John Arnold: A year of ups and downs... in life, in sports, and on my farm
It’s been a remarkable year for me personally. On five occasions I was absent from the Emerald Isle - yes, five trips abroad.
Long ago, we might be asked ‘where is so and so today?’ and the answer would often be, ‘He’s just abroad over in the Well Field’ - yes, indeed everything is relative.
When I first travelled all the way to Dublin in 1972 - well, I thought it was the greatest place ever. Soon after, two Sundays of each September were spent in Dublin’s Fair City.
Then, for a few years, a Macra gang of us went to London in December to visit Smithfield Show and peek into Soho and Piccadilly Circus where we never even saw a clown!
Those trips were by boat - will we ever forget the seven different types of sea sickness we endured on the way home!?
We had our honeymoon in Spain - we were originally heading for Dubrovnik but after Tito died, things were a bit hairy and scary there, so we changed tack and found a little village called Fuengirola - you should see the place now, village how are ya!
In 2007, I started going to Lourdes and so my appetite for travel was increased and whetted. Despite all that, have I ever been in Antrim or Tyrone or even Monaghan?
I consider myself so privileged to be able to go to far-flung places at this hour of my age. Travelling will be on so many minds and in so many hearts these coming days. Thousands will be ‘Home For Christmas’ from all over the world.
Despite that inward-looking mindset, I do really marvel at modern technology. Being able to talk across the world to people - no idea how it’s done but by God it works.
Similarly with planes – it’s beyond my understanding this thing they call ‘aerodynamics’, but it gets the aeroplanes up and down.
Time was when people who left Ireland bound for America or Australia knew in their hearts and minds that it truly was ‘goodbye for evermore’ -no wonder they had ‘American wakes’ for those bidding farewell to family and friends. All’s changed, utterly changed, and for the better.
The world, civilisation, humanity have come a long way.
Around this time of year, when Quirinius was Governor of Syria, Joseph and the very pregnant Mary set off on their historic journey. The mode of transport? The trusty donkey was the bus, the train, the Luas, the taxi, the e-scooter of the time.
Scholars have debated and countless books have been written on the subject of the actual date of the birth of Jesus. It was midwinter so December 25 was settled upon, and so in a week’s time we will celebrate that birthday again.
The Old Testament prophets and sages had lived in the hope of seeing the Messiah - they travelled their earthly journey’s in hope. Hope springs eternal, they say, but in today’s world hope is scarce on many war and famine fronts. Yet we must have hope - it’s what keeps us going.
I hope to keep farming - in a different way, with more time for other people.
Anyone that knows me knows I love talking - always inquisitive, asking questions, seeking answers. It’s just the way I am.
This Christmas will be strange for one reason though. It’s a time of birth and renewal in the cycle of farming. Once the Twelve days of Christmas are over on January 6 and the decorations come down, well, in the past we’d be saying ‘T’wont be long now until we’ll have the first calf’.
That will not be happening here in 2026, but life goes on and spring will follow winter.
Before I talk of the Christmas season almost upon us, I must reflect on two days in 2025. Sport is important to me. I love Gaelic games - our games for our people. Well, this year I had the worst of times and the best of times.
It is said that ‘Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts’. So we thought here in Cork after losing the 2024 All Ireland Hurling Final and this season our Rebel hurlers displayed that courage to continue - all the way to that July final in Croke Park.
Then it happened - the impossible, an absolute hammering from Tipperary. I know they ‘bate us’ badly in the ’60s but never like this.
The wait - since 2005 - goes on but, undimmed and undaunted, Cork will face into the Munster bear-pit again in Thurles exactly four months from tomorrow.
As a club, we in Bride Rovers had waited even longer than Cork for a ‘big one’. Not since 2003 had we won an adult Cork County Championship title - a generation of waiting.
The proverb states ‘Good things come to those who wait - but better things come to those who are patient.’ Well, three weekends in a row through October into November we struck the road to Cork. Then, after a replay, we won the Cork Senior A Hurling Championship.
For those who have little or no interest in sport, it’s hard to describe the feelings of elation, relief, joy, pride and overwhelming happiness that such a victory brings.
Songs will be sung, poems written, and truly ‘memories are made of this’ - the best of times.
In the past, I was a fright for ‘giving out’ about the over-commercialisation of Christmas and complaining that ‘it comes too early’ - not any more ! Nowadays I just love to take it all in, truly in full measure.
Of course, there’s hustle and bustle and a degree of craziness, but I just absorb it all. Of course, Christmas can be lonely for some, but it also brings out the very best in the vast majority of people.
There are so many good causes all year round, but the generosity and kindness of people at this time of year is stunning.
Over the last few weeks, I have been involved on the periphery of several fund-raising initiatives for extremely worthy projects. To be honest, I am stunned at the efforts people make to help out.
It’s not just trying to placate a guilty conscience. No, I know that from the heart so many people are genuinely imbued with the Christmas feeling and are so willing to help others.
On a personal note, I want to thank the many, many people who contacted me during the past year - I really appreciate anyone taking the time and making the effort to get in touch.
This is a really special time for me and my family and I hope for all you readers that the peace of Christmas will be in your hearts.
I wish everyone a happy, holy and healthy Christmas - enjoy the company of near and dear ones, remember those gone before us, and God bless you all.
App?
