very sociable”.
“We got four new members last month. Three of them are doing crafts, and the fourth has gone into the choir. The guild is the kind of place you can come on your own, and you’re always made welcome.”
When it was set up 53 years ago, the cork city suburb of Douglas was still “in the county”, says Eleanor. “Women would have been isolated.” Founding members included Bessie Lucey, the late Mary Hanley, and the recently deceased Ita Ryder.
With members ranging in age from their 40s to their 80s, the guild meets on the second Thursday of the month, and there’s usually a speaker or demonstration — recently, a former Irish Examiner arts editor Declan Hassett read some of his short stories; a hypnotherapist came to talk about emotional problems; and a fire-fighter spoke about safety in the home.
The guild has an annual outing, and a gardening day this year utilising the talents of member Sandra Kelleher.
Tonight is Douglas ICA’s Christmas party night, and members will enjoy performances by their choir, which has won numerous competitions at federation and national level, and their drama group will put on sketches directed by former guild president June McCarthy. The choir is also set to sing Christmas carols at St Luke’s Home and Ballyphehane Day Care Centre, as well as in shopping centres in Douglas, with proceeds going to Simon.
In September, the guild held a coffee morning in aid of sufferers of motor neurone disease, and raised €1,500.
And members have qualified for the next round of the Cork Federation quiz, which takes place in April 2012.
Eleanor O’Connor, who works in administration in UCC, joined Douglas Guild 28 years ago. “My children were young, and I joined with others who had young children. We weren’t working, so it was nice for us to get out at night. It’s harder on working women nowadays, because they mightn’t feel like going out at night, staying in is the new going out. I like the crafts and the social aspect, being able to meet other women. ICA is somewhere to go and be part of a group. Anybody who’s retired could be occupied three or four days a week if they joined ICA .”
* Douglas ICA Guild meets on the second Thursday of the month at 8pm in Douglas ICA Hall. For more info, contact 087-9308499.
