News from Julianstown by Niamh Bn. Uí Loinsigh
‘Tis the season to be wary and Christmas will be so very different this year
Well how are your Christmas plans coming along? Thinking of ordering the ham or have you decided what is for dessert? The list goes on and despite having spent so long in lockdown I still don’t have the energy to even think about it yet! This will not be a normal Christmas like the ones we have always loved and enjoyed. Will there be Christmas Carols and Christmas cheer? Of course, there will! We are an optimistic lot, and we will manage to gather with as many of our loved ones as it is safe to do, but we will be wise, cautious and enjoy the day.
We will buy a real Christmas tree and let our homes be filled with the scent of pine needles. We will decorate the tree with fat Santa’s, baubles, angels, and lights. There will be carols by candlelight! Surely, not even COVID-19 can derail the belting out of Silent Night. We will also remember all those loved ones we have lost during the pandemic, our hearts may be broken, but we must look forward to the future and hope that life will get back to normal in 2021.
Improvements in village
Julianstown & District Community Association chairperson had a chat with Christy Clarke, Area Engineer Meath Co.Co. and as a result several jobs have been carried out around the village. Visibility at the bad bend on the Laytown road has been much improved and the drains running through the village have been cleaned. Shrubs which had become overgrown with brambles were also removed. There are still many more jobs to be done such as the replacement of broken signage, cutting back of hedges on main road, the completion of road makings on the south side of the village and removal of large stones from the garden so we can plant a native hedge along the roadside. We thank Meath County Council for the work done to date.
Julianstown Tidy Towns have been busy around the village and you may have noticed the Santas’ and Mr. Frosties have been placed all around the village. So children – ‘You better watch out, You better not cry ,You better not pout, I’m telling you why, Santa Claus is coming to town, He’s making a list, He’s checking it twice, He’s gonna find out who’s naughty or nice, Santa Claus is coming to town’.
Our next project for the village garden is to install more seating such as a picnic table with wheelchair access, multicoloured benches with a Story Tellers Chair, Outdoor Table Tennis, and Football for teenagers and a small playground for the children. We are delighted to have received some funding from our Councillors namely, Tom Behan Cathaoirleach of Laytown/Bettystown Municipal District, Cllr. Sharon Tolan, Cllr. Elaine McGinty and Cllr. And Cllr. Geraldine Keogan towards this large project. These funds which will go towards purchasing these costly items and thank all the Councillors and if any of our residents would like to donate some funds towards this project please contact our Treasure Aisling Monahan on 087 9051751.
Thanks also to Aisling, Leo & Rachel for removing all the large planters from around the village. It’s a big job as the containers are very heavy and then you have to be very mindful of the passing traffic! Pat Kiernan has been busy in the garden transplanting several plants and this of course is the ideal time to divide and split your plants. Kevin and Victor are sorely missed during the lockdown, but hopefully will be back with us again shortly.
Local Talent around Julianstown
Congratulations to Darragh McCullough on winning An Post Irish Book Awards and Darragh said “Thanks to EVERYONE who voted and purchased my book. So thrilled to be awarded the @SpecsaversIE Children’s Book of the Year. Credit to the amazing illustrator @Sally Caulwell for making farm facts FUN”
Congratulations also to Alma Jordan who has been nominated for an Irish Red Cross Humanitarian Award – The award recognises the changing face of humanitarian work and the ways in which the world online can contribute to humanitarian causes. Alma set up Agrikids.ie in 2014 during Ireland’s worst ever year on record for farm safety.
Whitecross National School
Whitecross National School is accepting enrolments in all classes and for further information please email whitecrossns@gmail.com or phone 041 9829229. The new 16 classroom school building is now due to be completed in April/May 2021 and funding has been secured to install a fence around the boundary of the school and main road. This will of course ensure the safety of all children.
Our new school building is due to be completed in April/May 2021. The new school is a 16-classroom school. Funding has been secured from the Department to install a fence around the boundary of the school and the main road. This will ensure the safety of all children.
Julianstown & District Community Association wish all our residents a very Happy and Safe Christmas for 2020 and an even better 2021.
“Nollaig Shona agus áthbhliain faoi Mhaise Daoibh”