Children of Lir: Anam Cara

We had a concert last week in aid of Anam Cara in the Louisburgh Parochial Hall. Anam Cara is a non-profit organisation which provides support to families who have lost a child or sibling.
The concert told the story of The Children of Lir through dancing and music and singing. The dancing was provided by the Cresham School of Dancing and it went down very well. The school is run by Bernadine Cresham and the production of the dancing was excellent. The audience seemed to be very appreciative of the level of the quality of the production.
Valerie Quirk, resident in Bunowen, provided excellent musical accompaniment for the night. The second part of the show was a parody of American Idol or X-Factor or some such thing. Brenda Staunton (John Staunton's wife) performed a song parody of Riverdancewhihc was written by Valerie Quirke. This set the stage for the mayhem and humour to follow.
Couples danced in front of three judges; Barry Gaffney, Breda McGinn and John Joe Kilcoyne to compete for the honour of "winning." It was as hilarious as one could imagine. Slapstick and improv took over as the contestants with hairy legs exposed danced high to expose their "prowess" and their partners hid their "assets" to become the partner role chosen. (Is that clear? No? Well now you know how we all felt!)
Anyways, some of those who participated in the frolics and were dressed for the occasion were: Edward Ball, Irene Cannon, Laura Hutchinson, Michael Gibbons, Jim Power, Noel Billington and many many more.
The show was a success except for the fact that a good few people had to be turned away from the hall because it had reached capacity. There is a DVD of the show available for a tenner. And ...
The event raised approximately €2,000.

The climate

The climate here is entertaining: Political, economic and weather.

A couple of people told me this evening that today is the best of this week and rain is expected by Wednesday. I looked up the forecast and found that good clear weather is expected right through to Sunday. The entertaining aspect of this is that usually all the forecasts are wrong but in this instance one of them will be more correct that the other.

Presidential debates and banter have started. Some of the candidates appeared on the Pat Kenny show this evening, Monday June 13.  Typical of the show, the audience members were given barely enough time to say a short sentence or two before the microphone and camera jolted to another unsuspecting audience member of the proletariat vying for a few seconds of air time on RTE. No comments really of any depth or breath. Another successful show by Pat Kenny and RTE. Very little said while giving the democratic citizens the impression that RTE is a democracy giving the proletariat a voice. The climate is stifling.

Economy - Don't really know what the heck is going on. Will Greece keep the heat off Ireland for another while? Will Enda and Michael manage to get the interest rate lessened? Does it really matter? Of course it does but the whole thing is a tad clammy, warm with a healthy expectation of an odd thunder shower!

Clew Bay Half-Marathon

http://www.runireland.com/events/clewbay

Nice way to plan a trip home?

Mayo Associations Worldwide Convention: A weekend to remember in Westport

This past weekend, Westport hosted the Mayo Associations Worldwide Convention. The President of The Republic of Ireland, Mary McAleese and An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny addressed the crowd of over 400.

Messages of hope, enterprise, hard work and nature were divulged to the crowds from the two leaders.

Delegates from Cleveland, New York, Philadelphia, Birmingham, Toronto and Washington were present among others. The Dublin and Galway Associations were the organisers. A Louisburgh man, Paul Sammin, is on the committee of the Dublin Mayo Association and was therefore involved in the planning of the event.

Anne Marie Gibbons from Louisburgh, performed songs in her Mezzo Soprano style and received a standing ovation.

There were presentations on tourism, trade, commerce and industry under the headings of 'indigenous enterprise,' 'multinational enterprise' and 'energy.' The material in the presentations was informative, futuristic, practical and coherent.

Louisburgh was not mentioned in the context of the topics at all. I wonder how this came to be. Is there no body or bodies out there representing and promoting Louisburgh?

While the presentations were all about Mayo and they were all excellent, there is no Mayo Association organisation in Mayo. Perhaps this would be a valuable entity for the purpose of connecting with all the Associations worldwide and keeping the connection live and active and funneling ideas, industry and funding into the county?

What to make of life?

Lisa, Anna's sister, 41 passed from this life on the morning of Sat. 6th November 2010.

The Hardy Bucks -Sad.

I watched my first episode of The Hardy Bucks on RTE last night. I had heard limited reviews of The Hardy Bucks but wanted to see it on the National Broadcasting Service for myself. After all, if the National Broadcasting Service, Radio Telifis Eireann, had found/discovered this raw talent and decided to bring it to the National Airwaves, surely it must be good?

My nephews speak well of The Hardy Bucks and my siblings speak negatively of The Hardy Bucks. After seeing some of the "stars" of The Hardy Bucks" interviewed on The Saturday Night Show with Brendan O'Connor I wasn't particularly impressed but I have to admit I did laugh now and again.

The Hardy Bucks is a prime example of appealing to the lowest common denominator. Making fun of everything in a happy-go-lucky way assuming no negative effects on an impressionable audience of teenagers and students. Alcohol and drug abuse is only the start of the downfall/appeal of this YouTube "success" story.

I will watch more...

Accessing a Notary for US Business in Ireland

This post is for anyone who might have a need to get some US documents notarized by a US Notary of the Public for any reason while living in Ireland. No use to anyone else.

What you need to do:
1. Go online to the US Embassy site and schedule an appointment online and print it.
2. Turn up for the appointment with picture i.d. which is also signed by yourself.
3. Bring credit card or $50 or equivalent in Euros per sheet to be notarized - exact amount in cash, no change given.

What I did:
1. Got the information/docs too late.
2. Scheduled the appointment with a Notary at the Embassy for the next available date which was, at the time, one week later.
3. Established that this date one week later was too late.
4. Called and talked to a person/man on the phone at the Embassy. Accepted the information he gave me as the truth, i.e. that if you need a notarization in a hurry you may go to the Embassy and wait in line - NOT SO.
5. Went to Embassy (4 hours drive) to be greeted with the info. that Notaries are available ONLY by appointment.
7. Explained the previous 5 points to the very nice lady at the Embassy who said that she would do her best for me in the circumstances.
8. waited in the Embassy from 9.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. for a notary to be available.
9. Got the docs notarized in minutes.
10. Walked approximately 100 yards to Post Office and sent the docs through An Post and DHL on a 1 to 2 day delivery arrangement.

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.

Keeping in touch with friends from San Francisco

I was at the Connacht football semi-final between Sligo and Galway a couple of weeks ago. As I stood inside the gate distributing Into the West, a friend from San Francisco said hello. It really is funny, where you bump into old friends and acquaintances.

In the last week I got calls from four friends from the US. The first, a Kerryman called just to say hello and to tell me how impersonal emails are and how personal the phone is. He is right. Then he got his wife to email me after the previous blog to call my turnips "mangles" or as he put it "cow fodder." Hmmmm...

Then Sean, my good friend from Louisburgh, who has lived in San Francisco for approx. 50 years called up to tell me the weather had broken in Ireland and that the introduction of property tax in Ireland will be the straw that will send me back to the US with my tail between my legs.

Brian, who has lived in San Francisco for many years, is from London. He's great craic and a great chin-wagger (talker). I was very sorry to have to cut my chat with him short as Sarah (1 year old) was demanding my attention. He seems to be in good fettle and enjoyed the World Cup.

Cormac called and informed me that there was a seisiun of music in Ballinrobe last Sunday. I went. Met Kenny, Cormac, Dave, Liam, Chris and John. What a great time we had. Music, Song, Sean Nos dancing and good honest chat.

Anyways, it is great to have such good friends. Such good friends are the kind that you can talk to as if you never lost touch, after long periods of no communication. After all, do we really need to be talking to each other to know that we love each others' company, that we miss each other (from time to time) and that when we do meet we will savour the moment(s).

Well friends, even if you criticize my turnips (or mangles in Kerry), I haven't forgot you. And I know that we will enjoy reunions.

The Fruits of Our Labour

Those days spent digging hard stoney soil are now paying off. This is a sample of what we have harvested.

Old Head Beach, Louisburgh, Ireland

Picking up litter on the beach is not the preferred occupation while strolling along but if I/we don't do it, then who will?

I was down at Old Head yesterday with the young fella and he loved it. Old Head Beach is one of the most popular beaches in this area and until very recently held the distinguished prize of being a "blue flag beach ." I don't know why, but that title is lost now.

This is a heavenly place and by coincidence you can see Croagh Patrick from the beach (as in the photo).

We walked to the pier and I noticed some litter. I must admit, my call to action was slow to evolve.

As we walked back from where we came, the litter caught my eye again and I had a moment of clarity. Why not me? Why wouldn't I pick up the plastic beer can wrapping and then the brown beer bottle and deposit it in the bin?

I did. My son saw this. Others' children saw this. Others saw this. I hope they might do the same the next time they are on the beach. If we pull together we can make our beaches clean, enjoyable, safe and catalysts of community interest. Am I too optimistic or will you join me?

Rain, at long last!

At approximately 6 a.m. on July 4th, otherwise known as Independence Day (in the US), I awoke to the beautiful sound of wind and rain on the skylights. This is a beautiful sound. The other day a man said to me that the June just past waas the most dry June he remembers in his 80 years. My potatoes are growing well but I dug three stalks the other day and they were mostly pooreens (small to tiny potatoes). My farming friends said that they, the potatoes, needed some rain for the next couple of weeks to "finish them off." So it has arrived - the rain.

The giver of life - rain (after all the sunshine that is). We landed in Ireland on August 27th, 2009 and we have seen about 2 weeks of rain since then (event hough I lost a car to the floods, but they were in Galway). It's been beautiful weather throughout. We got the real hard freeze with sunshine and then the dry spell with sunshine and now - Hallelujah - rain. We could do without the wind (it might break the potatoe stalks) but we'll take it as it is.

When I grew up in Louisburgh, I slept in the top-room. This was the converted attic in the house in which I grew up. So I could hear the rain on the skylights when I was in bed. And I loved to snuggle myself up in the bed and slowly doze off to sleep to the lovely sound of the pitter-patter of the rain on the roof and the skylights. Nostalgia.

So, this morning, July 4th 2010, Independence Day (in the US) I was drawn back to my childhood by the sound of the rain on the skylights. The wind was blowing and I snuggled up to my wife and two young kids (they come in to us in the morning) and I thought about how my friends in San Francisco hadn't even rose to greet the day yet - indeed in San Francisco it wasn't even Independence day yet (they are 8 hours behind us) - and I thought to myself...

Isn't life great. It just doesn't get much better than this!

Gardening and Social Media

I have been thinking a lot about social media lately. This is probably not a coincidence.

The Mayo Open Coffee Club has invited me to facilitate a discussion on Social Media and Business. What do I know about this? What does any one know about this? What do people think they know about this?

For research I have got my hands on Social Media 101 by Chris Brogan .

My general view on social media is that we are making too much of it and expecting too much from it. But that could change....

In the meantime here's a photo of my garden.

The potatoes are flowering now. According to my sources, the flowering precedes their readiness to be dug and eaten. Along with the obvious spuds there are radishes, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, parsnips, broccoli, two plum trees, gooseberry bush and a black berry bush.

Now, if you did not know that flowering potatoe plants are nearing the ripe-for-digging date then you learned something today from social media. (obviously, I include blogs in social media).

Everything must be kept in perspective. Enjoy.

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