Community Spirit in rural Ireland - no matter what!

Despite the difficulties that the flooding is causing in the mid-lands and along the banks of the Shannon river, families and communities still try to carry on with life (and death) which has been on-going now for 3 weeks - although if you were relying on the Dublin based media to tell you about it, you might think all was ok at this stage!

However, the sense of community and pulling together epitomised by this picture from the Irish Times:



The remains of Johnny Clarke being transported to Saints' Island Graveyard in Co Longford, which was cut-off due to flooding. Photograph: James Flynn/APX

We can talk sometimes about the decline of rural Ireland, but when push comes to shove, community and neighbours are important no matter what and in rural Ireland we still respect our dead - a true example of the call of Pope Francis to reflect and act on the corporal works of mercy.