The 2014 Castleisland Holy Communicants had to settle for the kind of weather you have to dash from point-to-point in. As they headed for the Church of Saints Stephen & John before 11am on Saturday morning, the boys could dash but the girls couldn’t dare.
Those armed with their ceremonial parasols made common umbrellas out of them as they hurried from car to church and back later – with no let up in the weather.
The difference in the day was well illustrated in the scatter away from the church afterwards. It’s a pity when compared to last year when families mixed and mingled at their leisure in the ‘Nuns’ Garden’ for an hour or so afterwards.
The memory of a mad gallop around the Nuns’ Garden and a climb up and down a few trees is what First Holy Communion recollections are all about for generations of Castleislanders.
However, on the odd year here and there, the weather throws a spanner in the works and memories are made elsewhere.
Talking about dashing: I had a promise to keep on the morning. I met Mag Mitchell a couple of months ago and she got that promise from me that I’d do a few photographs of her beloved grand-daughter, Simone on her special day. That was before Mag went off on her special helicopter dash to Dublin on the second last day of April.
Mag’s transplant went very well and she’s recovering with every lengthening day. I’m sure the rest of the people in this batch of photographs would like to join me in sending her our best wishes.
