Nov 02 2015
‘And that was then…’
‘Can’t you see them all down there from years ago. Canon Burke standing with his back to the congregation and two young altar boys on their knees behind him. There’s one of them with a great big hole in the sole of his left shoe. And all the Oul Fellas waiting to pass around ‘The Plate’ so that everyone could put in what they could afford, including the odd metal Washer or two. Sure the place used to be crammers back then. And some times it was so full that people had to go up onto the balcony. And do you ever remember every year when a Swallow used to fly around inside the church and the Priest tellin’ us it was the Holy Ghost. Then the organ would start up and veryone’d be singing “The bells of the Angelus are calling to oo pray…’. And they all singing up to Holy God and He ‘d be up there on a cloud with a smile on His face looking down at us all being so holy in the Church in Cabra West. ‘There now…’ He’d be saying to all the Holy Angels ‘…that’s how to sing’…’Hail gloriia Saint Patrick…’