The first we ever heard, as children, about an accommodation crisis was when Mary and Joseph were informed that there was no room at the inn.
That was at a place and time well outside the confines of our imagination framing convent classrooms walls and away out there somewhere unimaginably beyond its windows.
This was at a time ominously close to the birth of Baby Jesus.
There are many opinions as to why, but it was Joseph’s desire to have the baby born in relative safety and amongst his own people and registered in the area of his ancestry which is offered as to why they had to head off on the back of a donkey. They skirted the Jordan River between Nazareth and Bethlehem on an almost 100 mile journey.
Then, a packed Bethlehem meant that there was literally ‘No Room at the Inn.’
According to Luke and Matthew
There, in a stable, the most remembered, most reported birth in the history of the world took place and Mary wrapped her baby in swaddling clothes and placed Him in a manger.
The by now exhausted donkey was drafted in with a few more available animals to ward off the cold from the infant.
That’s according to the gospels of St. Luke and St. Matthew.
According to Conor O’Mahony
Now, according to Conor O’Mahony, the spokesman for Castleisland’s annual Patrick O’Keeffe Traditional Music Festival, his own people hereabouts can help in the effort to avoid an accommodation crisis during the 24th to 28th October bank holiday weekend event.
This year, there is a dedicated number and Email address (below) for dealing with festival accommodation.
“Anyone who is willing to come on board and help out with accommodation this year can let us know by contacting either of those. If the phone is not answered please leave a text and it will be followed up.
Please provide the following vital details: Name; contact telephone number; Number of rooms, singles or doubles and your Eircode.
Demand Outstripping Supply
“Demand is once again far outstripping supply so we are hoping to get more people to give us a dig out and put people up for some or for the duration of the festival.
Already we are inundated, with requests for accommodation and it’s far outstripping supply.
If you are able to rent out a room, and would like to earn a bit of extra money please contact the number or Email address below.
This year the following is a dedicated number for dealing with festival accommodation.
085 245 3408 and an Email address for the same purpose: accommodationpokfest@gmail.com
You can contact The Maine Valley Post on… Anyone in The Maine Valley Postcatchment area who would like to send us news and captioned photographs for inclusion can send them to: jreidy@mainevalleypost.com Queries about advertising and any other matters regarding The Maine Valley Post can also be sent to that address or just ring: 087 23 59 467.
