What can I do?

My birthday celebrations continue without fail, every year. This year, it is noted moreso as I have the time to reflect. Being (generally) unemployed allows (causes) more thought. The fact is that if I live for 26 more years, which is a lot less than I have already lived, I will have lived for the same lifespan as my dad. It might not seem very important but it is a sobering thought for myself. He, in my eyes, seemed to have achieved a lot in his 68 years. Even though 68 was a young age for him to pass, 68 will arrive on my doorstep too soon.

So my birthday is noted. I am back in Ireland more than a year. No concrete employment opportunities have shown themselves. Interviews have not resulted in job offers. Attending seminars etc. has not fed into real-life opportunities. A lot of talk and brain-storming but nothing real and lasting has happened...

But it just might. Maybe the foundation work or the "spade-work" is already done and I just don't realise it yet? Maybe the cutbacks are really taking their toll and therefore when investment restarts job opportunities will appear...

But I am sure I have no regrets. I am not sorry that I took the opportunity to do some substitute teaching in the area. I am not sorry that I studied for a degree in Media Studies. I am certainly not sorry that I studied for a Masters Degree in Media Broadcast and Electronic Communication. I am not sorry that I lectured in Media Aesthetics in SFSU and that I got to know the people there.

I am not sorry that I and my family moved back to Ireland. I just hope that I live long enough and do something of value so that I can feel like I have done something. What is that something?

The Brown Bull, the salmon of knowledge and children of Lir.

One of my first loves is the theatre but I have drifted from it in the busy hub of life...

I was approached by a member of the Sonas Committee and an old class-mate of mine to get involved in Sonas this year. I ended up being drafted in to script and narrate the three old tales: The Brown Bull of Cooley, The Salmon of Knowledge, and The Children of Lir.

One of the events that the "Louisburgh Community Project" presents to the youth of Louisburgh annually is the Sonas Festival.

This is a children's arts festival with activities and shows aimed at pre-school to 6th class kids. Some of the events and activities are puppetry, dancing, balancing tricks and balloons, stage combat, artistic freedom, circus skills, story telling, portraiture, music and more. It really is a great event for kids and for parents with their kids also. It runs this year from 11th to 17th October and the contact number is 098 66218.

This is an example of creative and generous community spirit. Some of the events are free and some cost 3 euros. The idea is to keep the festival affordable.

Even though I was skeptical about getting involved in the event and looking at the three stories, I am enjoying the research aspect of the chore at hand. They are three fantastical stories and I believe have a moral to each of them.

It is nice to be exploring live theatre again, looking at stories, scripting and analyzing. And, with the help of my learned Uncle Leo, adding in the cúpla focail!

I wonder will the audience of pre-schoolers to sixth class plus a few parents share my interest?

The Irish Government Jokes Continue

This morning, Sept. 28th, the radio stations are all on about a great plan to be unveiled today. You'd think that this is the golden bullet taking into account the way in which it is  being reported:

"Cowen to unveil five-year investment strategy

Tuesday, 28 September 2010 07:31

Taoiseach Brian Cowen is to launch a five-year overseas investment plan later today aimed at creating up to 300,000 jobs.

The Government said this is the first integrated strategy that will promote overseas investment, foreign trade and tourism."

Rather than giving this story the top space in the morning media this   story deserves a space buried in the business section of print media, or placed within in-indept analysis political/business stories in broadcast media.

The attention given this "news" is a symptom of two things:

1.  This government appreciates how pathetic their efforts appear to the public, so much so that they are encouraging sensationalism in an attempt to get some positive media.

2. The media in this country has nothing to talk about and they are not finding real stories. They are easily led. A Press Release about "Unveiling a five year plan" is fed to them like candy to a child.

It really is pathetic! The government are given huge media attention for lauching a plan which is nothing more than what should be expected of a commonsense government! And the media soak it up!

The System

The "news" in Ireland is just constant negative and circular waffle. Every now and then something new comes out and it just emphasizes once again how "bad" things are. It is a constant attack on any positivity that just might grow from the people who are out there trying to get on with life and living.

Seems to me a lot of people are out there working and many people are actually spending money on improving their houses!


At this stage do the public really care about all this negativity when it seems obvious that the ones who committed the actions will not be reprimanded, will not suffer and will be there again when things turn to take advantage of the availability of funds - public funds. The public will pay the bills. The corruption will continue.
The "idiots" of the past that caused this debacle (except for a small few who will take the hit for the rest) will be the "idiots" of the future that will get paid by the public monies to "fix" this economy and get things rolling again.

I'm tired of listening to them- the waffle with no credible, real, practical, understandable, genuine plans.

[The waffle? "we need to get the economy back on track" wow, that's a great idea but how.
                   "we need to get the deficit under control" great, but how? Oh cutbacks? great, let's cut all     T.D.'s salaries, pensions, expenses etc and then see how we are.]

Such is the climate in this beautiful island I call home.

Missing Dad and not knowing Grandad.

I was in Armagh recently and a visitor to my wife's home house, "Boots," (I don't know his real name) asked me why I had stopped posting on this blog. I had no clear reply. No reason - really. I promised myself when I started posting to this blog that I would not let it's continuity depend on others' comments/contributions so the lack of feedback is not the reason either. Indeed I have been surprised to hear from time to time of how many people do actually read it.

But a little feedback is nice. No man is an island ... and all that. And so I am back and I intend to carry on with this.

After some thought the real reason for not continuing to blog is that if I were to be honest and helpful to the reader in the way I would (idealistically) hope to be, then I would appear at times to be overly critical and perceptively negative about my experiences/issues associated with moving back to Ireland. I hate being negative or being perceived to be negative. The truth hurts sometimes...

But in media there is always gate-keeping and editing. Therefore, it is a challenge I am going to take on again. I will attempt to inform the reader of the issues associated with "moving back to Ireland" but I will (in the interest of full disclosure) be gate-keeping myself. Some of this will be to avoid talking too negatively of institutions/people. Some of this will be to facilitate self-survival.

With that out of the way, here's the blog:

After being away for almost 20 years and losing my dad in 1998, it is now I miss him most.

Over recent months the eldest of mine and Anna's two young children, Tommy, has come on in leaps and bounds. He is assertive, cute, deceptive, energetic etc, etc and he was three on March 27th. He walked in to the house to me the other day and asked if he could go over to his next door neighbor. (His friend next door and he get on great. They climb through the fence to go to each other's houses regularly.)
I said no because it was coming to dinner time. He chirpily said "o.k. Dad." I continued doing what I was doing and then realized that after he had accepted my decision he just walked out the door, climbed through the fence and went over to his friend. No ifs, buts or discussion - he just left. What a guy!

If his granddad were here I know they would have a fantastic relationship. And it would be very beneficial to both! My dad (not all the facts on this link are 100% but close enough) would have had a great influence on him and on the littler one too, Sarah. It is times like this that the years spent away from home and family are noticed. It all kinda crept up on me. Unexpectedly.

He is gone from this funny world since 1998 and he was missed then and is missed now. These two grandchildren will not know him personally but they will read of him and listen to him.

And to this backdrop, as I can hear the rain on the windows, while on the TV the powers that be are trying to blame someone for the economical disaster that is Ireland today, and my two youngest kids are asleep oblivious to the economy and to the absence of grandad, it is good to be back home with great fond memories of being away.

There is something real about all this.

Leonard Cohen in Lissadell House, Sligo

“The curate has called this exhibition

Drawn to Words.

I call my work

Acceptable Decorations.”

I have, in the past, fallen into the group that would refer to Leonard Cohen as depressing. But after spending three and a half hours at Lissadell House watching and listening to him, his band and an audience of 10,000, I see him in a very different light.

Honest, hard working, creative, wise, energetic, and true

are the words I would use to describe him now. His stage presence is up there with the greats. He needs no fanfare, no bells and whistles, no distractions; When Leonard Cohen comes on stage his performance engages and engulfs the audience.

This seventy-five year old Canadian performs for 3 and half

hours with a fifteen minute break and gives it his all. His opening words were so honest, “Thank you friends for coming out tonight and because you did we want to be sure to give you everything.”

The backdrop to the stage was a simple curtain with two

hearts entwined in each other. The singers and musicians were dressed simply in black suits with little variation in their shirts and blouses. Leonard wore a fedora for most of the night and at times removed it to reveal a graying humble and powerful countenance.

While he reveals himself wholly to us I feel a sense of

transparency fall over the crowd. Perhaps each individual is remembering that time is moving on and they’ve “known” Leonard for longer than they might care to remember. But his honesty on stage brings honesty to the crowd and a sense of acceptance and wise recognition that the passage of time is palpable.

“The birds they sang

at the break of day

Start again

I heard them say

Don’t dwell on what

Has passed away

Or what is yet to be.”

After all, it takes time and living to have a body of songs

and poetry like his and time creates beauty and it takes it away.  The body of work grows and becomes immortal while the human body fades into mortality. Cohen appreciates this but somehow it is o.k.

One woman in the crowd in front of me said, “Oh, I wish I

could go up there and give him a hug.” Referring to us 10,000 concert-goers as friends many, many times from his simple stage put us at ease and on the same level as himself. That was the message – we’re all in it together and I’m with you tonight as you have chosen to be with me.

For now, Leonard Cohen lives and he is anything but

depressing when he skips (literally) on and off stage, and says “thank you friends.”

Shane Peko

It does the heart good to learn that Shane Peko has joined us on this merry-go-round called Life. Our good friends in San Francisco will, no doubt, be celebrating.

It would be nice to be there to celebrate with the new parents, Brian and Finu, but our hearts and thoughts are with them.