AROUND THE PENINSULA

The opening of the new Clonmany School

Judi and Philip wedding at Inch Chapel

Jaqueline and Joseph wedding at Cockhill Church

Moville Formal

WISDOM OF THE WORLD - WEEK 71

Thanks to the Gaelscoil in Buncrana for the image...

Freedom Parrot


A man, a great man, a fighter for freedom was travelling in the mountains. He stayed a night at an inn at the foot of the mountains and was amazed that there was a beautiful parrot in a golden cage, continually repeating the words "Freedom! Freedom!"

The man thought: "I have seen many parrots, and have thought they must want to be free from those cages... but I have never seen such a parrot whose whole day is spent in calling out for freedom." He had an idea. In the middle of the night, when the owner was fast asleep, he got up and opened the door of the cage. He whispered to the parrot, "Fly away."

But he was very surprised that the parrot was clinging to the bars of the cage. He said to him again and again, "Have you forgotten about freedom? Just get out! The door is open and the owner is fast asleep; nobody will ever know. You just fly into the sky; the whole sky is yours."

But the parrot was clinging so deeply, so hard, that the man said, "What is the matter? Are you mad?" He tried to take the parrot out with his own hands, but the parrot started pecking at him, and at the same time he was shouting "Freedom! Freedom!" The valleys in the night echoed and re-echoed, but the man was also stubborn. He was a freedom fighter.

He pulled the parrot out and threw him into the sky; and he was very satisfied, although his hand was hurt. The parrot had attacked him as forcefully as he could, but the man was immensely satisfied that he had made a soul free. He went to sleep.

In the morning, as the man was waking up, he heart the parrot shouting, "Freedom! Freedom!" He thought perhaps the parrot must be sitting on a tree or on a rock. But when he came out, the parrot was sitting in the cage. The door was open.

Osho

AROUND THE PENINSULA

Barbeque at George O'Hagan's shed in Linsfort

iCare open day in Buncrana

Inishowen Partnership Business Awards at Tullyarvan Mill

Shroove 50 year school anniversary in Greencastle

Sinead Grant and Sean lynch wedding at Cockhill church in Buncrana

Charity swim from Rathmullen the Buncrana in aid of the Foyle Down Syndrome Trust

WISDOM OF THE WORLD - WEEK 70

The Wisdom Under the Ring

A king asked his advisors for a small advice that contains all wisdom to keep under the diamond of his ring. He wanted to keep it with him and use it only as a last resort – when he really needed it. The advisors worked hard but couldn’t think of a sentence, which would contain all wisdom. They went to a wise man who lived in the mountains who immediately wrote down the advice and fixed it to the ring saying “Tell the king he is not to read it out of curiosity but only when he is in such despair he feels that there is no way out.”

The king was curious but remembered his promise and did not look. Not long afterwards the king’s country was invaded and he lost the battle. He was running alone on his horse to save his life in the mountains and he reached a point, which was a dead end. Below was a sheer drop and he could hear the hoofs and the sound of the enemy coming closer. Suddenly he remembered the ring and opened it and read the following message “This too will pass.” A great silence descended over him as he realised, everything passes. He waited and strange as it seems the horses started receding. They had started to follow another path. The king returned, collected his armies together, fought the enemies and took back his kingdom. There was a great day of celebration and the king was feeling very pleased and self satisfied with himself. He had defeated a great enemy with larger armies and a bigger kingdom. Suddenly he remembered, “This too will pass.” With this remembrance his ego disappeared and he became very humble.

WINDOWS OF HOPE

Windows of Hope stained glass window unveiling at scoil Iosagain in Buncrana

Left to right: Paul Fleming the mayor of Derry, Jeanette Ward, Community worker, Lee Tedstone the Buncrana Mayor, Bernie and Patricia who unveiled the window, Paddy McGowan the chair of Omagh District Council and Joe Coyle from Alpha Studios who made the work of art.

BUNCRANA BARBEQUE BONANZA

AROUND THE PENINSULA

Newtown Sports

Mayor of Buncrana Lee Tedstone welcome visitors from the north

Illies sports day

WISDOM OF THE WORLD - WEEK 69

Why We Shout When In Anger

A wise man was travelling with his companions when they came upon a group of family members on the banks of a river shouting at each other in anger. The wise man turned to his friends and asked.

'Why do people shout in anger shout at each other?'

His friends thought for a while, then one of them said, 'Because we lose our calm, we shout.'

'But, why should you shout when the other person is just next to you? You can as well tell him what you have to say in a soft manner.' asked the wise man.
The friends discussed the matter for a while but couldn’t get to an answer they all agreed on. Finally the wise man explained.

'When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other to cover that great distance.

What happens when two people fall in love? They don't shout at each other but talk softly. Because their hearts are very close, the distance between them is either nonexistent or very small...When they love each other even more, what happens? They do not speak, only whisper and they get even closer to each other in their love. Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other and that's all. That is how close two people are when they love each other.'

He looked at his friends and said.

'So when you argue do not let your hearts get distant, Do not say words that distance each other more, Or else there will come a day when the distance is so great that you will not find the path to return.'

NEWTOWNCUNNINGHAM SPORTS DAY

The Soccer Power E-Book gives you:

Squats - to develop base leg strength
Lunges - to develop single leg strength
Hip Lifts - to develop abdominal and glute strength
Integrated Plyometric Jump Training - to develop power and speed
Total Body Multi-Joint Exercises - for time efficient training and strength gain effective work outs
Planks - to develop core strength (also getting the indirect benefit of creating six pac abs)
Interval Soccer Cardio - work outs that mirror the energy systems in the game
Proper Technique and Progression - cornerstone to the program

Check it out.....

WISDOM OF THE WORLD - WEEK 68

The Parable of the Prodigal Son

There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, can I have my share of your property now?’ the father agreed so the lad went travelling and squandered his property in reckless living. When he had spent everything, his friends disappeared and he began to be in need. He got a job feeding pigs and was often hungry.

One day he thought. “My father’s pigs have more to eat than me. I will go home and throw myself at my father’s mercy, asking to be a servant as I am no longer worthy to be his son.”
As he journeyed toward his home, his father saw him and ran out joyfully to embrace him. The son fell at his feet declaring his unworthiness, but the father called his servants, ‘Bring the best robe, and put it on him, put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet. Kill the fatted calf and let us eat and celebrate, for my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

Now the older son was in the field, and as he came home, he heard celebrating. He called a servant and asked what was happening. When he was told the celebration was because his brother was back, he was very angry and refused to go in. His father came out and the eldest son said “I have served you, and been a good son but you have never killed an animal in my honour, but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ The father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. Yet, it is fitting to celebrate and be glad, for your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’
From Luke 15 11-32

PICTURES FROM AROUND THE PENINSULA

The Vintage Bentley at Liam and Genna's wedding at Cockhill church

The staff from the Red Door restaurant in Fahan

First prize at the Fahan summer festival

Three generations of the Kelly family from Buncrana

Fun at the Gleneely sports day

Father Anthony McLaughlin retirement

Mary McKinney nee Grant and her bridesmaid talking

Presentations at Scoil Iosagain

The wedding of Patrick and Claire at Burt Chapel

Need a bit of help writing those wedding speeches? Check out the E-Book...