On behalf of the staff and B.O.M of Scoil Naomh Padraig, Drumfries we wish you all a very happy and holy Christmas and will see you all on Monday 6th January 2014!
Fr Doherty will say Mass tomorrow Thursday 19th December @1pm in the school hall followed by refreshments.
The excitement is building !…the final checks and rehearsals have taken place and we look forward to seeing you all at the productions today of the Infants Nativity play and ‘The ‘Xmas Factor’
In Ireland it was a custom, at Christmas to keep a lit candle in the window to signal to Mary & Joseph that they were welcome at this home and also that any stranger in need of warmth and sustenance would not be turned away .In the Penal days it was illegal and dangerous to practice the Catholic faith in Ireland but candles seen in the windows of Irish homes at Christmas they signalled to travelling priests that this was a home where they would be welcome and where they could safely conduct the traditional Irish Christmas Mass. The words from the âKerry Christmas Carolâ give a senses of the roots of this old Irish traditionâ:
Donât blow the tall white candle out
But leave it burning bright,Â
So that theyâll know theyâre welcome here
This holy Christmas night!
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A candle was lit in Aras an Uachtarain when President Mary Robinson re-adopted this custom during her term of office, to remember all of the emigrants that had left Ireland and let them know the candle in the window would always be lit up to remember them and guide their way back to Ireland and to a welcoming home.
This year 5th & 6th classes have organised their stocking draw in aid of BĎthar.
BĂłthar is a Charity in Ireland that enables families and communities worldwide to overcome hunger and poverty and to restore the environment in a sustainable way. To do this, we specialise in improved livestock production and support related training and community development. BĂłthar also educates the public in Ireland about global poverty.
See website: http://www.bothar.ie/index.jsp?p=0&n=100
The tickets are 20c per ticket or 6 tickets for âŹ1 …….and the prize is a wonderful christmas stocking full of goodies!!!! Draw will take place on the 20th December by Santa Claus himself!
For anyone who is interested, there is a list of various educational apps available to download from this site:
