The Rector's Ramblings are Kevin's weekly musings on recent global,
parochial and personal events. They may also reflect on some aspect of the scriptures that are pertinent today.

Olive and I enjoyed a good break in the West last week, spending a few days in Ballina. We were blessed with blue skies for much of our stay, which encouraged us to get out and about and explore the area.

The journey west was something of an adventure, thanks to the extensive roadworks on the N26. It looks as though the road is undergoing a major upgrade, so if you are planning to travel that way, be prepared for a few diversions into the surrounding hills. You may arrive at your destination feeling that you have completed a minor rally stage rather than a straightforward drive!

Ballina itself seemed a busy town, although, like many rural towns, the town centre had more than its fair share of closed shops. It’s difficult not to wonder whether more could be done at local government level to support small traders and keep our town centres vibrant. A busy town is a welcome sight, but it would be even better to see more of those shop doors open.

Our hotel was very comfortable, and the food was excellent. There was, however, one facility that hadn't featured in the hotel's publicity material: a complimentary morning alarm call. This came courtesy of a blackbird which, with remarkable punctuality, appeared each morning to hurl itself against the corner of our window in pursuit of what I presume was an insect breakfast. Clearly, the bird operated on a strict timetable and had little sympathy for holidaymakers hoping for a lie-in. The hotel might consider advertising this as an additional service: “8:00am wake-up call included - no need to request it, and certainly no chance of missing it!”

All in all, though, it was a lovely few days away. The West did us good, the weather played its part, and we returned refreshed - if not entirely convinced that the local wildlife understands the concept of a holiday.
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You will shortly receive a letter from the Honorary Treasurers and me, inviting you to make a special contribution to your parish as we approach the end of the year. Traditionally, this took place on a designated day known as Gift Day, when the Rector would sit in the church to meet parishioners as they brought their contributions to the Treasurer. Although this custom has largely disappeared, Gift Day continues to mark the beginning of a period during which additional contributions are welcomed and recorded separately from regular weekly or monthly giving. These gifts should be received by the end of the year. Your generosity makes a real difference to the life and ministry of our parish. In addition, where an individual’s total annual contributions exceed €250, the parish may be able to reclaim tax on those gifts, at no extra cost to the donor.

Please give as generously as your circumstances allow. Every contribution, no matter how large or small, is sincerely appreciated. Thank you for your continued support of our parishes.

Kevin (31.10.2026)

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