Post by rtreade on Nov 28, 2008 12:31:03 GMT
Like Matt and I suppose half of the Boys (as it was then) on the Curragh I too was an altar boy for years and have some great memories of my time as an altar boy.
The highlight of the year was of course the annual Altar Boys Tour and I can remember well one of the years when we went to Butlins - I can still remember even though it was lashing rain the day we were there like being a child in a sweet shop and looking agog at the swimming pool which had glass walls so you could see into the pool as you walked along outside, and always on the way home stopping off for chips on the way home. I bet nobdy else had an extra pound stiched into the secret pocket in your trousers given to you ....just in case!!!!!
I too have vivid memories of that early 7:30 (See I must be way before you Matt) mass and having to serve it. Imagine the shock of being dragged out of bed to serve that mass in the middle of winter. I used to always double check with me Ma that it wasn't the middle of the night. She used to wait at the door with m until some of the girls would be going for the "kingswear bus" and I would tag along behind them as they walked down along O'Higgins Rd. It was a lonely walk to the church and esp on a Saturday morning when the girls would not be working, on morning when me Da was on duty and was not available to drive I used to "borrow" gleesons cat and bring him with me for company, the only problem I had to figure out was where I put the cat until mass was over, in a flash of genius I put him into the cupboard where we used to get changed and there he would stay until the end of mass when we would then walk back home together.
Another time (I must have been very young as I could not remember this instant but me Ma never fails to delight with this tale) I was serving mass with Fr. Brophy (always my fav) and my sutan (Long Black Robe) got stuck under my shoe while I was kneeling down I got all my uncles hand me downs with regards to altar serving gear and the sutan must have been just a little to long. Anyway, I digress - when it became stuck under my shoe I cuold not stand up and when it came time to bring over the bread and wine all I could do was shuffle over on my knees across the altar. This was all going on behind the back of poor Fr. Brophy who turned around to be greeted by the sight of this shuffling midget on his knees at about his knee height. Cool as you like, he simply reached down took the gifts from me, sorted out my sutan and without blinking an eye carried on with the mass.
I remember another time I was training in my friend to be a server and as such was first server. All he joined the altar boys for was to ring the bell at censecration time. As every good altar boy knows the bell is always rung by the first server...not this time and he made a dive for the bell which ensued a pushing match on the altar (again the priest had his back turned and did not see this) however our two mothers sitting watching as proud as punch slunk lower and lower in their chairs as we battled it out for rights at the top of the altar. I met Fr Swan last year (my young boy serves mass in Naas) and I said well Fr. "Full Circle" he smiled and said ah weren't they great times we had...and you know what he is dead right
The highlight of the year was of course the annual Altar Boys Tour and I can remember well one of the years when we went to Butlins - I can still remember even though it was lashing rain the day we were there like being a child in a sweet shop and looking agog at the swimming pool which had glass walls so you could see into the pool as you walked along outside, and always on the way home stopping off for chips on the way home. I bet nobdy else had an extra pound stiched into the secret pocket in your trousers given to you ....just in case!!!!!
I too have vivid memories of that early 7:30 (See I must be way before you Matt) mass and having to serve it. Imagine the shock of being dragged out of bed to serve that mass in the middle of winter. I used to always double check with me Ma that it wasn't the middle of the night. She used to wait at the door with m until some of the girls would be going for the "kingswear bus" and I would tag along behind them as they walked down along O'Higgins Rd. It was a lonely walk to the church and esp on a Saturday morning when the girls would not be working, on morning when me Da was on duty and was not available to drive I used to "borrow" gleesons cat and bring him with me for company, the only problem I had to figure out was where I put the cat until mass was over, in a flash of genius I put him into the cupboard where we used to get changed and there he would stay until the end of mass when we would then walk back home together.
Another time (I must have been very young as I could not remember this instant but me Ma never fails to delight with this tale) I was serving mass with Fr. Brophy (always my fav) and my sutan (Long Black Robe) got stuck under my shoe while I was kneeling down I got all my uncles hand me downs with regards to altar serving gear and the sutan must have been just a little to long. Anyway, I digress - when it became stuck under my shoe I cuold not stand up and when it came time to bring over the bread and wine all I could do was shuffle over on my knees across the altar. This was all going on behind the back of poor Fr. Brophy who turned around to be greeted by the sight of this shuffling midget on his knees at about his knee height. Cool as you like, he simply reached down took the gifts from me, sorted out my sutan and without blinking an eye carried on with the mass.
I remember another time I was training in my friend to be a server and as such was first server. All he joined the altar boys for was to ring the bell at censecration time. As every good altar boy knows the bell is always rung by the first server...not this time and he made a dive for the bell which ensued a pushing match on the altar (again the priest had his back turned and did not see this) however our two mothers sitting watching as proud as punch slunk lower and lower in their chairs as we battled it out for rights at the top of the altar. I met Fr Swan last year (my young boy serves mass in Naas) and I said well Fr. "Full Circle" he smiled and said ah weren't they great times we had...and you know what he is dead right