Well the Irish weather had to crash the party to give cead mile failte this morning to President Barack & First Lady Michelle O'Ba...sorry, Obama as the touched down at Dublin airport. A short meet and greet with President Mary McAleese at the Áras followed by the Tree planting ceremony.
On to Farmleigh for a meeting with the Taoiseach Enda Kenny where he received an official gift of a hurley. From the looks of it, his Irish Brigade will have to give him a few quiet lessons on how to swing the camán. :-)
After a brief lunch break and hiccup at the American embassy they headed to Moneygall for the biggest photo op of the day.
I bet anyone a fiver the secret service agent or two were minus clean underwear when this happened. :)
Moneygall is a small village on the boarder of counties Offaly and Tipperary. With the weather as wild as it was the fear was it would be a swoop in and out visit but the sun seemed to be following Barack all day and to the agony of his secret service went on a 45min walk about to meet and greet as many people as he could. The walk about interupted on brief occassions to visit an Siopa Beag and Hayes' pub where he not only met his relatives including Henry VIII but he sank a good pint of the black stuff, made sure everyone got in on the tab, told a story in good old fashioned Irish style and made sure he paid the bill before he left.
But in true Obama style he finished the day with a rousing speech on College Green, Dublin. Not to be out done by Queen Elizabeth he also began his speech with a cupla focal. He is one of the finest orators I have witnessed in politics so watch and enjoy. Is Feider Linn!!!!
Now if only he'd get someone to give me a job in his fine country all would be well with the world. :)
Starting with some nervous moments on Saturday night during the voting of the Eurovision Song Contest when Jedward started scoring high points for a bit (good god the country can't afford a win) the week was jammed packed with such a mix of emotions I can't believe I've survived it relatively unscathe. With the arrival in Ireland on Tuesday of Queen Elizabeth II for a historic 4 day visit; thoughts of how it would go; will the minority trouble makers cause a scene; will there be any major breaches of protocol sparking international tensions were abound. The city of Dublin was on lock down and many holding their breath and crossing their fingers.
Alas, very little to worry about. The Gardaí & Army boys did a fine job in herding the eejits well away from the Garden of Remembrance on Tuesday and the biggest talking point of the day was how she bowed her head in respect "for our dead killed by her country men". Watching news coverage through the week and catching up on those I missed on rte player I have to admit a huge sense of witnessing something historic in the making and a pride in the Irish people who gave the Queen of England a real Irish cead mile failte!
Yes there were tears... but they were not the only tears this week. As if that wasn't enough to jam into one week, add two deaths and a birth. The passing of a friend taken from us far too young and that of Dr. Garret Fitzgerald, a man dedicated to making this historic occasion happen brought many a tear and reflective moments. The flip side was the birth of Mia Rose Margriet Lovelidge! As one friend put it...Life delivers little miracles sometimes. Welcome to the world sweet pea.
So it's now Sunday evening, the tears of joy, sadness, pride and hope have subsided (thankfully) and the people of Ireland are relaxing and getting back to normal...oh wait, President Obama arrives tomorrow morning!
So today the Queen of England was visiting my home county with her trip to St. Patrick’s Rock, Cashel better known as just The Rock. Not to be confused with Mr Johnson this rock, according to local legend, was made by the Devil himself when St. Patrick banished him from a cave. He took a bite out of the mountain 30 km north of Cashel and spat it out, resulting in the Rock's landing in Cashel – hence the Rock of Cashel & the Devil’s Bit were born. I’m not sure those living around the rock would want to be referred to as living on something the devil spat out but who’d argue with legend :)
Historically it was the traditional seat of the Kings of Munster for several hundred years.
The Rock is an icon that stands out from the landscape and for some living around the Deerpark/Gortussa hills, at night a beacon of beauty. The Rock lit up at night is a marvellous sight but can not compare to the sight of the Rock, day or night, as you drive around the bend on the way into Cashel from the Dublin road. For me even though I have 14km more to travel…in my heart I’m already home.
Former Taoiseach Dr. Garret Fitzgerald sadly passed away at age 85. It is a poignant but fitting tribute to his efforts to progressing the peace process in Northern Ireland that in the week of his passing Queen Elizabeth II is visiting Ireland.
As Taoiseach he liberalised the contraception laws, but his attempt to introduce divorce was defeated in a referendum. He set up the New Ireland Forum in 1983 and signed the Anglo Irish Agreement with Margaret Thatcher in 1985 – the forerunner of the Downing Street Declaration of 1993 and subsequent ceasefires in the North.
He had the respect of people of all religions, nationalities, political parties.
Well, well…now that was a surprise! It even got an exclaimed: "Wow!" from President McAleese. So what am I babbling about? Queen Elizabeth II rose to her feet at the state dinner to make her only public speech during her 4 day visit and began with the words "A Uachtarain agus a chairde". The delighted and astonished guest responded with a rapturous applause.
However significant and historic that may be my favourite part of the evening was her comment to Mary McAleese as guest were raising their glasses in a toast …”I like the clinky glasses.” Priceless!
Queen Elizabeth II visited the Guinness Storehouse and received as all visitors do her free pint! By the look on her face as she backed away nervously I doubt she had a sip.
Tuesday 17 May 2011 was the first of another 4 historic days in Ireland. Queen Elizabeth II's visit became the first by a British sovereign to the Republic of Ireland. With so many column inches and minutes of airtime covering these 4 days it is wonderful to be able to witness it as if I was at home myself. Seeing President Mary McAleese welcome the Queen of England to Áras an Uachtaráin as a visitor to the country and not a ruler as her forefathers had been was a very proud moment.
Navigating any discussion on the sometimes sensitive topic of Irish political history is akin to a minefield at times. However, the overwhelming consensus this week is that it's time to take the next step and for everyone to move on. For me it adds another long lasting memory of hope and pride in Ireland's future. Previously on the evening of 28 July 2005, relaxing in my apartment during a holiday in Sitges, my eyes welled up with tears as CNN reported that the IRA announced the end of its campaign, and had promised complete decommissioning of all its weapons. I remember that moment as if it was yesterday and I will remember the image of Queen Elizabeth standing next to President Mary McAleese in the Garden of Remembrance as another of those pivotal moments.
I look forward to watching the remainder of the week unfold and hope it goes as well as day 1.
Eugene Reilly, farewell to an enormously talented, bubbly yet down to earth person whose mischievous character always sparked a smile and the only person who could possibly have persuaded me to bleach my hair.
At 12:09 today, sitting at my desk in work when Skype popped up a call from Susan. A welcome yet somewhat alarming event as we always use chat but such sad news of Eugene's passing she felt could only be delivered as close to in person as possible. He had passed away peacefully on Sunday and the funeral would be today. Both salon's were closed as a mark of respect and mourning for their great friend and colleague. The rest of my day was carried out through a myriad of emotions. Sadness that such a good person had died and so young yet relief that he was no longer suffering. All the work stress just didn't get even the slightest considerations in my emotions or a second of my thoughts. The mere act of combing my hair in the office bathroom brought tears. This morning I had for whatever reason spent a little extra time grooming my locks and as silly as this sounds was happy I'd done so, as if in tribute to Euge.
From the moment in Peter Mark's salon in St. Stephens Green SC some 10 years ago when he rescued my hair from home dye hell not another's scissors was trusted with my locks until he stopped working last year. Some thought I was crazy going from Naas to Bloomfield SC after a relocation for both of us; when the trend continued after I moved to Amsterdam and he to Brown Sugar, they thought I was completely deranged. As many a girl will admit, when you find someone you trust completely with your hair as I did Eugene, that's difficult to let go. Besides all the mischief, Eugene got to know his customers and intuitively knew what suited them, their style and ultimately their hair.
Personally, I've missed him terribly in the salon in recent visits. The salon already felt empty and I often thought of how he was doing. Though not very religious, I lit a candle or two in the past year that he would recover. I can't imagine how lonely it will feel on my next visit.
Rest in Peace dear Eugene. You will be terribly missed.
