Going Home - Leaving Ireland

Going Home - Leaving Ireland

I'm sitting in Dublin Airport enjoying the memories of the last 10 days and looking forward to being home again.

Yesterday, Monday, I met up with my great friend Paul Carroll. 

                        Paul and Rose

Paul & I have been friends since our first day at kindergarten,  a long time ago.  It was great to wander down memory lane with Paul and remember the crazy things we did. Somethings I think, should remain a mystery so as far as the mischief Paul & I got into my lips are sealed. The only one event I'll mention involved a dog, a paper bag, a packet of Tayto (Potatoe chips) & a bottle of Bulmer's cider and that's as much as I am prepared to say!

Paul & his wife Rose " downsized" recently to a lovely two bedroom house in a fabulous location. 

Adjacent to a really nice park & a really great pub - what more do you need?

I met his youngest youngest son Brian while I was there & also Brian's son Jamie, who incidentally is footbal crazy & only 18 months. Paul & Rose are mad about Jamie & rightly so!

Paul & I walked a ' lap' of the field & then went for a beer in the pub 'Scholars'

                    Paul and me in Scholars

Eileen & Kees arrived from Boyle around 3pm as arranged and we went to the Square in Tallaght for some last minute shopping. We had some coffee before going back to Susan's. We then went to visit Pauline Furlong who lives a few doors away.Pauline was recovering from a bad bout of Flu but seemed to perk herself up when we arrived. Her husband Liam & daughter Mary were there as were two of her grandchildren. We had a great chat & discovered Liam was a Synge St past pupil & had been at the reunion - how's that for a coincidence?

We met Denis & Eileen for dinner at a restaurant in Rathgar called Bijou .

                        Dennis & Eileen

 The food was excellent & the company superb. What a fantastic way to end a fantastic day & an amazing vacation. I should perhaps mention the waiter ' threw' the first course at me but narrowly missed - just kidding he did drop it, but not on me

Dennis & Me

The two Eileens

Dinner at Bijou's

Pavlova

Rosin Eileen & Kees

Susan & Rosin

Eileen & Kees at Dublin Airport

I'm on the plane now with about an hour to landing. I can't wait to see Frances - the rumours that I'm quite fond of her are all tue!

EasterSunday

Easter Sunday

April 5, 2015

Easter Sunday arrived with the promise of sunshine and warmer temperatures. The warmth of the bright sun was welcome after the cold temperatures of the past few days. Following a quick phone call to my good friend Declan, I was soon sitting in his living room sipping coffee and chatting as though I had never left Ireland.

                                  Declan

I will admit there was some ‘catching up’ needed. Helen, Diarmuid and Brendan joined in the chat and laughter combined with ‘slagging’ was the order of the day. 

                                    Helen

The boys and Declan are all heading towards the completion of their Masters Degrees and as I said when leaving, “next time I come they will be qualified ‘eejits‘”. Of course in my heart I think they are all so great and Declan and Helen have the right to be so very proud … which they are, but probably would never admit! Declan is amazing taking on a masters as a very mature student and now considering continuing further. That man does not know how not to work hard. He is truly an inspiration.

I had a most entertaining visit with an old acquaintance, Michael Bushell before heading back to Monalea park. This was delightful walk but I found out later that day there is a shortcut across a bridge which would have shortened the walk significantly but I enjoyed the longer walk and I probably needed it.

Susan, Rosin and I arrived at David and Bernadette’s house around 4:30 for dinner and what a fabulous dinner it was.

                                       David

Stuffed chicken breast wrapped in a type of bacon and all the comfort vegetables including parsnips which I have been wary of in the past but enjoyed so much. “Thanks Bernadette for reintroducing me to a very tasty vegetable!”

                                    Dessert

 The conversation, fun and laughter around that table was so special. David and Bernadette’s sons Mark and Stephen who joined us are extremely bright and personable; it was a pleasure to spend time in their company.

L to R Rosin,Susan,Stephen, David, Tom, Mark

             Bernadette on extreme Right

                              Rosin & Susan

Mark & Stephen are podiatrists and, from our conversation, look to have a very bright future ahead. It was so nice to see David enjoying his family and being the “dad”. My memories of him as a young man show just how wrong I can be! David has managed his career in an amazing manner and deserves the rewards that ensued. I am lucky to be able to call him a friend and even luckier to have him as a first cousin (once removed as I have just learned). Bernadette looked stunning as usual and prepared a fabulous mean and incredible dessert. I’d go back again next week except I’ll be back in Canada.

Today’s enjoyment just goes on and on.

A short bus ride to Ahern’s pub to meet Hank, Helen, Maureen, Jim, Phil and Don Cashin resulted in an evening where, as we say in Dublin, “The Craic was 90”.

       Phil,Helen, & Maureen (90 years old)

                                   Hank

                                  Jim

                           Jim & Don

                                 Don

 Jokes and stories galore and of course the slagging was fierce; well Hank was there! And much to my surprise and delight Hank laughed occasionally when a joke was told. Maybe he didn’t get the jokes before! In any event it was a very entertaining evening. They even tolerated my rendition of Micheal Mor. We were also graced briefly by the presence of the deep voiced Belvedere alumnus Mr. Nicky Buggy who was ‘out on the tare’ without his lovely wife Bernie. Notably absent were my good friends Patsy and Jack O’Rourke.

As I rode home via taxi I realized how lucky I am to have such great friends in my life. They welcomed me back into their company even though my contact with them over the years has been random and sparse. What fabulous people you are … thank you.

I drifted off to sleep with wonderful thoughts of the evening and the past 8/9 days and realizing tomorrow Monday is my last full day in Ireland … Hmmm. 

Goodbye Paddy Furlong

Goodbye Paddy Furlong
Saturday April 4, 2015

The pathetic fallacy of the morning was not lost on me; the weather was cold, damp and completely in concert with the occasion and I have to admit, my mood. There was a huge crowd at St. Pious  X church when we arrived and the atmosphere was more celebratory than I expected until I realized we were here to celebrate Paddy’s life as he had organized it. Being Holy Week the empty tabernacle and covered statues seemed appropriate somehow and allowed us to focus on Paddy without the distraction of ecclesiastical pomp and circumstance. The single photo on his coffin with a great big fish he had just caught brought a smile and would have been the exact response Paddy would have wanted. I can’t say that I knew him well but my memories of him are a mixture of kindness and joie de vivre. Kindness; particularly to my mother, for whom he had a particular fondness and of course his reputation as a “party animal” is legendary.

The music at the church (all chosen by him) sent shivers down my back it was so beautiful. The choral music and arrangements were special. His son Patrick delivered a wonderful eulogy that captured Paddy’s essence and triggered spontaneous applause.

We met several “long lost cousins” leaving the church, Barbara Keogh, Phillip, Betty and Paul Furlong, along with Irene O’Brien, to mention but a few.  At the gathering, following the burial, at ‘Scholars’ near Old Bawn we again met Paddy’s family; Phillip, Patrick, Peter, Damian, Michael and the girls Clare and Ruth. So many first cousins once removed I never realize I had … and all delightful people.

        Lto R      Tom, Eileen & Peter Furlong

I also met Sandra (Paul’s daughter) and her husband, Lance, who played the piano so beautifully at the church. There were first cousins and first cousins once removed, their children and their children’s children; it was an amazing gathering of an amazing family to which I’m so lucky to belong.

I have to say the food at Scholars was fabulous and Peter insisted that we have a pint on Paddy. 

We chatted for quite a while with Peter, a lovely man who made us feel welcome and part of the family despite the years and the distance that previously separated us.

That evening I met with Hank and Helen Byrne, and Jim and Phil Callan, for a quick chat before heading into Dublin to meet two of my Camino Family; Greg Daly and Diana Martos. The Lord Edward allowed us to chat in the comfort of a ‘not over crowded’, and old world pub. The conversation was dominated by memories of the Camino and shared jokes.

                  L to R  Tom, Diana, Greg

 It was a fantastic evening of fellowship and the bus ride home was equally great, stimulating memories of my youth in Dublin.

A good night chat with Frances rounded off another perfect day.

Kickin’ back in Knocklyon.

Kickin’ back in Knocklyon.

Friday April, 3,2015.

There was no pressure to leave Boyle too early this morning but somehow it seemed like we were under starter’s orders. Packing my suitcase felt like my vacation was ending but I still have until Tuesday April 7th and while I’m really looking forward to seeing Frances, Robin, Pete, Farhad, Lee, BJ AND Holbrook,  I’m also excited at the prospect of meeting members of our family whom I may not have met before. Kees , Eileen and I will attend Paddy Furlong’s funeral (a first cousin) on Saturday.

The trip back to Dublin was uneventful … we did not stop until we reached Susan’s house in Monalee again. After excited hellos and hugs we were chatting as thought our previous convesation was continuing without a break. Susan and Rosin are so welcoming and laid back that it is joy to spend time in their company.

If there was anything to mar the day it was perhaps the fact that I stupidly dropped my camera at the Arigna mines and it is misbehaving. It still works but most of the functions; zoom, review etc., no longer work. This might explain the lack of photos in this post.

We went to Paddy’s wake and saw him laid out. He looked peaceful and his family were in good form considering.   

Back at Susan’s house we introduced her to ‘Lift’ and played cards till after midnight.

I forgot to mention the fabulous dinner Susan had prepared earlier. The lamb with mint sauce and all the trimmings was spectacular.  

Touring Boyle

Touring Boyle

Thursday, April 2, 2015.

Not surprising we slept late again this morning. I guess staying out after midnight is not as easy as it once was, “ah sure were only young once”. That doesn’t sound right but close enough!

After breakfast we discussed the troubles of the world, revisited family history and enjoyed another great conversation where the subject matter meant far less than the company.

A walk down the lane to collect the post shook out any cobwebs remaining from last night’s shenanigans; the wind and the damp forcing me to zip up my coat tight and dig my hands deep into my pockets.


 I had forgotten how penetrating the cold can be here in Ireland despite what would appear to be a favourable reading on the thermometer. I think today’s reading was 9deg and yet so cold but it eased as the day wore on.

Kees volunteered to show me King’s house and the Abby here in Boyle and while I wasn’t sure how interesting it might be I’m so glad we went. King’s house was fascinating in its history and the quality of the restoration. The models added to the enjoyment and the clothes and uniforms of the era were detailed and presented with imagination and flair. The furniture and general décor was captivating. The pictures below are but a small sample of those I took. My favourite is probably the model of a battle field as it is today … a graveyard where those that died are buried.

The final exhibit was the cells where prisoners were held after this house was occupied by the military. The face behind the food slot caused us to jump back in fright.

The Cistercian Abbey was a lot of fun despite the drizzling rain. To keep the visitor interested there were markings and engravings which we were challenged to find and we did … all of them. The curator was a friend of Kees; a Dublin man with a great sense of humour; we swapped a few jokes.  Apparently Eugene, the curator, lived in Kees’s house at one time and that’s how I found out that the cottage is known as Flintstone Cottage;  a variation of the former owner’s name … Featherstone. Wasn’t Featherstone one of Rumpole’s collegues?

Our tour was complete with a visit to Coffee and Sweets an internet café in the center of Boyle owned by another Dublin man with a wicked sense of humour. There I enjoyed the repartee, coffee and was able to upload the previous day’s blog.

Dinner at Frank and Cora’s … Fried Mackerel and all the trimmings was excellent and most enjoyable. Off then to another session in Drumbshambo where Frank is the main man.  I sang a couple of songs early on but shied off later as the crowd grew and noise level rose. I captured some of the action in photo and video. Mark arrived and I had a chance to spend time with him. We left before the end and I felt a pang of sadness as I hugged each of my brothers  goodbye, hoping at the same time I’d see them again very soon. 

Writing the book of Boyle?

Cloak and Brooch!

Party on

Kees Eileen and Mak

Frank in fine form

Eileen