unironedman

Saoirse lost her Mum to cancer when she was twenty-eight. Her Mum was only fifty-nine. Twenty-eight years later, she has lost her Dad. Michael passed away in hospital after a short illness at the age of eighty-eight, and the funeral was last Tuesday. Needless to say, it’s been a rough few weeks for the family. He did not suffer in the end, and his second wife and two daughters were by his side when he slipped away. All that morning, they had been singing his favourite songs, and his two sons had arrived the previous day from abroad, so there was plenty of love, hugs and support to go around.

The service was lovely, and Saoirse’s eulogy was particularly wonderful and I share it here, with her permission:

Memories of you

My first memory is lying on your chest, listening to your heart beat

My second is you, turning up with a suitcase turntable

My third is you picking me up as I screeched, afraid of a jellyfish in Kilkee

My fourth is you taking me out of the church on my confirmation, as I fainted and missed taking the pledge

My fifth, the cricket games you arranged for all the kids on the street

My sixth, picking me up from school in your new car

My seventh, waving me off as I left to see Europe with a boyfriend who you really didn’t like very much

My eighth, giving me away to a boyfriend who you liked very much

The ninth, teaching Dallan cricket

The tenth, holding Tamsyn in your arms, nine months after Mam died

The eleventh, telling me you’d fallen in love again

The twelfth, lying on your chest, begging for your heart to beat again.

She held it together well, in fairness. Me, not so much.

Then it was off to the local cemetery, where we again serenaded Michael with a few of his favourite tunes after the priest had said his piece. I was honoured to be asked to play ‘Fly Me To The Moon’, and the extended family joined in.

God never closes a door without opening another. And so, the day after Michael had slipped away from us in Connolly Hospital, Saoirse and I joined Tamsyn and Aoife (Dallan’s partner) to witness and celebrate Dallan’s graduation from Maynooth College with a degree in Law and Criminology. As an events manager, I might have some mild criticism for the big man up above on his timing, but that said, it turned out to be something of a welcome change for us to be amongst the core family group for a few hours, and away from the sorrow and grief. We picked up my Mum and went to the Salmon Leap Inn, which is becoming the favourite lunch and dinner spot when you need a familiar place with tasty food and pleasant surroundings.

Life, of course, has a habit of going on, regardless. I recall standing in a wing of Connolly Hospital, shortly after my own Dad had died, talking to his doctor about what would happen next. As she gently explained the arrangements for the next few hours, I was drawn to workmen down below, setting out shuttering carpentry for a concrete pour. How does the world keep spinning when your own has ground to a halt? But spin it must. And so, the rotation took our little rock band off down the country to play a gig last Saturday; too late to cancel. But again, sometimes it’s good to do the normal things, and keep your mind busy. We dedicated a Beatles number to my father-in-law. He was a big fan, and he played guitar up to the end, and had a fine voice. I hope he enjoyed the tune.

Running has fallen by the wayside since Gary and I took to the hills, save for a 5k trail run in the park. I have a hankering to get up early tomorrow and get out along the canal. I feel like I could really do with it. But that said, it’s been a long week, and I was working today, so it would be my only chance for a lie-in. What to do. I shall see what happens. Let there be no panic, as we like to say around these parts.

Just a few gags this week. That first one won’t mean anything to those outside of Ireland, or indeed anyone unfamiliar with the crazy world of the Burke family. I haven’t got the energy to explain. Google Enoch Burke and fill your boots… The Scottish graffiti is about the rise of right-wing gobshitery in the UK, and again, its nuance may go over some folks’ heads. No matter. The middle one is for Risa 😉

P.S. a huge thanks to everyone for their love and support. Ye know who ye are x