Des's big complaint!

Well-known Mullingar man Des Walsh called in to the Westmeath Examiner office recently to make a complaint – two complaints, in fact. The first was about how much more a copy of the paper costs now than it did in 1920, the year in which the copy he’s holding in the photo was published. At that time, it cost 3d stamped, or 2d unstamped.

Des’s other problem with the modern paper is that it is difficult for two people to read it at once. Unfolding his 1920 edition, he demonstrated that it was printed on one sheet, and folded into eight, and if you had a big enough table, you could have two readers enjoying the paper together, one at either end.

Des said he came across the paper when he was clearing out at home, and saw that the reason it had been kept was a short report headlined ‘Month’s Memory Office for the Late Mrs Feely, Clara’, his great grandmother. What was remarkable about that event was the number of clergy present.

The article reads: The Month’s Memory Office for the repose of the soul of the late Mrs Feely, Clara, mother of our esteemed townsman, Mr JJ Feely, was celebrated on Tuesday last in the Parish Church Clara, in presence of a very large and representative congregation. Very Rev Philip Callary, PP VG, Tullamore, presided. Obanters – Rev John Cassidy, PP, Kilbeggan, and Rev JL Magee PP, Tubber. The celebrant was Rev Joseph Kelly, CC, Mullingar; deacon Rev JC Macken, OO do; sub-deacon, Rev J O’Keeffe, CC, Tullamore: master of ceremonies, Rev James Flynn, PP, Rahan. In the choir were - Very Rev Michael Bracken, PP, VF, Clara; Rev T Donnellan, PP Dysart; Rev BJ McGrath, Ballyote; Rev H Carpenter, Adm, Mullingar; Rev J Ddlum, CC, Clara; Rev McCormack, CC, do; Rev Bernard Farrell, CC. Mullingar; Rev J Towan, CC Longwood, Rev J Flanagan, CC, Tubber; Rev P Smith, CC, Rahan; Rev Eugene Daly, CC, Tullamore; Rev Father Glynn, CC, Kilbeggan.

At the close of the ceremony, the Final Absolution was pronounced by Rev JP Kelly, JC, Mullingar.