The Old Man

They say every day’s a school day. Yesterday’s curriculum was pretty full as we continued our Irish holiday.

I was prepared for:

History: We heard some Irish history. The 18^th century revolutionary Wolfe Tone was fighting for Irish independence against the British… the French seeking to invade Ireland in 1796 arrived in Bantry Bay to help Wolf Tone’s cause but failed…

Botany: We learnt that South-West Ireland enjoys warm air from the gulf stream so semi-tropical plants grow. Visiting some beautiful gardens we used a flower-recognition app on our phones on flowers we didn’t recognise…

Religion: We saw a statue to the Irish Saint Brendan. I remembered his Irish connection and his travels; we were reminded that he’s the patron saint of mariners and travellers.  

Zoology: We went on a boat trip and saw seals.

I didn’t expect:

Economics: In the 1980s, during an international recession, local men started farming sea mussels. The industry grew. Now their mussels are sold across the world.  

Sport: The golfer Christie O’Connor junior loved south-west Ireland. He designed and constructed a spectacular golf course that we passed.

Film: The actress and film star Maureen O’Hara lived in the area. We thought about films that she’d starred in – especially with John Wayne. We passed her house.

I was surprised by:

Music: Walking in Glengarriff we came upon a crowd listening to a young woman singing a poignant Irish song about a son remembering his father who’d died. It’s been covered by many artists – including The Fureys and Celtic Thunder. The chorus goes:

I never will forget him
He made me “what I am”
And he may be gone
Memories linger on
And I miss him… the old man

Personal: We’d arrived at a funeral. I remembered recent funerals that I’ve attended where this could have been appropriate. I remembered good friends living with bereavement. My own dad died forty-five years ago. I thought about him in a way that I haven’t for a while… and I miss him, the old man.