A Promising Future

GAY PRIDE PARADE DUBLIN 2017

Something in the air perhaps, certainly there has been a flow of positivity in the airwaves today, a refreshing surge of inspiration has been delivered to us by three men. Three men of independent thought and belief, each encouraging us to stand up and help to make necessary changes to our world for the right reasons.

The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at the Dublin Pride Parade today, said 

“ I pledge as Taoiseach to use my office, for as long as I hold it, to advance the cause of LGBT rights, to press for marriage equality across Ireland, to speak up for LGBT rights around the world where they are under attack, and to push for the implementation of the sexual health strategy here at home at a time when it is more important than ever.”

He continued, "So, I don’t really ask anyone to celebrate the fact that we have a Taoiseach who is a gay man. But rather we should celebrate the fact that we live in a free country, in a democracy where we have a Taoiseach who happens to be gay.”

- We are able to support or criticise him, based on our own beliefs and principles which, to me, is true freedom.

www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/taoiseach-promises-to-speak-up-for-lgbt-rights-around-the-world-at-dublin-pride-parade-794967.html

President of Sinn Féin Gerry Adams

Gerry Adams in Belfast, at a Sinn Féin conference, predicted a successful vote to end partition could come within a "few short years".

"We need a new approach, one which unlocks unionist opposition to a new Ireland by reminding them of their historic place here and of the positive contribution they have made to society on this island. 

Instead of concentrating on the negative aspects of our four centuries of shared history I suggest that we embrace the areas of agreement and of co-operation; of good neighbourliness and the common good. A truly united Ireland will emerge from the reconciliation of the people of this island based on equality."

www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/gerry-adams-we-need-new-approach-to-convince-unionists-about-united-ireland-794972.html

In England Jeremy Corbyn on The Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Music Festival gave his audience wise words.

After all of the recent gloom and despair that has rocked the people of theses islands it is good to end the week with hope.

Muesli and Music

My regular breakfast

For my breakfast this morning I added the strawberries that we bought from a roadside stall of a Wexford grower yesterday and to honour this years crop I decided to listen to my old buddy Colm playing some of my favourite tunes. Afterwards I thought to share my experience.You will have to imagine the taste of the Strawberries but you can listen to his music.

An Adventurer Returns

I often hear nocturnal noises that are beyond the sleeping room, as if my ears are parked behind the door and so the other night I was awoken in the early hours by a shrill noise coming from the front garden.  As I became fully conscious I heard a scratching at the front door followed by a thump and then low snores.


I awoke her Ladyship to tell her what I had heard, together we opened the front door and peered out. Her Ladyship on seeing the sight that was before us, said

“I think I’ll get the camera, this is worth recording!”

A very relaxed Hazel

After she had taken the photo I very carefully picked him up and brought him into the warmth of our home.

“Well, Hazel what have you been up to ?” I asked him the following morning.

After a moment he spoke …

“ I was so thrilled to get a new suit of clothes that I took myself off to the river to bathe. While I was there the water sprites told me there was to be hurling match at Sheean, between our lads and the Redcaps from Cornwall, followed by a Ceilidh.

So I crept home, put on me gear and went up to the match. It was a fierce do altogether, for the hurls of both sides were flailing like swords at a battle and it was more than the puc (ball) that was the target!
On they went up and down pitch, as one player was flailed, another took his place. I kept meself well to the rear, the last thing I wanted was to ruin me new clothes. Then all of a sudden a cock crowed and the game stopped.

I interrupted Hazel to ask him “ Who won the match ? ”

“ I knew you would ask that. Nobody won the match. You see for us it is all about playing the game which is important - not winning or losing”  he replied.

Then Hazel continued his story.

The Faery Mound Sheean

“We all went down under the rath for the ceilidh. It was some party, the fiddlers started first and later we danced jigs and reels. Then pipers and bodhran players  started up. When they rested singers, chanters and poets took over. There was plenty of food with gallons of whisky for all. Too soon it was time for the Cornish to return home. As I stood, I tripped and fell on the ley line, only to awake up inside a much larger rath!
There was another party going on but I said to myself “ never mind, I’m with friends.” So I carried on enjoying meself.


I was dancing away with my lively companions, when one of them said “Why hello Hazel, my darling, it’s so good to see you again after all these years. You do remember me don’t you ? I’m Parsley.”

Well, she had caught me on the hop. I scratched me old head trying to recall who Parsley was … then the penny dropped.
“Ah Parsley yes of course, how could I ever forget you?”

“It’s well for you that you have returned Hazel.
I think now is the time for you to take your responsibility seriously”
replied Parsley.

Hazel at The Hurler Stones, Cornwall

“After a few days of partying in the Hurlers’ Rath I decided that it was time to return to Ireland and that a slower journey would be better. So meself and Parsley made our way over to Boscastle where we used a slow, little used ley line over to Lundy Island. There we met with old friends and it was on the island that I took up my responsibility. Parsley and I finally said our goodbyes and I returned home.”

“So” finished Hazel, taking a deep breath, “here we are.”

I said “Pardon me, Hazel, you said ‘We’. So who else is with you ?”

Hazel went to the widow and pointed to the garden as we peered out.

“ That is my daughter Catkin ” he said proudly.

Catkin

No Silence !

© hdimagelib.com

When I first moved here all those years ago it was the stillness which washed over me and the peacefulness of my surroundings that drew me here.  Then, as now, I simply stand outside  my small front door and consciously absorb the peace, looking up into the sky at the birds.

The swallows are still here, swooping down collecting their last meal of midges before sunset. 

Will they still be here tomorrow? Ah’ who knows.

At the time I arrived here there was no phone, no computer and no TV, still no TV. 

My only entertainment was a Bush music centre which connected me to the events going on in the world. At other times I was able to play my CD’s one in particular is still a favourite, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 Pastoral.

When I first played the piece the cattle in the field next to me, galloped up to the fence and stood listening to the music. Seemingly entranced, they stayed until the end then walked away. 

During the times of not working on the cottage I would read what ever books my friends would loan me. One kind friend was a retired missionary priest who had spent most of his working life in Kenya. Like me he was an avid reader, unlike me he was an Irish Scholar having been educated at Blackrock College, Dublin. He encouraged me to use and adopt the Irish-English idiom and from him came the loan of books about the history of Ireland. I learnt about Ireland’s past from the late 1800’s to the founding of the State and on to 1948.

My other friends supplied me with lighter reading matter such as the books of Walter Macken whose work I devoured.

On nights when I was not reading I would in sit in silence alongside the stove, sometimes writing letters or poetry or even planning the next days work. It was during these times of inactivity that I would hear the sound of the electric meter humming away to it’s self. It still makes a hum and a whirr which ultimately is the sound of my money burning away.

Several years later I had the phone installed and then came my first proper computer, a PC.  Proper because I had a very early one, a Commodore or a Sinclair, in the late 1970’s and nothing at all like the one that I sit at today. 

I became aware of a constant buzzing sound. I would go to bed believing that this sound had got into my memory somehow, that it wasn’t real just a memory of the PC noise.

Later I realised that I heard the buzzing on the days when the computer hadn’t been used. Perhaps it was something else?

Finally I understood that it was tinnitus and I have probably had it for years. 

I spoke to a doctor friend of mine and asked if there was a cure for it that he could recommend. He told me that he had it too and if I stumbled upon a cure to please tell him!

That leads me back to the title of this blog ‘No Silence’ and yet strangely beyond the buzzing there is silence.

Addendum

Walter Macken,  (born 1915, Galway, Ireland.—died April 22, 1967, Galway), Irish novelist and dramatist whose tales combine an honest and often harsh reflection of the realities of Irish life with a love of Ireland and a compassionate respect for its people.

Macken was an actor and stage manager in Galway, where he became actor-manager-director of the Gaelic Theatre. He was also connected with the famous Abbey Theatre in Dublin. Macken’s novel Rain on the Wind (1950), a story of Galway life, was popular in Europe and in the United States. He later wrote a trilogy of historical novels, including Seek the Fair Land (1959), set in Cromwellian Ireland; The Silent People(1962), depicting the great Irish potato famine; and The Scorching Wind(1964), which brought the story up to the present day. As a dramatist Macken is chiefly known for Mungo’s Mansion, performed in 1946 at the Abbey Theatre and in 1947 in London as Galway Handicap. Macken also wrote Home Is the Hero, which was produced by the Abbey Theatre in 1952, published in 1953, and filmed in 1959.

A Walk With A Red Cap

It being good day weather-wise and having very little to do or, to be more precise, having finished the tasks set for me by Mrs H, I decided to go for a stroll with my irascible friend Hazel (name changed to protect his real identity). He lives in the hedgerows for most of his time although he has been known to enter our home to use my computer causing me a few problems by leaving odd comments here and there on blogs and by trying to go further into the system and typing in the wrong passwords.

So I stepped across to his known sleeping place at this time of the year and found him amongst the blue flowers gently snoring away. The flash from my camera awoke him as 

I knew it would. 

Sleepily he said, 'What in ****'s name do you want ?'

'I thought you might like to go for a walk with me as it is a warm day.'

Hazel replied 'OK so, just give me a moment to wake up.'

Within the blink of a human eye Hazel was wide awake and looking for adventure. Together we went for our walk with him leading the way. 

You may well be familiar with Yeats' poem about walking with a faery hand in hand ? 

Let me assure you this is certainly not the case with Hazel and I, for as well acquainted as we are, neither he nor I would ever dream of holding hands as his skin is closer to that of an amphibian, quite cool to the touch and has a very different texture to ours.

I am sure he feels the same way about my skin as he shies away from all human contact. 

We had not walked more than two hundred yards when Hazel spotted this toadstool in the grass. He instantly decided that it would make a tasty snack so he plonked himself down giving me only a few seconds to take out my camera and take this photo which, I am sure you will agree, is a very rare shot.

With a great deal lip smacking, he devoured it within seconds as to him it was a great delicacy but very likely harmful to humans.

After his snack our journey together continued along the road uneventfully apart from Hazel jumping into the hedge every time the sound of a vehicle was heard. 

As he wisely said it would not bode well for him or me to be seen together. 

Our walk took us towards the entrance of a fine old house where Hazel stopped briefly to stroke a lantern dog 'for Luck' he told me. 

Here he is again within the meadow which his tribe have occupied for hundreds of generations or so said Hazel. To be honest I have no idea how old he is in human terms

and I would certainly not want to offend him by enquiring, for I have my own private thoughts about Themselves.

I can tell you this though, on the hillside above him is one of their cities and the field just behind him is where, on moonlit nights, they dance and make merry.

Our perambulation continued down a narrow road, a perfumed road, where the combined scents of wild honeysuckle and meadowsweet gave an aroma of honeyed toffee.

We both breathed in deeply and licked our lips. 

I could see that Hazel was just a little intoxicated as he jumped up to sit on a concrete stile and peering at the house beyond I heard him say 'I wonder if the woman of the house is baking today?' He hopped down and we continued along together in silence.

Our walk together ceased when Hazel lay down near a bed of richly scented roses saying

 'This will give you a fine picture and me a place to stay for the rest of the day.' 

So I left him and turned to head for home carrying about me a strong perfume of roses. Just as I went through our gateway, I glanced in my top pocket to see a rose head peeping out and this I gave to Mrs H.

No Privatisation !

NO PRIVATISATION.... Irish Water,Irish Nation!
Recorded live in the kitchen of Campbells Tavern, Cloughanover Co. Galway by Eamon deStaic and Liam Donoghue and edited by Philip Noone.
Featuting Aindrias deStaic,Noelie McDonnell,Donal Gibbons,Fabian Joyce,Liam Ivory,Dave Clancy, Willy Merrigan and Joe Fury.
This is what happens when a bunch of friends and musicians, after playing a gig together ,start talking politics in a rural kitchen in the wee hours.

The Sensational !

The Sensational Melissa Etheridge who I could listen to forever, though I do feel that she is unfortunately underrated for she is a very talented singer and musician.

A Cool Scene

My activities are some what curtailed today so I decided to visit YouTube for some relaxing music

and I found this piece from Colm which I hope you will all enjoy .

NOTE! The video time shows 0.00 - 0. 00 don't be fooled just click on the picture and it will start to play - in this case bullying is good!

A JOINT BIRTHDAY

My friend Ita and I share the same birthday and often have a joint celebration, I should stress that there are several years of difference between us, however that day is the 9th of January.

The niner's at play

OUR JOINT PARTY

Started at 3pm when our friends arrived some of whom where musicians and we partied away for 12 and half hours before falling into bed. It was a brilliant time of song music and dance; the nominated photographer slipped into the joviality and the consequence is that very few pics were taken.

Musicians in session

Charles on the harmonica, Seamus on the accordion

and Colm Mac Con Iommaire on the fiddle

Sean-nós dance is an older style of traditional 

solo Irish dance and is a casual dance form. 

A SECOND PARTY

Took place on the 12th January at 3pm for those who were unable to make the one on the 9th, this one was minus musicians and it focused mainly around a Storyteller who arrived and sat in the kitchen entertaining guests by the telling his tales for most of the night, similar to the first party this one went on till gone 4 in the morning!

I have gloriously celebrated my 70th birthday and am looking forward now to my 150th !

If I had any doubts this card sure told me

The grand collection of cards

A special gift from Lucy

representing Earth, Air, Fire & Water

her web site

http://crelegra.com

Ita and I wish to thank everyone who attended both parties, because we know that some of you travelled many miles from all over the isle of Ireland to be with us; our very special thanks and appreciation go to Mrs H whose organising ability astounded us ! 

A BIT OF BACKGROUND (about me)

A wonderful event took place in Birmingham City Children’s Hospital on January 9th 1943 at approximately 0520, the timing, place and date were unique for it marked the umpteenth rebirth of Me. Little did I realise at the time that a warm welcome heralded my arrival, for evidently several resounding blasts were heard in the locality.

These were caused by the Birmingham Blitz of heavy bombing by the then enemy (9 August 1940 - 23 April 1943). Overall, about 2,000 tons of bombs were dropped on Birmingham making it the fourth most heavily bombed city in the United Kingdom. Is it any wonder then that sound of a propeller driven plane flying at night has always awakened me?

Happier events though were around the corner when hostilities ceased and chocolate, biscuits and other goodies became available and better still, we departed from ‘Brum’ in 1946 to soft and sleepy Somerset.