I heard today that Marty Pellow was playing his only concert in Ireland in Dublin at the end of this month… Just after the weather forecast had told us that after 3 times the normal rainfall in July, we have already had 3 ½ times the average for August in the first three weeks.
The figures exclude today which has probably been the wettest yet with flooding and road closures all around our local area. Couldn’t even get to the shop for the Sunday paper! In the midst of all this our first Mexican sunflower, planted earlier in the year when it wasn’t nearly so wet, has just opened!
Sunday 23 August 2009
Showing her age …
The wee MG has done brilliantly since we arrived in Ireland 4+ months ago. She’s coped admirably with the less than perfect roads (and that’s just getting down our lane), been driven 6 days out of 7 (a new experience for her as well as us. In London we usually had to use the battery booster to get her started as we only drove about once every 6 weeks or so). However in the last couple of weeks there have been a few little problems, and on Friday we had steam pouring out of the boot where the coolant system is located. Looks like she may need a new cylinder head gasket although fingers crossed it’s only a leaking hose but at 11+ years old … it’s probably the gasket. Keith who farms next door is also a car mechanic and he is taking her away tomorrow night to look see. Fear our trip to Connemara on Wed could be in jeopardy.
Celebrities
Had to miss out on our weekly trip to see the fishman at Miltown Malbay on Friday afternoon as we had tickets for a concert in Ennis that night. As a result we missed the Social Event of the Year when Andrea Corr (of The Corrs!) married Brian Desmond (son of Dermot Desmond property developer, Celtic FC shareholder etc) in the church at Miltown Malbay with a reception for 400 people afterwards at the Doonbeg Golf & Country Club. Clearly the Irish A-List were all in attendance and the local radio was snowed under with sightings of Bono in a sports car, Martin O’Neill, Gordon Strachan and Padraig Harrington. Apparently Geldof was clocked filling up with petrol, the Popemobile had stopped to ask for directions and Michael Jackson and Elvis were sharing a black limousine from Shannon!
Just imagine who we could have met in the fish queue.
Just imagine who we could have met in the fish queue.
Sunday 16 August 2009
The things we do for …. A quiet life!
Yesterday we spent the whole day at a set dancing workshop at the Feakle Festival – something that Linda was keen to try. We joined with about 20 other beginners – including a blind couple from Connecticut - in the back room of Bohan’s pub as Dierdre tried to teach us a Clare Set dance called the Caledonian.
As many of you may recall, my dancing skills are on a par with my child-minding talents and the day proved challenging in many ways – fortunately the bar was open and after a couple of pints of the black stuff I found that things seemed to go much more smoothly.
I had always assumed that my severely impaired dancing ability was a result of having two left feet. However despite being encouraged by early attempts (post Guinness) which demonstrated that I could move left foot and right foot independently, it all came to grief when I discovered that at the crucial step I couldn’t remember which was which – same result really.
Still enthusiasm seemed to be sufficient and my blind partner from Connecticut thought I did very well. Unfortunately Linda pulled a calf muscle during the last set which has slowed her down a bit.
As many of you may recall, my dancing skills are on a par with my child-minding talents and the day proved challenging in many ways – fortunately the bar was open and after a couple of pints of the black stuff I found that things seemed to go much more smoothly.
I had always assumed that my severely impaired dancing ability was a result of having two left feet. However despite being encouraged by early attempts (post Guinness) which demonstrated that I could move left foot and right foot independently, it all came to grief when I discovered that at the crucial step I couldn’t remember which was which – same result really.
Still enthusiasm seemed to be sufficient and my blind partner from Connecticut thought I did very well. Unfortunately Linda pulled a calf muscle during the last set which has slowed her down a bit.
Muhammad Ali
Over the years, it has become obligatory for every President of the USA to identify his Irish roots and make a visit to the old homestead – knowing how well it plays with the huge Irish American lobby.
However even I was somewhat sceptical at the headline in the Clare Champion this week which trumpeted the planned visit to Ennis in the next few weeks by Muhammad Ali to visit his old family home.
It turns out that when Abe O’Grady emigrated from Turnpike Road in Ennis in the 1860’s he landed in Kentucky and married an African American girl. Their son also married an African American girl and their daughter married Cassius Clay Senior………
We are now in the grip of Ali fever as the town prepares for the visit on September 1st. There are hoards of O’Grady’s coming out of the woodwork to participate and the Mayor is expecting more that 50,000 people to attend the event.
Ali will be awarded the Freedom of the Town - the first time this honour has been bestowed on anyone - and there are plans to name a street after him as well.
Any bets on renaming O’Connell Street after the Louisville Slugger?
However even I was somewhat sceptical at the headline in the Clare Champion this week which trumpeted the planned visit to Ennis in the next few weeks by Muhammad Ali to visit his old family home.
It turns out that when Abe O’Grady emigrated from Turnpike Road in Ennis in the 1860’s he landed in Kentucky and married an African American girl. Their son also married an African American girl and their daughter married Cassius Clay Senior………
We are now in the grip of Ali fever as the town prepares for the visit on September 1st. There are hoards of O’Grady’s coming out of the woodwork to participate and the Mayor is expecting more that 50,000 people to attend the event.
Ali will be awarded the Freedom of the Town - the first time this honour has been bestowed on anyone - and there are plans to name a street after him as well.
Any bets on renaming O’Connell Street after the Louisville Slugger?
An apology
In a recent blog on the subject of ‘late onset’ alcohol misuse among over-60’s, it appears I may have inadvertently suggested that my old pal Jimmy C only took up drinking seriously after he retired. This was not my intention at all and I am happy to apologise unreservedly if that was the impression given.
As many of us know, during his working life – as a representative of Her Majesty’s Government – Jimmy drank prodigious amounts of alcohol in the line of duty – mostly while involved in difficult and life threatening operations!
As many of us know, during his working life – as a representative of Her Majesty’s Government – Jimmy drank prodigious amounts of alcohol in the line of duty – mostly while involved in difficult and life threatening operations!
Sunday 2 August 2009
"Ahh, go on! - Go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on..."
The first Sunday means that it was the monthly walk organised by the BurrenBeo Trust with a starting point at Carran for a walk entitled “Myths and legends of Slievenaglasha” with local farmer and folklorist Patrick MacCormack. Since this is the August Bank Holiday weekend in Ireland, it has of course been cool and wet since Friday!
Despite the rain - which started as we gathered for the walk at 2.00pm and continued for the rest of the afternoon – there were 60-70 people (including a lady who was well into her 80’s and a number of small children) who took part and we all happily followed Patrick up the hill side and on towards the fort of Lon the Blacksmith “who had three arms and one leg”; on to Glas Gaibhneach hill and the legend of the Fairy Cow which “gave so much milk that there were never containers large enough or numerous enough that they could not be filled”; and past cairns, wedge tombs and many other stories, recitations and archaeological sites.
At this point Patrick offered the option of returning the way we had come – or following him along a more difficult path over the hill and down to his home where he would offer us all a cup of tea.
I didn’t see anyone take the option of returning by the easy path and we continued for another hour or so on a wet and windy hillside until we descended through a muddy hazel wood to open farmland and the short walk to Patrick’s family home – which many of you would recognise as “Father Ted’s House on Craggy Island”
Despite being confronted by a horde of wet, hungry and thirsty walkers, Cheryl - Patrick’s wife - laid on copious amounts of tea and an array of cakes, biscuits and scones which would have done Mrs Doyle proud.
Despite the rain - which started as we gathered for the walk at 2.00pm and continued for the rest of the afternoon – there were 60-70 people (including a lady who was well into her 80’s and a number of small children) who took part and we all happily followed Patrick up the hill side and on towards the fort of Lon the Blacksmith “who had three arms and one leg”; on to Glas Gaibhneach hill and the legend of the Fairy Cow which “gave so much milk that there were never containers large enough or numerous enough that they could not be filled”; and past cairns, wedge tombs and many other stories, recitations and archaeological sites.
At this point Patrick offered the option of returning the way we had come – or following him along a more difficult path over the hill and down to his home where he would offer us all a cup of tea.
I didn’t see anyone take the option of returning by the easy path and we continued for another hour or so on a wet and windy hillside until we descended through a muddy hazel wood to open farmland and the short walk to Patrick’s family home – which many of you would recognise as “Father Ted’s House on Craggy Island”
Despite being confronted by a horde of wet, hungry and thirsty walkers, Cheryl - Patrick’s wife - laid on copious amounts of tea and an array of cakes, biscuits and scones which would have done Mrs Doyle proud.
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