WISDOM OF THE WORLD - WEEK 101

Selling the Bearskin

Ali and Hasan went out bear hunting. For four days they saw nothing. Each night they slept in a nearby village, pledging part of the bear's skin against the cost of their lodging. On the fifth day a huge bear appeared, and Ali said nervously to his friend, "I don't mind confessing that I'm afraid to take this bear." Hasan laughed, "Just leave it to me."

So Ali scrambled like lightning up the nearest tree, and Hasan stood with his gun at the ready. The bear came lumbering on, and Hasan began to grow more and more scared. At length he raised his gun to his shoulder, but by now he was trembling so much that, before he could take proper aim, his gun went off and missed the target.

Hasan, remembering that bears never touch a dead body, threw himself flat and held his breath. The bear came up, sniffed all around him and finally made off. Ali, who had been watching the whole affair from his tree, now came down and, congratulating Hasan on his escape asked him, "What did the bear whisper in your year?"

"Don't sell the bearskin before you have caught the bear."

Carndonagh Easter Parade

Press release

Easter Parade Returns to Carn

After too many years of absence the Carndonagh Easter Parade returns to the forefront this year on Easter Monday. Starting from Simpson’s Car Park at 3pm (sharp), the parade will proceed to the Diamond, down Bridge Street, onto Church Road and will then return to the Diamond via Station Road and Malin Street, before ending at Simpson’s.

The organisers, Carndonagh Easter Monday Parade Committee, have been very much encouraged by the support, financial and otherwise, that they have received from the local business community. It is hoped that the many clubs and organisations in the town will join the parade on the day and make it a celebration of the extent of community involvement in Carn. All businesses are asked to join in the spirit of the day, enter floats and promote the town. Entries however are not confined to the town so, if you fancy a good day’s fun, come along and enter.

There will be a competition for the Best Easer Bonnet with; if possible, accompanying Fred Astaire and for the best entries and floats in terms of fancy dress and endeavour. So get the artistic side going and be creative. (If you don’t know who Fred Astaire is then Google it or get the DVD / video of the film “Easter Parade”.)

Inishowen Vintage Cars and Tractors will be taking part and entries are invited from far and wide.

Along with the Buncrana Accordion Band, the Inishowen Carnival Group will also be in attendance and there will be live entertainment from the reviewing platform in the Diamond.

Visitors to the town and participants are asked to comply with traffic and parking restrictions and abide by direction from the Gardai and parade stewards. There will be ample designated parking available around the town and on the outskirts. Detours will be in place for through traffic.

The organisers are asking for more volunteers to assist with stewarding and would ask anyone interested to please contact Aidan Wilson at Carndonagh Rural and Community Development Offices- Tel. (074) 93 29969. Or Tommy Cunningham – (086) 35 66 333.

Finally, it is hoped that this will be a great revival for the Easter Parade and a few prayers for good weather on the day would not go astray !!!.

For further information contact Mary McCallion (087) 2905922

WISDOM OF THE WORLD - WEEK 100

Councilor Michelle Bradley and Martin Malone outside of the old fort at Neds point. The area is going to undergo regeneration with a plan to introduce a bird sanctuary and cafe.


The Water Beetle

Once, in a little pond, in the muddy water under the lily pads, there lived a little water beetle in a community of water beetles. They lived a simple and comfortable life in the pond with few disturbances and interruptions.

Once in a while, sadness would come to the community when one of their fellow beetles would climb the stem of a lily pad and would never be seen again. They knew when this happened; their friend was dead, gone forever.

Then, one day, one little water beetle felt an irresistible urge to climb up that stem. However, he was determined that he would not leave forever. He would come back and tell his friends what he had found at the top.

When he reached the top and climbed out of the water onto the surface of the lily pad, he was so tired, and the sun felt so warm, that he decided he must take a nap. As he slept, his body changed and when he woke up, he had turned into a beautiful blue-tailed dragonfly with broad wings and a slender body designed for flying.

So, fly he did! And, as he soared he saw the beauty of a whole new world and a far superior way of life to what he had never known existed.

Then he remembered his beetle friends and how they were thinking by now he was dead. He wanted to go back to tell them, and explain to them that he was now more alive than he had ever been before. His life had been fulfilled rather than ended.

But, his new body would not go down into the water. He could not get back to tell his friends the good news. Then he understood that their time would come, when they, too, would know what he now knew.

So, he raised his wings and flew off into his joyous new life!

FIRE

Photo's of the remains of a fire that came within ten metres of the house this week. Inishowen News covers the story

My account of the day

EDUCATION AND TRAINING FAIR INISHOWEN

Attending the Options Inishowen day at the Gateway Hotel on March 24th were:

Inishowen Jobs Club
DSFA
Donegal County Childerns Commission
National Learning Network
Tuath
Tyrone-Donegal Partnership
FAS
EURES
Community Workers Co-op
Clonmany Y+C Centre
Teagesc
CAFRE
VEC Adult Education
BIM Fisheries College
Playhouse
Kieren McShane Training
Inishowen Community Radio
Swilly Drive
Street Driving School
Inishowen Development Partnership
Carn Community School
North West Regional College
University of Ulster
LYIT
HSE-WNO
Moville FRC
Scoil Mhuire
Donegal County Council
The Nerve Centre
Crana College
Gardai
Second Chance Education

WISDOM OF THE WORLD - WEEK 99

Three Visitors

Three visitors called to the home of a poor family. They were all invited inside but one of the visitors spoke. “Only one of us can come in. I am Love and with me are Success and Wealth. Go and check with the family which of us you would like in the house. The mother, father and daughter sat down to talk about it. The mother said, “I think we should invite Success in, you can get the promotion you are after and our dear daughter will get accepted into the best college.” The husband disagreed, “I only want the promotion for the extra money. Let us invite Wealth into our home, then we will not be concerned about promotions and colleges, we will already be prosperous.”

The daughter looked up at her parents and spoke softly. “Mum and dad, I appreciate that you want us to be wealthy and successful, but in the long run I feel it would be better to have Love.” Her parents smiled at her wisdom and went out to invite Love into their home.

To their surprise Success and Wealth followed Love inside. The mother said, “I thought only one of you could come in?”

Love explained, “If you had chosen Wealth or Success, they would have entered alone, however where Love goes, Success and Wealth always follow.”