BUGLE CORRESPONDENCE

Please note, all correspondence relating to The Bugle received by the Editors will be published, provided a name and address is submitted and the content is not offensive.
When requested, the name of the contributor will be withheld but we WILL NOT print correspondence unless full name and address are enclosed – Rose & Tim

Dear Editor,
Having been a reader of the Bugle for many years, I am disappointed at the constant bad press given to the present Government by two of your monthly contributors, Mr. D. Jeffers and Mr. Edmonds.

These two gentlemen have consistently "slated the Government" - this having been the main source, indeed, the only source of their material over the past year. As the Bugle is a family read paper and not politically linked to any party, I feel their contributions are totally one-sided and prejudiced.

Yours sincerely, - name with editor

Rose and Tim in reply:
This point has been raised with us before verbally but not in writing; as you correctly say, the Bugle is a community, family-read publication so therefore, we are obliged to accept all opinions even if they are consistently anti-government.
On a positive note, we receive more correspondence from Fianna Fail councillors and representatives than from other parties which we acknowledge regularly within The Bugle and also receive a fair share of government bodies in their official capacity at local events and again, we print these without bias. (See this page to prove the point)
Perhaps Mike and Dick will take your comments on board!

___________________________________-
Esmondale, Naas
Co Kildare
15/3/07

Rose,

In relation to an enquiry raised by the Parish Office regarding possible grants for church lighting, I have thus far written, emailed and made several telephone phone calls to the relative department in Kildare County Council.

I have not forgotten about it – but believe me, your elected county councillors are given no preferential treatment when it comes to return communications from KCC!

Cllr Willie Callaghan




___________________________________________________-
Reference K1981
26 February 2007

Dear Rose

Thank you for your correspondence in relation to traffic issues at Ballymore Eustace which I have taken up with Kildare County Council and Naas Garda Station.
I will keep you informed of progress.

Yours sincerely,
Sean
______________________
Sean Power, TD
Minister of State

Nib The matters raised with Sean at The People of The Year Awards were the poor re-instatement of roads around the village and the lack of pedestrian crossings at Chapel Street (near right of way from St Brigid’s Park, Medical Centre/shops and Main Street (safe crossing needed for school children along the stretch of road from Ballymore Inn and The Anvil)

Quiz Night

Grateful thanks for all who supported same for Tsunami Fund in Paddy Murphy’s. Quiz Master, Michael Lawlor was in fine form and charmed his way through the night. With donations also received, the night raised 690; Dr Mary Toomey expresses her gratitude. Many thanks to our kind hosts, Grainne and Pat Murphy.

- Ann McLoughlin 2/3/07



SMALL WORLD
Ethna Lewis, a few pals from Dunlavin and myself headed off to Sunny Spain recently to glorious sunshine and relaxation time. Glorious weather, we had. Anyway, whilst we out there, we met up with Anne and Tom Daly of Donode. Indeed, this is the third time I’ve met up with the Daly’s in Spain over the past few years – its ironic seeing as we only live a half mile away from each other and unless I’m attending a table quiz in Paddy’s, I rarely bump into them!

Anne and Tom had just left us in Paddy’s Point pub when we set about securing a few high stools; one young fella from Sligo handed over the stool graciously, thought it was safer to give in than give out to us….”Where are ye from?” says he. “Ballymore Eustace?? Paddy Murphy’s? The Ardenode? Jeez, I know them – I was at a wedding there years ago – Yvonne Daly and John Sweeney’s…” Anyway, we had a good laugh with “Skins” as I think was the nickname he went by. According to “Skins”, Yvonne’s wedding was the best he was ever at and he had very fond – but hazy – memories of Paddy Murphy’s. What he did remember was the following day, his ‘friends’ put him on the return train to Sligo, half asleep and his feet in wellies filled with beer.
You really can’t manage without your friends, can you?

Yvonne is a daughter of Anne and Tom’s and soon, more of the company joined us – “Do you know Sean Feeley and the wife?” “Would you know anyone involved in Fianna Fail over there? Would you have Fiona O Loughlin's telephone number....”

Do you know what, there were more people in the pub over there who had connections or knew friends than I’d know in Paddy’s on a Saturday night………The world is getting smaller, that’s for sure. Think we may go to India next year.

- Rose

MUSSELS IN BRUSSELS
How many mussels does one get in a main course dish here in Ireland, would you say?
9? 10? Less, more? Well, on a recent visit to Brussels, we made a day trip out to Bruges, beautiful medieval town on water – “The Little Venice of Europe”. Stunning, it was with its narrow cobbled streets overlooking the canals.

Anyway, our tour stopped for an early lunch at a local restaurant; seeing as we’d eaten breakfast only 2 hours earlier, we decided to share a main course dish of mussels which every restaurant in Brussels and Bruges carried a bill board promoting same. Out came a skillet pot with mussels cooked in ‘herbs, white wine and butter’. Oh my God, these mussels were truly orgasmic. I have never tasted anything so delicious before. We thought the waiter had made a mistake and given a double portion – 69 mussels in total in the pot, no kidding! We could hardly walk, we were so full when the waiter returned with the bill, €19 only for the mussels, plus the cost of our beer and wine - and a complimentary chocolate mousse. I ask you – how the hell do European tourists manage over here? For under €25, we had a main course of the Ballymore Inn standard, drink and dessert.

After taking a boat trip on the canal and walking the feet off ourselves, we decided to try a local beverage – drinking chocolate with rum. Over here, that would mean a mug of chocolate and a thimble full of rum. Over there, it meant a large mug of rum flavoured with drinking chocolate.
I found the cobble stones a tad difficult to negotiate after that.

I did however notice the timeless beauty of the place, the architecture largely unchanged for centuries. Off the Belfry Square, was a shopping street with all the modern designer labels – Tommy Hilfiger, Zara, Benetton, Esprit, Dune, H & M, C & A etc. They well located on a side street with similar sized buildings, hundreds of years old. Apart from the bright shop windows and signs, the area looked untouched and the modern shop units seemed to fit well with the medieval architecture of the area. How come we can’t achieve that here???

Retain the quality or character of areas without having to knock en masse and replace with garish, impersonal, modern buildings?

On a humorous note, we enjoyed the talents of South American musicians who played the pan pipes. They were everywhere in Brussels, as they are in Spain but what amuses me is the fact they are usually from Columbia, Bolivia, Ecuador etc – south Americans yet they wear the suede, fringed jackets, leather boots, feathered headdress of the North American Indians, as in Geronimo and friends? Maybe, I’ve watched too many ‘cowboys and Indian’ films, maybe it was the rum but when did the Incas or Aztec wear leather boots and suede jackets……… I know, I am losing the plot. (and I know they are from South America ‘cos I always ask. They were even outside Naas Insurances two years ago…….) Any avid historians or South Americans, please advise.

Like I said already, the world is getting smaller

- Rose