The curious thing about being alive is that you never do know what lies around the corner. This rings true and transcends into all aspects of both familiar and unfamiliar particles of life, leaving us vulnerable to unexpected meanders, inconveniences and challenges.
Not only does this allow for growth, it exposes life’s delicate moments of being human in which an unforeseen gesture of kindness, smile from a stranger or a hug from a loved one can enable an inner warmth that makes all else somewhat bearable.
This year we have faced challenge upon challenge, the unfamiliar and longing for the norm.
Words such as isolation were at risk of overuse as they had never been uttered with such frequency and weight. However, it cannot be denied that we have each had an opportunity for growth.
There is not one individual in my social realm that has not experienced a unique set of challenges that evoked a resilience and ability to overcome.
To the last hour, this year, has been a rollercoaster of last-minute change, restriction and cancellation. And although somewhat fatigued at the end of it all, with every challenge comes opportunity and with discomfort comes growth.
Let us cherish so greatly the moments that we are lucky enough to spend with loved ones as we now know from experience that such are harder to attain than our earlier selves thought.
And, with a raw and organic sense of humanity, let our instinctive reactions to the tumult of 2020 be those of kindness and grace to those around us.
Let us face the new year with a greater capacity than ever before.
Pauline Looney
Passage West, Cork
Fair dues to our parish clergy
Covid-19 has been traumatic for so many. We have seen so many individuals and groups of people who have made unbelievable and heroic personal sacrifices in the past nine months leading up to Christmas.
One such silent group that got on with its mission over these past months has been our parish clergy.
A great many of us will have watched live-streamed funeral services for loved ones over these months.
On these occasions I continue to be amazed at the selfless dedication of the clergy who seem to almost come up trumps with just the right words on these very emotional occasions.
Meanwhile in parishes we have seen baptism, Holy Communion, Confirmation, and wedding services postponed time and again. Our clergy have borne the brunt of our disappointments and yet they have painstakingly reorganised events, some of which had to be postponed time and again.
Priests have had to learn how to celebrate meaningful live-streamed services before empty churches and some have had to put up with our petty criticisms of their quality presentations.
In this past week I have witnessed clergy working tirelessly as they prepared for and delivered Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services and organised newly recruited stewards and volunteer cleaners. To them all I say well done.
Perhaps it is time to remind ourselves that this is not just a time for a nice thank you card but also a time when we pay our dues. For almost all our poorly remunerated clergy the Christmas collection provides one third of their annual income. It is not too late for us to give generously.
Alan Whelan
Killarney, Co Kerry
Scientific formula of pulling together
The speed at which vaccines against Covid-19 have been developed is nothing short of a miracle and shows the immense power of the scientific community when it pulls together.
This time last year the world had barely heard of the virus that originated in China. Yet by November 9 Pfizer and BioN-tech were announcing a vaccine that was shown to be 95% effective in preventing it.
This pace continued this week with the first batch of vaccines arriving into Ireland and is a sure sign of hope for a brighter 2021 for all of us and light at the end of the tunnel.
Noel Harrington
Kinsale, Co Cork
Identify terrorists, not harbour them
Now that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are coalition partners in a tripartite government, it seems opportune that they would press the British government to release all security records regarding the Dublin and Monaghan bombings of 1974.
Having been ignored by Westminster for almost 47 years, the victims of the bombings are still being treated appallingly by those whose duty it is to identify the terrorists, not harbour them.
Tom Cooper
Templeogue, Dublin
A Carn-sore point sapping our energy
Apropos your article, “Nuclear power ‘not ruled out’ but no appetite for it — Ryan” ( Irish Examiner, December 26) it is most unfortunate that the Irish public have been for decades fed a diet of misinformation and pseudoscience as regards energy generation from nuclear power.
On the other hand, France has never had an issue with generating energy form nuclear power — consequently French people pay very little for their energy needs.
Nuclear power generation is one of the most low-carbon energy sources. It also has one of the smallest carbon footprints. It’s one of the answers to the energy gap and is essential for response to climate change and greenhouse gas emissions. It protects air quality and has the lowest land footprint and produces minimal waste.
Moreover, it is a low cost energy source as well as being a reliable power source and with zero carbon emissions.
Had Ireland gone ahead, as was planned in 1978, with the proposed nuclear power facility at Carnsore Point, Irish people today would only be paying a fraction of their energy costs. Instead we are being fleeced by the current energy providers.
Patrick L O’Brien
Kerry Pike, Co Cork
Wide of mark: What really irked Ringy
I enjoyed Seamus Ryan’s article on getting Christy Ring’s autograph but his recollection of the game is not quite correct. I was at the game also and it was my first Munster final. Seamus says that he was in the sideline seats — so was I, just about on the halfway line. I was a little older than Seamus at all of 14 years of age.
Seamus said that Ring didn’t score and that’s why he was ‘upset’ at the end of the game. Ring actually scored six points. But what did set Ringy off was that in the dying seconds of the game, with Cork two points down, in the Tipp square he had forced the ball over the goal line.
The Tipp goalie managed to push the ball out and slip the ball around the post and the umpire waved it wide. Pandemonium! It took a priest and Jimmy Brohan to hang onto Ring before the ‘culprits’ made their exit.
Michael O’Riordan
Rochestown, Cork
Let’s defend our Defence Forces
Fyodor Dostoevsky once wrote: “The degree of civilisation in a society can be judged by entering its prisons”.
This aphorism is still very relevant to modern societies today.
It is an interrogation of a society’s values. Prisoners, the homeless, people affected by mental illness. The inconvenient.
It never once crossed Dostoevsky’s mind that a Government would neglect or mistreat its soldiers.
In this year of emergency we have learned to appreciate frontline workers. The Covid pandemic has shown us the meaning of the word “essential”.
Our defence forces are, at many times, Ireland’s most important export. Over and over again, our defence forces have brought security and peace to foreign hot spots.
They defend people who cannot defend themselves. Ireland has a seat at the UN Security Council now for two reasons. We have excellent diplomats and, more importantly, we have excellent people in our defence forces.
It is long past time our soldiers were paid and looked after properly.
When I was at secondary school in Hamilton High School in Bandon, service in our armed forces was seen as a noble and excellent calling.
Some of the best and brightest joined. Many subsequently distinguished themselves in dangerous places,
If you think our national defence and peace-keeping prestige overseas are expensive, try doing without them. Peace-keeping is an integral part of our national brand.
It is also the right thing to do. It isn’t often that money and moral force intersect.
We need to look after our defence forces far better than we are doing at the moment.
Michael Deasy
Carrigart, Co Donegal
Pardon me? This is indefensible
It has been reported that US President Trump “pardoned” many convicted criminals, among whom are four Blackwater Contractors.
These individuals were involved in the unlawful killing of an estimated 18 unarmed Iraqi civilians, men, women, and children.
Pardoning these killers raises serious questions.
Michael A Moriarty
Rochestown, Cork
