doled out sweets, biscuits, dolls and a varied selection of toys. There were some adult gifts as well. The children christened him “The Sweet Man.” Nobody knew who these people were and no money changed hands. It was a totally anonymous act of generousity. The people of the Black Valley recognized it as a Cork car and concluded that the man was one of the wealthy merchant princes of Cork. The week before Christmas, Eileen’s parents traveled to Kenmare in the pony and cart. There the Christmas shopping took place and they came home with a big chest full of Christmas fare. This chest, which was lined with silver paper, had originally been a tea chest. On Christmas Eve her mother would stuff the goose and that night they had a big supper which included a pot of jam- a luxury for the children. Behind the fire was a huge log known as Blockeen na Nollag that her father had brought in from the forest. This formed the
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back bone of the fire over the entire Christmas. One Christmas gift that Eileen remembers was a paper lantern with which she played and that later served as a Christmas decoration. Prior to the building of their own church in the Black Valley, the people walked twelve miles to Mass in Derrycunnihy where the seating in the church was sugan chairs. Having first milked the cows they left home at 9.30 in the afternoon. If the river was in flood, their father took each one of the children on his back in turns across the swirling water. They wore wellingtons on the journey but carried their shoes for Mass. On arrival the women and children went into the church but the men stayed outside talking until the arrival of the priest and when the bell rang they filed in. In 1955 they built their own church. Naomh Muire An Chuimin Dubh whuch made Mass attendance