Cork and Kerry A.R.I.: 2019

Friday 27 December 2019

IRISH COFFEE PARTY

On 10 December Mallow had their Irish Coffee Party as usual in the Mercy centre. A large crowd attended where we had Irish coffee , ordinary coffee and tea with mince pies and apple sponge cake by Gretta. we have been having this party now for several years and it is very popular.After the refreshments we had Billy O Brien with music and dancing and John Noel Cronin and Eileen Forde with jokes.a very enjoyable day was had by all.

Billy O Brien and Norita

Brenda Essie and Eileen

Patsy, John Noel , Sonny and Brenda

Monday 16 December 2019

Mallow christmas Lunch 5/12/19

Mallow celebrated their Christmas lunch at Charlecille Park hotel this year. We had a fabulous time, the food was delicious and the venue and staff brilliant. North Cork coaches brought us to the venue and home. Our music was by Edmond O Gorman and brilliant as usual.
We had many spot prizes and a lot of our members went home clutching their trophies.Norita got a special prize for selling the most books of tickets in the National raffle.

Tuesday 22 October 2019

DUBLIN ZOO

A group from Mallow visited Dublin zoo last week and had a very enjoyable day. It is a bit expensive at €14.50 for pensioners but never the less enjoyable. It was a lovely Autumnal day with a few spits of rain and lots of sunshine.
I was very impressed with the animals . They seemed so content and had plenty of space outdoors and cover also, as near natural as possible. The fresh air was lovely and it was a very relaxing day.
The only downside for me was the amount of plasticy ornaments depicting fairy stories obviously to encourage children.

Emu

This Hippo is shy!

The Hyena having a good time

Chimpanzee

Elephants

Photos Rene Collins

Saturday 21 September 2019

Mallow celebrates 25 years

Mallow ARA celebrated 25 years this month. As far as I have been told a few ladies having retired went to daily mass at St Mary's church and then for coffee at the Central Hotel. They thought it would be nice to get together to go to the Opera house in Cork. Somebody mentioned a club for retired people to go on day trips and to the theatre and perhaps holidays. Pat Winkle made enquiries and met a man from Limerick who gave her all the relevant information. So Pat and some others made the arrangements to set up our club. she was the first chairperson. later Margo Kingston took over as chairperson and then followed Phyllis Cronin, Ann Sheridan, Margaret McCarthy, Mary G Murphy and Michael Stubbs. they then looked for a premises to hold meeting. The parish priest at the time offered the parish centre and we are still there.
It all started in September 1994.
Over the years the club expanded so now we have weekly meetings on Tuesday at 10.30 am cards on Tuesdays and Thursdays 2 to 4.30 pm in the library, coffee and chat Wednesdays 2 to 4.30 pm in the Arches. Walking Fridays 11 am.
We have various classes such as Yoga ,Tai Chi, Pilates ,chair exercises Aqua Aerobics , computers , Art and Photography. We have a speaker once a month to talk about health , or your rights or legal issues, a day trip once a month also and holidays , short breaks in Ireland and longer breaks abroad. As some people do not like to fly we have found a company that organises cruises without flying.
In December we have an Irish coffee morning with mince pies and entertainment.
In September each year we have a coffee morning for Marymount hospice.
In December each year we have lunch and entertainment at a hotel. This is to cater for all members some of whom do not like to go out at night or even eat late.
In the winter we go by train to Dublin Cork or Limerick for day trips and in summer we hire a coach and travel all around the country.
We are open to new suggestion and ideas all the time.
On Thursday last 19th September we celebrated our 25th Anniversary. First with Mass by our parish priest Msgr O Brien at the Church of the Resurrection where many of our members took part. Followed by lunch and entertainment by Dave Rea at the Arches Restaurant. We were delighted to welcome Kay Murphy our president who presented us with a certificate , also Martin Casey , chairperson of the Southern region and Anne O Brien Developement officer. Of course our own John Noel Cronin former board member and Treasurer at national level also attended.

Mae, Kitty Margaret and Mary

Cake by Gretta

Catherine (age 90) cutting the cake

Eddie , Mae and Margaret

Photos Margaret Fogarty

Nuala,Helen,Margaret,Eileen,Kathleen,Catherine,Rene,Eddie,Mae,Kitty,Mary, Essie and Mary.

Anne O Brien, Kay Murphy,Monseigneur O Brien, Michael Stubbs and Joan Syms

Essie, Helen Mary and Mary

Anne,Maura, Emma,Nora ,Jean,Eileen,Rita, Dora, Noreen Eileen, Mary, Betty

Anna, Kay and Fr O Brien

Catherine cutting the cake

Patsy, John Noel,Monica, Dora, Eileen, Pearl, Attracta and Sonny

Maria treasurer with organizers Margaret and Leish

Thursday 12 September 2019

Holiday in Romania

A group from Mallow recently went on a trip for 1 week to Romania with Mackin Travel. We had a wonderful time , the weather was lovely and warm and sunny not too hot mostly and our two Mackin reps Una ans Edel looked after us very well. The currency there is Lei approx 4 Lei to 1 euro even though they are in the EU.
We had a brilliant Romanian Guide Claudia and driver Christian. We toured all over the country on the Carpathian mountains Translavania and stayed in Sinaia, Sibiu, and Bucharest. We visited numerous churches castles and fortresses but the best place of all was for me Drasculas castle. I never realized the the story of Dracula by Bram Stoker was based on Vlad the Impaler who owned and lived in the castle one time. It was later occupied by the Royal family and is now open to the public. It has been adapted somewhat for safety reasons but a lot of the original features are still there in cluding the secret staircase and the inner courtyard and wishing well.
It is absolutely amazing how they built that castle on a rock with no cranes only manual labour.

Bran castle

We found the customs very different such as no vegetables with the dinner , the plates were cold . the meals were not piping hot , the desserts were very rich , no cream and we had to request milk for tea or coffee. But as they say when in Rome do as the Romans do. There were lots of coffee shops some sold only coffee no cakes even!!Prices were reasonable some things quite cheap. There was lovely style in the shops , the dresses were to die for so embellished with glitter and embroidery, not that I have any place to go for such style. I am talking red carpet here.
The main roads were fantastic , every place was very clean, there was a lot of traffic in the cities. The architecture was fantastic, some of the buildings were truly beautiful but so sad to see some really nice buildings crumbling.
In Bucharest there were some massive buildings but lots of high rise flats too, 12 stories high in some cases the bottom 2 stories appeared to have no light.
We through lots of questions at Claudia and she was well able .Anything she hadn't time for she answered the following day or maybe she looked it up.! You would know she had been in the states for a while as she used say I an gonna or the wash room. What I found amusing when she wanted to say that is behind the the building she would that was at the backside!