According to Irish mythology, Samhain (like Bealtaine) was a time when the ‘doorways’ to the Otherworld opened, allowing supernatural beings and the souls of the dead to come into our world; while Bealtaine was a summer festival for the living, Samhain “was essentially a festival for the dead”.
Julianstown Tidy Towns would like to thank everyone who came out to clean all the roads in and around the village. When you are driving you really don’t notice the rubbish so much, but when walking along the roadside it become blatantly obvious that there is a tremendous amount of litter being thrown on the ground every day. Many thanks to Meath Co. Co. for providing the Skip, bags, litter pickers and gloves – it makes to job so much easier with these items. However, the real problem of the matter is that everyone should bring home their rubbish or dispose of it responsibly.
Have you noticed the Rowan Tress growing along the Laytown Road with Yellow berries (not the usual red), this is because there are a variety called ‘Joseph Rock’ and as the trees are maturing you can now get a good view of these lovely berries?
Julianstown Village Garden
There is great use being made of the garden and we have recently been contacted by a secondary school to see if we could facilitate their students who are going for the Presidents Gaisce Award. Help is always needed in the garden, and we were delighted to be able to say ‘Yes’ and are looking forward to meeting the students. We are hoping to get lighting installed in the Julianstown Village Garden and this would help when we hold events there and install Festive Lighting during the Christmas period. It will cost quite a lot of money to do this and if you can help by way of donation, it would be greatly appreciated. All donations can be sent to our Treasurer – Aisling Monahan, Sandy Hall Road, Julianstown, Drogheda, Co. Meath and cheques can be made payable to Julianstown & District Community Association.
Julianstown & District Community Association – According to Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) the latest data shows that traffic going through out village is back up to 20,000 plus vehicles per day and every day you hear on the radio traffic updates – “Traffic is very slow at Julianstown on the R132.” The danger to life from vehicle crashes in or near the village is very clear, given that there were two serious impacts recently, which by good luck, did not result in fatalities. We know that Meath Co. Co. are engaged with An Bord Pleanála on the traffic calming issue. The J.D.C.A. believe that some immediate temporary measures need to be taken now if tragedy is to be avoided and perhaps it is time for our Councillors to request that temporary speed ramps be put in place on the north, the south and in the centre of the village. We understand that planning permission is not required for the installation of such ramps.
Moorechurch Cemetery – One of our residents have brought a very serious matter to our attention – someone is dumping soil and rubble in the centre of the graveyard around a very mature tree and quite close to several headstones. It has also been noted that people tending their family graves are now dumping their waste on this pile as well. Have you noticed this terrible atrocity in our beautiful cemetery? Time for this to stop and the rubble removed immediately!
St. Mary’s Catholic Church – First Holy Communion will take place in Julianstown on 16th October and as part of the preparations there will be a series of Masses/Liturgies on Thursday each week at 7.15 pm. Families are also encouraged to attend weekend Masses over the next few weeks as Government guidelines now allow bigger attendance in Churches.
It is hoped to set up a team of people who will help parents prepare for Baptism and is this is something you would be interested in, please talk to Fr. Brendan or contact the Parish Office on 01-8412647.
St. Mary’s Church of Ireland I trust this finds you all well and for those who are returning to work in an office environment, that it goes well and safely for you. Many people will continue to work from home or have a hybrid system of working. Looking ahead – Sunday 10th October – Morning Prayer, Sunday 17th October 10.30 am Holy Communion and at 2 pm outdoor service for the Blessing of Animals. Sunday 24th October 10.30 Climate Action Service. §