Bingo night is central to community life in Littleton

Friday night is a special one in Littleton. From early evening the car drivers take up their familiar spot outside the Muintir na Tire hall.

The hall doors are open and the chairs are being arranged. A little later Joe O’Sullivan drives in with a bus load of people smiling and chatting, ready for the bingo.

The energy and the spirit of friendship and good company is in the air. The sense of anticipation is wonderful. Bingo is a huge part of life in Littleton and has been for decades.

Generations of families have attended, friendships have been made and now the energy in the place is as good as ever. Martin O'Dwyer is an active committee member heavily involved in the weekly events in Littleton and, after tables and chair are set, he explains a little about what creates such a wonderful sense of togetherness in Littleton on a Friday evening:

“On the wall there we have an emblem that says Muintir na Tire is at the heart of the community and that is what we do. We are a non-profit organisation, we don’t make money, it is all voluntary and we donate to various funds and things around the parish like tidy towns and the flowers out there so we give back, and that is what we do through the community,” he says.

The bingo has been at the heart of the community for many years and the recent committee are carrying on the work started before their time. The hall has served people in the parish since the 1840s firstly as a school then through facilitating whatever the needs of the people were.

Bingo has been here for as long as anyone can remember and now in 2023 the current committee continue their efforts to keep the hall and the activities there at the heart of the community says Martin:

“The old committee had great people like Sean Barry, Pat Bowe, Liam Britton among others but time passed and so we came in then and formed a new committee with Joe Sullivan, Liam Moore, Martin Cooney, Tom Heffernan, Helen Dowling. Angela and Geraldine Healy who do great work in many organisations in the parish. The likes of Aoife Shelly and Caitlin Flanagan also bring great energy. A community hall is essential and we appreciate it here.” he said.

The tradition of bingo goes back for generations and has emerged stronger after the recent pandemic where people seem to really appreciate what they have. Back a few years ago one era passed so the hall needed new energy to propel it in the 21st century.

Bingo is huge but many other activities also take place in the hall. The locals put in the hours to keep the flame lit and the lights on explains Martin:

“We took on the task. We tidied the hall, dry lined some areas and renovated the toilets. The place needed work and now we have a new phase coming now. There is funding there for areas where Bord Na Mona have pulled out so we are getting funding to put in wheelchair accessible toilets and changing all the doors and windows.

“We are changing the heating system to a new green energy efficient system. The hall is always in use. We have all the groups coming in to use the hall from the ICA, the GAA, St Vincent De Paul, the Homework club after school and then we have Barnardos with young mothers. Crafts too such as woodwork and patchwork groups with embroidery among other things, but what can I say but the hall will continue long after I’m gone.

“It is so central to life here. We hold funerals here where John Ryan used to do hot food but now we use Kinanes of Upperchurch. The hall is for the people and whatever the needs of the people are.

“We have card nights here too. There have been some great nights with nearly hundred at the 25 and Whist nights. The only thing is we need new energy to keep it going. It is not about what they win but the social aspect to get people to meet others.

“If that goes, no more than the bingo, it would be a huge loss because it is a family in a way. If someone is missing they all want to know where they are, people miss others. The genuine regard they have for one another is unbelievable.

“Some are coming here for thirty or forty years to bingo. One thing we do is that if you hit 90 you are free. Those that are get a free book and at Christmas time we give out hampers for free. It is our community.

“The local soccer club, St Kevins, are great too and give us a few hampers too,” says Martin who, along with others, puts in a huge effort. Community spirit is evident on a Friday night in Littleton where great people are doing great things.