I stand chided by the good people of Churchtown near Buttevant in Co Cork, where the late, great Oliver Reed, who came to live among them six years ago, was buried recently. The mission of this column is to give a voice to communities which perhaps did not have one before and to emphasise all the positive things that are happening out there.
Reed, actor, gentleman and hell-raiser, was well liked in Churchtown. He lived life with an unusual gusto, and in a way, his death in a bar in Malta was exactly the kind of final scene he might have liked. He fitted in easily in Churchtown and came to be loved by the local community. He supped drinks in the bars, never flaunted his acting prowess or his wealth and had a word for everyone on the street. He was respected and his presence added something to the quiet village.
No one in the media bothered the star of more than 50 films, including Oliver, too much when he was hale and hearty in Churchtown and that's why local people took umbrage when a prurient media circus descended after his death.
But that's the way of things, and often it's not pleasant on this side either to be part of it. In a previous piece, I described Churchtown as a "backwater" - not an unfair description, and certainly not a derogatory one. Its quiet, remote charm is what brought Oliver Reed there. So, to right a wrong, as seen locally, I must record the protest of Mr Gerry Murphy, founder of the Churchtown Village Renewal Trust, who has written to say that "Churchtown is not as big a backwater as you think".
According to the Churchtown draft development plan, the parish at present accommodates 570 souls and while it is limited in public services and facilities, the trust, together with the local development association, plans to change all this. Sustainable development is the key. Churchtown wants to grow in an integrated manner, wants to be self-sufficient and do so with minimal environmental cost. For instance, its idyllic surrounds would be ideal for people seeking a respite from urban sprawl and its associated problems. If scenery, a beautiful landscape, wonderful rivers and good neighbours - as Oliver Reed discovered - is your thing, then Churchtown might fit the bill.
This is what it's got to offer on quite an attractive menu.
What about hill walking on the Ballyhoura Way, where the gentle slopes gaze out on even more spectacular mountain ranges like the Galtees and the Knockmealdowns? There are four golf courses within a 10-mile radius.
There are quiet country lanes to be explored, fishing on the Awbeg and Blackwater, historic sites and a conference centre. After a day at the races in nearby Mallow, other things to do, according to the excellent brochure produced by the association, include elbow exercising in the village pub, and if that's too demanding, you can simply contemplate the meaning of life. There, I have atoned.