SNIPPET: Maureen QUIGLEY recalls days long ago and happy Christmases spent in the County Leitrim village of Drumsna. "It was an exciting time, looking with eyes in delight as soon as the different shops began their Christmas preparations. With the sound of a gaggle of geese from John NOTLEY's passing lorry, one was reminded of how near the festive season was. Usually for us children, it was around the village to view the shop windows dressed for the season. In the window of Johnny McMANUS's bakery were trays of green and yellow candied peel, currants, raisins, nutmeg and whatever else the baker needed. On the other side of the street was Gerry DUNLEAVY's. The shop was divided in two parts, one with groceries and the other side was drapery and Mrs. DUNLEAVY being a warm and hospitable woman never deprived me of sweets at Christmas. Then it was up the road to MAHONEY's where a train on a track was in motion in the window with each carriage carrying different sweets and chocolates. FITZMAURICE's was next and if one had a few pennies we bought mouth watering homemade ice-cream. Further up the road was Tom McMANUS's shop. Mrs. McMANUS had the place adorned with berried holly and greenery from the garden whilst she was putting the finishing touches to the most beautiful Fair Isle jumpers she had knit. A visit to the Church was a must, to view the crib and admire the brass candlesticks and vases - how they sparkled after being polished, and the altar-rails draped with a snow-white cloth. Down the road to DALY's where James PATRICK was busy with his festive preparations. He had multi-coloured paper chains hung from the ceiling and rows of Christmas cards at 2d, 3d, and 6d hanging on a string from one corner of the shop to the other. Bridgie DALY had her cards hung in the same way and her window display contained jars of conversation lozenges, liquorice pipes, bull's-eyes and slabs of toffee. As a child my grandmother would send me to Bridgie's for the Christmas cards and my orders were get only Brian O'HIGGIN's, they were the only ones she sent overseas. While the cards were got ready I was sent to the kitchen to get tea from Kate and Bee ... The Post Office was such a busy place prior to Christmas as people were sending turkeys, geese and hams to friends abroad, especially to England. The wooden empty cheese box was used for sending butter overseas. The postmistress Baby HEALY had to seal all the knots on the parcels with red wax. Surrounded by letters and parcels, many a time I watched from outside the window as she proceeded to do this task. Her brother Sonny helped her, while Charlie, her other brother, was on hand to deliver any telegrams. The postman Liam COSTELLO had a busy task. He had to get all the mailbags to Corlara railway station on his white pony and trap for the Dublin train and maybe wait hours for the Sligo train to bring mail back for sorting. Apart from post he had to bring messages to people. In later years he used his bicycle for postal deliveries. Again he was loaded with parcels, but every letter and parcel was delivered on time. TOUHY's, the drapery and footwear shop, had two large windows, which were beautifully decorated, one with all the nice things for the ladies and children, and the other displaying all the menswear. Mrs. KILGALLEN always gave me handkerchiefs and ribbons for my hair for Christmas. My father's butcher shop was next door, it was decorated with berried holly, which was stapled around the window (which had no glass), and hanging from hooks was beef, mutton, oxtails, tongues, etc. At night the shutters were put up. They were fitted with wire grills for ventilation. Michael BEIRNE's shop was next and who could forget Mrs. BEIRNE, the gentle, kind and generous lady who would come from the shop and give us children sweets as we played outside. Miss HIGGINS was another kind lady who lived on the street, and she had her uncle, Rev. Father HIGGINS staying with her. Some weeks before Christmas the Bishop of the day would visit. I would be told in advance and invited to tea. I was very nervous going to visit that evening. As a nine or ten year old meeting the Bishop was a big event. Anyway I need not have worried. Miss HIGGINS made me feel at home, but I was still relieved when his Lordship was gone, and was happy to help with the washing up. Our local blacksmith, Willie GILROY, at the time had plenty of geese; and weeks before Christmas he organised raffles. So the local 25 card players would be busy playing on the run up to Christmas. FERGUSON's had a window displayed with bicycles, radios, grocery and hardware, as did Richard TANSEY years later." -- Excerpts, "Leitrim Guardian" annual magazine 2004