One hundred and seventy years ago the world was plagued by the cholera epidemic. In his poem In Memoriam, Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote “Ring out old shapes of foul disease”. Could he ever have guessed that his words would ring true again in our time of Covid. The human spirit is strong, and even now, we look to see the light of hope and the promise of better times ahead as we embrace the  New Year.

Extract from In Memoriam, Ring out, wild bells, by Alfred Lord Tennyson written in 1846:

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky, the flying cloud, the frosty light:

The year is dying in the night; Ring out, wild bells, and let it die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new, Ring, happy bells, across the snow:

The year is going, let it go; Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease; Ring in the nobler modes of life;

Ring out the thousand wars of old, Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the love of truth and right, Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out the darkness of the land, Ring in the Christ that is to be.

From the Ennis Parish Newsletter, Adapted