The Incredible Tale of MeejahLittle...AGAIN

I wrote this is 2011 when as a nation we were bludgeoned to depression by the steady drip feed of negativity as one media outlet after another tried to outdo themselves in the blame game. The hoo-haw over the perceived spat between Nephet and the Government yesterday reminded me of it. All parties involved are adults. All parties involved are trying to do their jobs to the best of their abilities. I'm leaving all social media, news sites, radio and tv news and switching to books and music and one daily nesapaper for the rest of the winter. One feed of 'news' a day is enough for anyone. We are as a nation talked out. We need to hould our whisth and have a big coladh samh. This will pass. And in the meantime yiz can contemplate the Tale of Meejah Little.

Well, MeeJahLittle was running around in Mad Money's garden enjoying flowers and fruits not his when an apple dropped from a tree and fell on his head. The apple was overblown, scabby, filled with worms and such and had to fall. 

MeeJahLittle didn't wait around to work this out - off he ran shrieking to find MeeJahBig.

'Oh! MeejahBig' he said, 'the sky is falling, the sky is falling!'
'Why how do you know?' asked MeejahBig
'Didn't I hear it with my own ears and see it with my own eyes and part of it fell on my head!'shrieked MeejahLittle.
'Oh Lord! Come then, let us run as fast as we can,' said MeejahBig. And off they ran to find MeejahBigger .

'MeejahBigger! MeejahBigger! The sky is falling, the sky is falling,' screeched MeejahsLittleandBig
'How do you know?' asked MeejahBigger.
'Well, MeejahLittle told me!' squawked MeejahBig 
'And I saw it with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears and part of it fell on my head. Twice,' shrieked MeejahLittle
'Lord save us!' cried MeejahBigger, 'We must run as fast as we can.'. And off they ran 'til they found MeejahBiggerAgain.

'Oh! MeejahBiggerAgain,' they caterwauled 'the sky is falling, the sky is falling!'
'How do you know' gasped MeejahBiggerAgain.
'Why MeejahsBigAndLittle told me' cried MeejahBigger.
'MeejahLittle told me' squawked MeejahBig.
'And I saw it with my own eyes heard it with my own ears, part of it fell on my head twice and then rolled along my back.' shrieked MeejahLittle

'Lord between us and all harm!We must run, we must run!' harumphed MeeJahBiggerAgain. And they ran and they ran until they found MeeJahNormous

.
'MeeJahNormous!MeeJahNormous!The sky is falling, the sky is falling!' they all roared
'How do you know?'queried MeeJahNormous
'MeeJahsLittleToBigger told me!' harumphed MeejahBiggerAgain
'MeeJahsLittleToBig told me too' cried MeeJahBigger
'MeeJahLittle told me first' squawked MeejahBig
'And I saw it with my own eyes, heard it with my own ears, part of it crashed down TWICE on my head THEN rolled along my back and THEN fell on my toe.' shrieked MeeJahLittle.

'We better tell the people on the edge' decided MeeJahNormous. 'It's our duty.'

So they all ran as fast as they could to tell the people on the edge. And the people on the edge all ran over the edge screaming
 'The sky is falling, the sky is falling' and then fell down, down, down  into the abyss.

 And all this from the foolish shrieking of MeeJahLittle.

The End

Ditch Cassidy and angels' voices

I haven't been out at night much for the last fifteen years - too busy working, minding me wains and reading to be bothered leaving my comfy couch at the end of a long day to struggle through a packed pub where one has to compete with blaring music or bloody sport on TV to chat to friends.

But for the last few months I have taken to joining Jemser on the odd Sunday night in a pub called 'The Slaughtered Lamb' in Swords, ( built on the site of what was once an abattoir) known locally as 'The Lamb'. The bigger lounge in the back caters for the younger crowd, bands and loud music and scantily clad young women - it also attracts a large Easter European crowd - our lovely new Irish who keep our little town going. It is in the smaller bar to the front that myself and Jemser go. The clientele in the Lamb is as varied as the band members of Ditch Cassidy's band - a lot of the audience members of the same age profile Jemser and I belong to , and a nice healthy smattering of younger people who just enjoy a great night's music.

Ditch Cassidy is something of a legend in Dublin - he has been fronting bands singing blues/soul/rock since the 1960s - his voice has that lovely raspy wellworn quality neccessary for a singer in this genre. He works with two other musicians (sorry lads - didn't catch your names ) a fantastic lead guitar who loves the instrument he plays and a solemn sweet young dreadlocked bass player completes the eclectic trio. They bring the house down every night they play (mostly Sundays from 9.30pm on).

Last night Ditch called on a young woman Ciara Moran to sing a few numbers. Jesus! The hairs on the back of my neck stood up! You know the feeling you get when you are in the presence of greatness? Well, Ciara Moran's rendition of 'Somewhere over the Rainbow' gave me that - it was in-bloody-credible, and if her full time job is not somewhere in the music business it should be. A name to listen for folks. Definitely.

St Patrick's Day in Swords Co. Dublin

I work alongside the events management staff of Fingal County Council and had to calm down some of my colleagues frazzled nerves yesterday. They were (of all things) worried about the weather for today's parade - the one thing they cannot control! So I assured them that by the sheer force of my will I would ensure that no rain fell in Swords between 10am and I.30pm! I was right! Mammy is always right.....

I had volunteered the Story Queen to tootle up and down Main Street talking to lots and lots of boys and girls ably assisted by my wonderful little pal Rachel Barker, who took the role of Princess Semolina. We had a basket full of St Patrick's Day lollipops which we distributed regally to all. Molly, my badly home-shorn bichon freise accompanied me with a lovely spray of bright green hair colour on the back. She was sumptuous and proud and a huge hit with the spectators. The Story Queen told the children that when she woke up that morning Molly had all this green spray on her and Ihe Queen got a frightful shock!

But Princess Semolina immediately knew what was wrong - 'Mama' she cried 'We must travel to Ireland - the green is a sign telling us to go!'' Well. I was terribly tired, I am 437 years old after all but Semolina was right and we hopped onto the next Space Shuttle (which is the second planet after the North Pole). We popped into Santa on the way and asked him to have a word with the clouds so that they might keep the rain away, Mrs Clause has just about recovered from the exhaustion she felt after Christmas and they are going to take a nice relaxing holiday next month.

So Princess Semolina, Molly and I chatted to beautifully decorated children up and down Swords Main Street, everyone there had made so much effort on their appearance. Everyone was happy and smiling and waving and clapping. I even got one or two little girls out to dance with me! A very nice Garda Siochana linked me for a few steps of little jig and I had my picture taken as I handed out lollipops to the wonderful Civil Defence people - who were petrified I might make them dance too!

The Parade proper started the with the Lord Mayor waving regally from an open top vintage car (my regal wave is of course the correct one - he was just imitating me) - there were football clubs, athletics clubs, dancing schools, all manner of wonderful floats and entertainment. Colleagues Caroline Bradley (who shaved her head last week and raised 1400 euro for cancer research) and Christine Mullen were exhibiting their wonderful photographs on the railings of County Hall - the staff of Fingal County Council are bursting with creativity and dedication to their community. I felt very very proud to say I worked for the Council today. And you will rarely hear me say that!

No staff member who partook today was paid overtime for their work. Some will be given time in lieu at some later date, others at higher levels regard it as part of their roles. We do take our jobs seriously citizens, we make mistakes but for the most part your public service is just that - there to serve you. And I'm your Queen!

It's St Patrick's Day - a day to dream and philosophize and we Irish do that so well! Maith Sinn.

Light up..........

The Christmas lights in Swords were switched on last week and it makes the village look so pretty. Some bah-humbug creature was standing behind me at the ‘lights on ceremony’ and he grumbled ‘The country’s going down the drain and the bloody council are spending money of feckin’ fairy lights and feckin’ dancing bears’ – the latter a reference to the excellent troupe of children’s enterainers who amused the local children as they waited in the cold for the magic to begin. Mr Grumpy was late middle age (natch) and a dapper little chap ( why are grumpy old men always dapper).

Now I take his point but for the Universe’s sake mister lighten up a little. Let’s keep a little pretty magic about the place to gladden the hearts of the smallies and to welcome home for Christmas all our sons and daughters who have had to leave our shores for work elsewhere. We may have less money and more worries but we’re still a damn sight better off than 90% of the world’s population.

Because at the moment – with our politicians telling us we have to tighten our belts, pay our debts (not that I personally accumulated ANY of this debt) and grin and bear it; and the constant battering of our eyes and ears by hysterical reportage in print, on radio, televison and d’interweb, it is hard to keep a positive outlook and live simply in the moment.

I’m not starving in the moment, nor am I cold. I’m not without shelter or love. I’m one of the lucky ones. So I will try to live as a child does for the next few weeks. Look forward to Christmas. To spending time with family (even if we are killing each other!). To exchanging small gifts and cherishing each other, eating together, laughing together.  

And clapping with delight at a dancing bear and some sparkly lights on a village street.

Glorious weekends in North County Dublin

It's not natural. The sun shining for two consecutive weekends (long weekends at that) is enough to convince my burnt Irish craw that something in the universe is shifting. And I love it. Bring it on, baby. I'm definitely evolved from something feline. I love to stretch all my limbs and arch my back then turn my face to the sun feeling my troubles falling behind me. I'm just a big fat lazy old tabby lolling in the sun soaking up its energy. I don't care if its not natural - it's bloody brilliant.

May is often the best month of the year weather wise in Ireland and there are lots of places in North County Dublin where I live where one can ramble on a fine day. The Estuary in Swords/Malahide can be beautiful at sunset as can any of the beaches within a fifteen minute drive of my suburban home in Swords. I'm particularly fond of Skerries but there are great beaches at Malahide, Rush, Donabate and Loughshinney as well. We're spoiled for choice in North Dublin with parks too. Ardgillan Demesne, Skerries Mills, Newbridge House and Farm are all beautiful places to ramble through ans all are child-friendly. The libraries in Malahide and Rush are well worth visits too (although they close on Sundays). Both buildings have been lovingly restored and I love the way they have used the old confessional boxes in Rush library as sound booths where one can listen to music or audio books. Ingenious.

It's a pity there is still limited access to the castle and church in Swords. The restoration seems to be taking forever and of course public money for the job has dried up now. The church is really beautiful and its restoration had been extremely sensitive. I still dream of having a book launch there some day. With a red baby grand in one corner and one of my musical friends tinkling away as people mill around sipping wine and telling me how wonderful my writing is. Dreamer? Yes, perhaps - but once I'm still breathing and writing there's hope. Isn't there?

Where is Swords' Buzz gone? - Panto Day 3

Some months ago I blogged about how Swords town was buzzin' - lots of life about the place, kids had plenty of outlets for their creativity, dance schools, choirs, musical groups, sport, music lessons, art lessons - whatever turns you on.

Tonight I feel like taking it all back and agreeing with the Grinch in my office who claims Swords is the most apathetic town in the North County. We had to cancel our evening show tonight because we only had six people in the audience to entertain. Normally we would entertain anyone who showed but in this case all attendees were related to cast members and were happy to wait until tomorrow to see the show. Houses have been very poor throughout the run and it is disheartening to stand on stage and address empty chairs.

But it was the small children I felt sorriest for. Truth be told I was glad for a night off - I forgot how much energy one uses in performing and an early relaxed night is very welcome. But the little 'uns were disappointed. I felt not only for the cast members under ten but for our lovely Sleeping Beauty's daughter who had come along with her father and her grandmother to see us. A perfect peach of a child, as talented and beautiful as her mother. She came backstage to be greeted by us all and to strike a blow with a sword upon the person of the wicked witch for daring to try to eliminate her mother twice a day over a five day period. She loved all the attention and went away happy enough - assuring us that she would be onstage with us all next year.

But the little soldier who marches around manfully for the Teddy Bears Picnic every performance but who has been too shy to take a bow up to now had decided that tonight was his night was more than a little crestfallen. Poor little fella.

However - onwards and upwards. And if you know anyone , ANYONE - within a ten mile radius of Swords beg them to come and see us in Rivervalley Community Centre on tomorrow Saturday Jan 1st or Sunday Jan 2nd at 2pm and 5pm. PPPLLEEEASE!!!!!!!!!!

Hibernation

I think I have sleeping sickness. I swear - as soon as the weather turned even slightly cold I battened down the hatches and disappeared into the safety of sleep. Strictly speaking I probably have some type of a virus which is shutting me down but as the only symptoms are sleepiness and a desire for quiet I think I may be regressing to whatever creature I evolved from.

All this would be fine and dandy if I didn't also have to earn a living, feed a family, amuse children, placate a husband, write the odd bit, clean a house, talk to siblings and friends, take part in the things I enjoy doing AND find time to wash myself. Very hard when you keep nodding off.

As each day/ night passes where I have slept six or seven hours more than I usually do I wonder am I going insane. I don't feel insane. Although apparently I tried to reef the hair out of my current husband's head in the middle of last night. He has quite thick hair and I got a good handful of it. He had to slap my hands into wakefulness. Must admit I'm smiling as I write about that. There is a certain satisfaction in knowing that at least in sleep I am letting my true feelings find a way out! Poor man.

Although when I think of the dark thoughts I have had about numerous colleagues in recent months I think I better lock the bedroom door when I sleep, in case a vivid dream has me stalking the main street in Swords in my fleecey red dressing gown with a very large poker in my hand looking for irritating fellow public servants. Hmmm. Parents should start telling naughty kids about me. Might improve behaviour about the town. Would I get a long sentence do you think? Would subliminal irritation be sufficient justification for bateing some irritating twit about the gaff. Probably not.

Ah well. I suppose all the nights I normally spend rambling through the house cleaning and thinking and occasionally writing because my brain won't shut down were due to catch up on me at some time. I wish someone would invent an Evelyn remote control. It would be a huge success. Yiz could shut me up. Rewind me. Pause me or quite simply turn me off whenever I was doing your head in. I'd be first in the queue to buy one!

Swords is Buzzin'

Walking into work this morning I met one of my neighbour’s kids. She’s a lovely young one, bright and bubbly, loves to chat and is a great little worker. I’m happy to say that since she left school four years ago she has never been unemployed for longer than a week or two, nor has her brother, two years behind her. And both of them have been employed in local shops/industry.

I am aware that the numbers on the unemployment registers are growing and that work in any part of the property industry, from building down to decoration is at a complete standstill but Swords and it’s immediate hinterlands, barring the closure of SR Technics ( a disgrace), seems to have been reasonably well insulated against the downturn. The Pavilions shopping Centre is jam packed every weekend and phase III with Marks and Spencer as its flagship store is going ahead. The cinema has a constant stream of people in and out, the pubs, restaurants and shops are all busy.

Maybe we should set up the independent republic of Swords. Bags I be Minister of Culture. Oooooh! Wouldn’t it be great, I’d produce on a performance of Midsummer Night's Dream in the atrium of Fingal County Hall, fairy lights strung along the high tension wires to make the place more magical, all those stairs and all that glass, it'd be deadly. Jemser could play Bottom, I'm too old for Titania so I'll direct.

I’d have a quartet - Cello, 2 violins and piano giving recitals in the recently refurbished chapel in Swords Castle. In warmer weather I’d set up a stage in Swords Town Park and have a battle of the bands for all the local head-bangers and would–be rock stars, we’d organise poetry slams and diddle-y-aye nights in all the pubs. Storytelling sessions for kids in Fingallian’s Hall, in the summer a weekend street festival – invite some of the wonderful street performers over. Have a Hip-Hop Sunday once every two months up around the Pavilions somewhere. Art exhibitions, local crafts, puc fada, tug of war. We’d fill all the hotels in the surrounding areas and bring millions into our straitened economy.
What else? C’mon lads, a prize for the most outlandish (but possible) suggestion – and it has to be cultured, ‘cause us North County people are fierce cultured. The prize will be….. a J.C. Savage 2010 calendar.