There are two thing you just can’t ignore at the moment, politics and the terrible situation in our local hospitals. I’ve been on strike in the past and believe me it is a horrible thing. Most of us support the health workers who have had to take this action but then most of us aren’t needing hospital treatment at the moment. Those who do will have mixed feeling when their operations or procedures are cancelled. No matter why you may have to attend hospital it’s worrying and often frightening and if there’s a hold up for tests or results it one of the most stressful things to face. I can’t understand how those left in the situation of cancelled appointments are being contacted to make new dates – that would imply someone somewhere knows when all this will be sorted.
And well done to those who have defied the bullies who have warned them not to give interviews. We need to know what the situation is and give them all the support possible. Do you believe there is no money to pay a proper wage? I believe there is money and how about cutting wages of those at the top of the money tree and spread it down round the grass roots.
And then there’s Thursday’s election or ‘alection’ as it’s pronounced here. What a pig’s ear this is and the outcome will change everything. Here in Northern Ireland we were swinging along well but now there is devision and dire warnings. I know people who panic bought in preparation for 31st October and coming out of the EU – I have to admit was guilty of buying three packets of porridge just in case but I have heard of people stacking their houses with dry goods and tinned food and take extreme measure to protect them which isn’t as bad as the shop keeper who bought biscuits in bulk only to be left with them going soft on the shelves.
And what an example is the current prime minister. Impossible to penetrate his lying rhetoric, everything comes back to one word – Brexit. it’s almost like a joke to him and his cohorts, the other night when he was head to head with Corbyn it was as if he was auditioning for Michael McIntyre’s big night out.
The government loves frightening us into submission whether it’s millennial bugs, salt, sugar or bird flu, well they overstepped this time. Most of us are going about our daily lives ready to face the future and what ever it holds. But then again, what about small and big business – that’s a different story as they have to plan financially for the future to retain their workload and the workforce. Some have relocated and it could be that with hindsight that was a mistake and evidence that young ones have gone away from home to seek their fortune elsewhere. Let’s hope they come home someday and bring their expertise with them.
Finnegan Family’s Busy Businesses
You think you have a busy time before Christmas? Nothing compared to the Finnegan family in Clogher, County Tyrone – not so much among the bushes more among the Christmas Trees, 30,000 of them stretching as far as the eye can see. Farmer Patrick Finnegan certainly has his work cut out as he’ll be felling at least 2000 of them for customers to take away and decorate over the next couple of weeks, Lodge Pole pine, Noble and Nordmann firs in abundance.
I remember when the children were young the thrill of buying a tree and transporting it home with the roof of my old cream coloured Deux Chevaux open to the elements and the tree reaching for the sky in a salute to Christmas.
There’s a trend these days to hang the tree from the ceiling and decorate the up-side-down branches, considered to be very modern but actually this was being done 1000 years ago in Northern Europe, nothing is new in this life. The first person to think of bringing a fir tree into a house in the way we do today, is thought to be the 16th century German preacher Martin Luther. One night just before Christmas, he was walking through the forest and looked up to see the stars shining through the tree branches. It was so beautiful that he went home and told his children that it reminded him of Jesus who had left the stars of heaven to come to earth at Christmas. And so the fairy lights became an essential part of our decorations today flickering away like stars.
A tree is the most exciting thing to buy and decorate and, despite the prices, still a must for the celebrations, so much so that often it’s necessary to put your name down weeks in advance but not at Finnegan’s forest where he’s busy with his chain saw cutting trees from 5 feet to 12 feet high, something for every home and no harm done as replanting is carried on all year round and has been for the last 12 years.
This is a family, mum, dad and five grown-up children, hard at work just now with everyone involved with their different jobs.
I was the lucky duck who called in Sawers delicatessen in College Street recently just as Patrick Finnegan was delivering to Kieran Sloan. Not fir trees but his wife’s meringues and carmel squares. Nothing would do but I would try these and I didn’t need to be asked twice – heavenly. “They are a grab and go treat,” said Kieran, adding, “in and out of the shelves like grease lightning! Every week Patrick delivers and I can tell you they don’t last long.” I can vouch for that!
Meringue Magic
At this stage in the story enter Catherine Finnegan, baker extraordinaire with a business called Fluffy Meringues. She has three ovens going at home in Clogher each filled with sweet meats, 1000 meringues a day in 8 different flavours, strawberry, raspberry,, honeycomb and chocolate and the rest. And then the carmel squares, known as millionaires shortbread for some reason, that are very moreish!
Although her business is at home on the farm where they breed beef cattle, a lot of her time is taken up travelling the length and breadth of Ireland selling at farmers markets – Monaghan, Waterford, Dingle and Donegal and all over the north, “Coleraine is probably the best of all,” she reckons. She also supplies to shops so this is one busy lady who started her business to supplement the farm income and now it’s become a major and tasty enterprise.
She gave me some advice on meringue storage – if they last that long. “They’ll keep up to two months just in the box I put them in, no need to freeze just keep them in a cool place.” And she gave me an idea. “I’ll be having them for dessert at Christmas filled with cream, cinnamon, toffee sauce, toasted nuts and ice cream! As well as Christmas pudding of course!” Or perhaps an Eton Mess – “Crumple them up roughly, serve with soft fruit and double cream!”
When reading this, please forget the calorie count for once!
catherinefinnegan@btinternet.com. 07879232674.
