# One main meal and two collations!



## Audrey (26 Feb 2006)

With Ash Wednesday approaching, I just suddenly thought of the 'old days' when we ate no meat on that day, and had only one meal and two collations.  Does anybody still stick to this regime?  Do people still sacrifice things (alcohol, certain foods etc) during Lent?  What are your view on Lent?


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## bond-007 (26 Feb 2006)

I make a huge point of eating meat on these days!


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## Carpenter (26 Feb 2006)

I know a lot of people (especially men) would abstain from alcohol and save themselves a small fortune- but I always found this type of "abstinence" a little disingenuous, that is unless the "money saved" were actually donated to a charity.  Otherwise what's the point?


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## ClubMan (26 Feb 2006)

Andrewa said:
			
		

> With Ash Wednesday approaching, I just suddenly thought of the 'old days' when we ate no meat on that day, and had only one meal and two collations.


What's a collation? 


> Does anybody still stick to this regime?  Do people still sacrifice things (alcohol, certain foods etc) during Lent?  What are your view on Lent?


Even when I was a _Catholic _I didn't stick to that regime. Now that I'm not I certainly don't.


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## TarfHead (26 Feb 2006)

I do.
I am not a practising Catholic, but I was married in a church, my children have been baptised and, in time, I would like to be despatched from a church.

I will adhere to the no meat dictum/rule/whatever on Wednesday and again on Good Friday. It's only 2 days in the year so, to me, it's no biggie.

As far as abstaining over the 40 days, in the past I have given up treats such as coffee and chocolate. This year I'm thinking of losing a stone. I originally thought of 20 pounds, but the wife thought that was too ambitious and against dieting guidelines. It'll mean more regular use of the gym as well as cutting back on mid-meal grazing, so they are good things to do for any reason.

In my wife's family they used to have a Sunday dispensation for Lent where you could set aside your 'pledge', and also Saint Patricks Day.
Hardcore Catholics  !


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## ClubMan (26 Feb 2006)

TarfHead said:
			
		

> This year I'm thinking of losing a stone. I originally thought of 20 pounds, but the wife thought that was too ambitious and against dieting guidelines. It'll mean more regular use of the gym as well as cutting back on mid-meal grazing, so they are good things to do for any reason.


What has this got to do with the original question?


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## TarfHead (26 Feb 2006)

ClubMan said:
			
		

> What has this got to do with the original question?





			
				Andrewa said:
			
		

> .. Do people still sacrifice things (alcohol, certain foods etc) during Lent? ..


Pay attention


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## Henny Penny (27 Feb 2006)

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/collation


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## fobs (27 Feb 2006)

I am catholic though do not go to mass quite as often as I used to but I still always observe the one leal and 2 collation rule on Ash Wednesday/Good Friday and also abstain from meat on these days. 
Often try to give up something for lent but my willpoweer often doesn't see me through the full 40 days! Have given up sugar in tea/coffee before and often try the "give up alcohol" thing but drink so little nowadays this is not the sacrifice it once was


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## levelpar (27 Feb 2006)

Hi all, In the old old days growing up in Dublin we had Lent everyday and the only meat we ever saw was the cattle being herded down the North Circular Road to Dublin Port for shipment elsewhere. Ah, the good old days when all ,exept the professional classes, shared in the dignity of poverty ,


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## ClubMan (27 Feb 2006)

Given a choice between the dignity of poverty and the impropriety of wealth I think I'd choose the latter.


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## Murt10 (27 Feb 2006)

Carpenter said:
			
		

> I know a lot of people (especially men) would abstain from alcohol



I think Bertie goes off the beer for both Lent and the month of November (for  the Holy Souls). 

I read somewhere that he is like an antichrist to work with during this period.



Murt


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## TarfHead (27 Feb 2006)

I have thought of staying off the booze, but to the Six Nations home matches make that an impossibility.


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## Audrey (27 Feb 2006)

ClubMan said:
			
		

> What's a collation?
> 
> Even when I was a _Catholic _I didn't stick to that regime. Now that I'm not I certainly don't.


Collation - I think it's just a word for a very small breaking of your fast (light meal presumably), but I'm open to contradiction on this.  Just the phrase "one meal and two collations" sticks with me from my childhood.


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## ClubMan (27 Feb 2006)

Murt10 said:
			
		

> I think Bertie goes off the beer for both Lent and the month of November (for  the Holy Souls).
> 
> I read somewhere that he is like an antichrist to work with during this period.


Lent turning somebody into an antichrist. How ironic!


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## levelpar (27 Feb 2006)

ClubMan said:
			
		

> Lent turning somebody into an antichrist. How ironic!


 
Nice one ,ClubMan. Re. your preference for the " impropriety of wealth"  you can say that again.


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## ClubMan (27 Feb 2006)

Murt10 said:
			
		

> I think Bertie goes off the beer for both Lent and the month of November (for  the Holy Souls).


For _Advent_? My da used to do that too.


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## Janet (27 Feb 2006)

I'm no longer a practising Catholic and so prefer not to keep to this tradition.  Seems strange not to have egg and chips on Ash Wednesday though.  I probably would still have this if I had time to cook on Wednesdays to be honest but only 'cos I love egg and chips.  Love pancakes too but don't restrict cooking them to Shrove Tuesday.


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## ClubMan (27 Feb 2006)

Janet said:
			
		

> I'm no longer a practising Catholic and so prefer not to keep to this tradition.  Seems strange not to have egg and chips on Ash Wednesday though.


Is that what _This post will be deleted if not edited immediately _had before he ventured into the desert to fast for 40 days?  Is egg and chips kosher? After all he was a _Jew_...


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## macnas (28 Feb 2006)

Are Connie Dodgers still available in Cork?    Named after the bishop, Connie Lucey, these were extra large biscuits that were huge sellers in Cork  on fast days 'cos 2 biscuits were allowed with a cup of tea.


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## Brendan Burgess (3 Dec 2015)

According to RTE,  Fine Gael is making a light meal out of the Labour Party. 

http://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2015/1203/750993-red-c-poll/


"It appears that lost Fine Gael support has drifted mainly towards their collation partners Labour and to a lesser extent towards Fianna Fáil."


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## Gerry Canning (9 Dec 2015)

Yousins are a pile of bloody heathens!

Some customs.

1. Fast before Mass , particularly on sleet filled days , by the time you got home you appreciated breakfast and no whinging about what you preferred.
2. Collations,these were the precursor to Slim -fast.Interestingly I see diet advice now supports collations, and yousins thought the Church was wrong !
3. No meat on Friday , that was a good idea because it helped you appreciate the odd day you got meat.
4. Off the drink for Advent and Lent,
Used to mean an unholy spectacle of Booze round Paddys day in Lent, sadly the spectacles are now most days !
Lent was a training session for Christmas , still has nought to recommend it.
5. Fish on Fridays , still fond memories of Herring Van. 

Ps. Yousins are still heathens !


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## Purple (10 Dec 2015)

Gerry, the wisdom of 3000 year old tribal writings, scratched on the wall of a cave with a burnt stick. How can we argue against them?

Brendan, you cynic you.


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## mathepac (14 Dec 2015)

It seems the scratchers using the sticks on the walls knew quite a bit more than we do, according to some scientific researchers - http://hub.jhu.edu/magazine/2012/summer/dont-feed-your-head


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## Purple (15 Dec 2015)

mathepac said:


> It seems the scratchers using the sticks on the walls knew quite a bit more than we do, according to some scientific researchers - http://hub.jhu.edu/magazine/2012/summer/dont-feed-your-head


Interesting link but I don't think that's what the wall scratchers were aiming for.


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## mathepac (15 Dec 2015)

Delighted we have you to accurately interpret their intentions at this remove.


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## Purple (16 Dec 2015)

mathepac said:


> Delighted we have you to accurately interpret their intentions at this remove.


 
I am in no way interpreting their intentions. I am merely suggesting that they didn't have a knowledge of neuroscience and so that is not what informed their position. 
Are you asserting that the wall scratchers did in fact have a knowledge of neuroscience sufficient to inform their position?


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## Gerry Canning (16 Dec 2015)

Dear Purple,

Stop it , without doubt the wall scratchers had a natural neuroscience capability, its just they hadn,t thought up that big word.
ps. How many of our electronic ramblings will last 3000 years.


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## Gerry Canning (16 Dec 2015)

pps. still think yousins are heathens.


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## Purple (17 Dec 2015)

Gerry Canning said:


> ps. How many of our electronic ramblings will last 3000 years.


I can say with some degree of certainty that this one will anyway.


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## Purple (21 Dec 2015)

Gerry Canning said:


> pps. still think yousins are heathens.


I am indeed, and happy to be so.


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## Gerry Canning (21 Dec 2015)

To (yousins all)
Hope 15 was ok for you and that 16 is better.
For all my guff , I learned from you all in AAM in 15.


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## Brendan Burgess (24 Apr 2019)

macnas said:


> Are Connie Dodgers still available in Cork? Named after the bishop, Connie Lucey, these were extra large biscuits that were huge sellers in Cork on fast days 'cos 2 biscuits were allowed with a cup of tea.



My mother was talking about this on Easter Sunday. 

I have not heard of it and it was great to find it verified here. 

Apparently the Bishop said it was ok to eat one biscuit as a collation so Jacob's made a huge biscuit to meet the law.

Brendan


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## Brendan Burgess (24 Apr 2019)

http://www.corkpastandpresent.ie/cultureincork/corkslang/

Formerly a very strict Lenten diet was enjoined on Catholics; only one full meal and two small meals(collations) were allowed on fast days. A biscuit or two was also allowed with morning tea to prevent heartburn. Enterprising Cork bakers produced very large biscuits so that those on the Lenten fast could stave off the pangs of hunger while staying within the letter of the law. The biscuits were called ‘Connie dodgers’ after the Catholic bishop of Cork Cornelius Lucey.


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## Purple (24 Apr 2019)

Brendan, you seem to make a habit of resurrecting this thread every few years. Is it the whole Easter spirit?


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## Brendan Burgess (24 Apr 2019)

I am just collating some old threads so came across it again. 

It's my Lenten penance. 

Brendan


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## Purple (25 Apr 2019)

I hope you weren't collating more than two a day.


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