Venus in the Skies:

TRÓCAIRE: There is barely a corner of the world not affected by the Coronavirus crisis. People in Ireland are suffering greatly. We are being denied the touch of loved ones and so many have lost their jobs. But people are rallying together to support each other in whatever way they can. The people Trócaire works with in the developing world are particularly at risk from this virus. Many of them have no access to clean water to wash their hands with ! . Many more live in crowded slums or camps where a virus can cause devastation. They are defenceless against contracting the virus. If they do contract it, the medical care to treat them simply isn’t there !! Think about how this crisis has stretched European countries, including Ireland, to its limits. Now think about this: - Malawi has one intensive care (ICU) bed for every one million people. Sierra Leone has no ICU beds. South Sudan has two ventilators for 12 million people. These figures bring home to us just how bad this crisis is for the world’s poorest countries. We know lots of people in Ireland are suffering and we know not everyone can donate at this time. But if you can, we really need your help. Please consider making a donation by phoning 1850 408 408 (RoI) or online at trocaire.org.

COVID PLUSSES: When we think of the Covid situation, our first thoughts are usually negative - what we can't do, where we can't go, who we can't meet and how restricted we are etc. However, as in life, there are always positives !! We now have been given the time to do things we haven't got around to doing ! People have probably cleaned out the wardrobes already and can hopefully share some surplus clothes later. Have you attacked the attic yet - reuse, recycle stuff and give away what you don't need. Have you taken the time to sit and listen to the sounds of Nature - it is like a meditation in itself. Have you time to bake a cake for someone ? How about growing something - veg or flowers. Buy The Observer, take time to read about happenings in the surrounding parishes. Write a letter or ring a friend. Read up on an interesting subject. If your not mobile - write up your story - be that your life story, growing up, school. friends, work, marriage etc. Your children and grandchildren would love to have that as a memento, as we never have the time to tell them all our stories. Or tell how Covid has affected you & what changes you would like to see afterwards. Put all those loose photos into albums. Get back to knitting and crochet. I'm sure there are more, but the most important thing is to make a start !!

WEEKLY MASS: Father Dan will be saying Mass everyday, through YouTube. If you type in - Dan Lane, Granagh or the date, his page heading will appear as a green circle with the letter D. 10.30am every Morning - Tuesday to Sunday inclusive. Every Monday night at 7.00pm.

EARTH DAY: Wednesday 22nd April marked the 50th anniversary of the first ever Earth Day. Protests and demonstrations across the world in April 1970 marked the birth of the modern environmental movement. Now, fifty years later, as the world deals with the Coronavirus there will be no mass gatherings of people. Yet there are some reasons to have hope for the planet once we get through this. 1. The Environment is getting a breather; - The restrictions imposed by the global response to the pandemic, and the shrinking of economic activity will certainly result in a huge reduction in greenhouse gas emissions this year. While home energy consumption and internet usage will increase, the reduction in transport and air traffic will be unprecedented in modern times. 2. Climate Change Actions will not be as Bad as we think; - the actions we need to take to prevent climate breakdown are far less dramatic than what we are currently enduring. We all know we need to consume less, fly less, drive less, and eat more sustainably. Yet these sacrifices are nowhere near as far-reaching as what we are currently experiencing, and proudly managing to pull off. Mary Robinson has recently said that “we must not go back to bad habits afterwards. 3. Isolation makes us reconsider our priorities; - Our time in isolation from our family, friends might give us a fresh perspective on what truly matters. We have an abundance of technological distractions, endless things to watch or listen to, but it is human connection that we truly value the most. 4. Move away from Fossil Fuels; - Now more than ever is the time to use public funds to transition away from our dependence on fossil fuels. The opportunity to decarbonise our economies a decade ago using the massive bailout funds was missed. We shouldn’t miss the opportunity this time. 5. Clean Energy; - The good news is that there has been a huge shift in the last decade towards clean energy like solar and wind. Technologies are advancing quickly and have become far more affordable. Renewable energy now makes up 26% of the world’s electricity supply today. 6. Take Action Now; - As well as the government taking action, we can all take actions on a personal level too. The habits we are forming now can have a lasting impact. Many of us are adapting to work from home. It is likely that remote working will become far more commonplace after the pandemic ends, which will have a big impact on reducing emissions from commuting workers. Buying shopping online may result in fewer short trips in the car to the shops in future. And who knows – maybe getting a 2km walk every day will encourage people to leave the car behind more often for short trips?

PIETA HOUSE: Darkness into Light is postponed. The funds raised by this event has enabled us to keep our doors and our 24/7 helpline open for people in crisis, free of charge. All of Pieta’s services are now facing an immediate and devastating financial crisis. More than 80% of funds come from the public, and we need you to help us today to keep our lifesaving services available to those who need them most, especially during these darkest days. As we will not be walking together this May, Pieta and Electric Ireland would like to invite everyone to show community and solidarity with those impacted by suicide by getting up at 5:30am on 9th May to watch the sunrise from their homes. Wear your Darkness Into Light t-shirt, or anything yellow, and sharing your sunrise moment using #DILSunriseAppeal #DIL2020. You can donate on-line at - www.darknessintolight/sunrise appeal.

CHARITIES: NCBI: You might prefer to help the National Council for the Blind of Ireland who support blind or visually impaired people. A simple text to 50300 using the word Vision, donates €4 to the charity. Their national helpline is 1850-33-43-53. Cystic Fibrosis: They were unable to hold their ' 65 Roses' Day this year, but you can still support them. Text to 50300 using the work FightCF to donate €4.

DID YOU KNOW: 27th Apr,1994 - Nelson Mandela voted as South Africa President. 28th Apr, 1923 - Wembley Stadium opens - Bolton Wanderers vs West Ham United. 29th Apr, 1945 - Dachau concentration camp was liberated. 30th Apr, 1952 - Diary of Anne Frank Published. 1st May, 1931 - The Empire State Building in New York Officially opens. 2nd May, 1997 - Tony Blair became Britain's youngest prime minister in 185 years. 3rd May, 1991 - Last Dallas Episode Shown.

CELEBRATIONS:

Sending happy birthday wishes for 1st May to both Tom Noonan and his daughter Catriona as well as Marian Sheehy. Staying with the Noonan household, we welcome home from Australia, Fergal and Jacqui with their children Thomas and Leah. They happen to be celebrating their 5th wedding anniversary on 2nd May. All celebrations have to be deferred to a later date.

TRUMPISMS:

Just to remind you - Do Not... Inhale .... Ingest .... or Inject any Cleaning Products..!!!!