Séamus Ahearne: ‘We have entered our goodbye time in the world. Whatever happens next, will happen without us.’ (Old believers – A Small Psalter, Pádraig Daly osa)

SUNDOWN SERVICE:

Yesterday afternoon (31^st December), we had our Sundown Service. It was a Goodbye to 2023 and a welcome to 2024. It is always a very reflective occasion. We talk on the events of the year; the world situation; the political issues;  the sporting achievements and failures; the church scene and the personal high and low moments. It was very moving and quite extraordinary how people share so well and so easily. It was that kind of situation. Now Pope Francis was mentioned as ‘a gorgeous man.’ We had poems, prayers, light, darkness, as we looked out, on the departing day and year. It was good. Numbers weren’t great but those who came, were pleased. We did broadcast it, and much of what happened, went on online. Many of our housebound depend on that link with the community and then feel part of all that goes on. Some drop in from faraway countries too.

FIRST FOOTING:  (Hogmanay)

Today (New Year’s Day) is like Stephen’s Day. It is quiet. It is silent. Nothing much happens. This is great. Some of us spend the day catching up or preparing funerals as many deaths have accumulated over the days. I like such a day. No other day allows us to be content in not needing to do much. The phone is silent (almost). The callers to the door don’t come. It is another Dies Non. It is an equivalent to a real biblical sense of the Sabbath. I smiled at the morning Mass and recalled my ‘First Footing’ experience in Scotland. Some of the old timers (Simeon and Anna types) only wanted someone bringing the Eucharist, to be the first foot, across the threshold, so that Christ entered the home, before anyone else. The Scottish Catholics took pride in celebrating New Year’s Day by going to Church. It used to be a Holy Day. They were quite aggrieved when the Obligation was removed. They felt let down. My argument with many of them was: ‘You are not forbidden to go to Mass on the day.’ However, all that strong feeling or even anger, dissipated as time went on.

A WAKE FOR SHANE MAC GOWAN:

The day made space for me,to dip back into the past. Shane Mac Gowan died on the 30^th November. Patrick Kielty brought together on the 1^st December for The Late Late Show quite a musical cast, to talk about Shane: Glen Hansard, Moya Brennan, Camile O’Sullivan, Liam Ó Maonlaí, Colm Mac Con Iomaire, Aidan Gillen, Steve Wickham, Terry Woods. I had heard of the session, and got the recording this morning. It was delightful. It was a Wake. The memories were awakened. The stories were precious. They spoke of Mac Gowan’s shyness. His Punk outlook. His facility with words. The protection of his childlike grace. His ear for words. His awkwardness. His affection. His faith. It was a very special sharing. It is similar to what I meet in families as we prepare for funerals. The stories are told. The person may be dead but is brought to life. The history and the character is revealed. It is a holy experience. That group of fellow musicians spoke with love, fluency and a great sense of loss. Those of us who didn’t know much of Mac Gowan met the man and the character. It was fitting then that the Church in Nenagh could accommodate the character. That surely is real Liturgy.

DOLORES KEANE AT 70:

My New Year’s Eve (Hogmanay) reminded me of those past years of my time in Scotland. As a man with a fine head and beard of red hair, I was definitely unwelcome as a First Foot! Life has changed and the colour of the hair/beard has changed too. Life this year was very quiet on Hogmanay. After our Sundown Service, I went home to my own company in the house. Now I did dip into Dolores @70 last evening. This was filmed in Carragh Cottage, in Caherlistrane, Co Galway, the home of the Keane family since 1820. It was a wonderful Seisiún. The music and the song. The principal character. The ease of song. The harmonies. It was beautiful. As a young fellow way back in time, I could recall when certain visitors arrived;  the chairs in the kitchen were moved back and the Box (melodeon) came out and some dancing began. As children we were keen observers of what the adults got up to. Dolores Keane’s version evoked that past. We weren’t of anything approaching that standard but it still is a lovely memory.

THE SPIRIT HAS TO SPEAK IN MUSIC TO BE LITURGY:

I also caught a little of Andre Rieu in Dublin (what year that was, I don’t know) on the TV this morning. The liveliness of the music. The dancing in the aisles. The sheer exuberance was wonderful. So the Wake with Shane MacGowan; Dolores Keane at 70 in the cottage; Andre Rieu with his show – all made me jealous. I know little about music. I know little about literature. I know little about art. I almost scream at how I spent those many years in education and learned so little. And then I come to a conclusion that if we are to celebrate faith it has to be alive; it has to have music; it has to lift the spirit; it has to awaken the soul; it has to explode from the depths of our innards. All the formality that we have allowed creep into the world of worship and faith is wrong and destructive.

MOTOR NEURONE DISEASE:

Ciarán Sutton died. He had a Vegetable Shop locally here in Finglas. Everyone loved Ciarán. He was overly generous. He almost gave everything away for nothing. He got MND. The local community were brilliant with him. They put out his stalls. They brought him food. They looked after the shop. He was a true gentleman. The hearse brought him up to the shop on the funeral journey. The locals had gathered. There were many tears. The love was obvious. The admiration was special. It was a Liturgy in its own way before he was taken home and then to Church. I thought again of Ciarán when Kevin Sinfield (Rugby player) did his 7in7 challenge. Yes. Seven marathons in a week, to fund raise for MND. One stop off was in Dublin. Charlie Bird was central to that celebration. I think Doddie Weir (Scottish rugby player was a first inspiration for Kev.) What a story? This leads onto some observations on the gatherings for Ciarán; for Christy Dignam; for Sinéad O’Connor;  for Shane Mac Gowan. They stir that New Liturgy which is beginning to emerge as the faith-culture fails to reach the core of our psyche. It is good. We all have work to do, to tap into the needs and screams of our inner being and of our times. We don’t have the words; the poetry; the music; the art – to galvanise the spirit. But that then is our challenge. We can do it.

Seamus Ahearne osa

1^st January 2024.