​Nearly every Irish family has a story of emigration and migration.  When I was visiting my hometown last week, I took the opportunity of visiting Cobh in Co. Cork about an hour and a half from Carrick-on-Suir.  Up until 1920 Cobh was called Queenstown.  One of the major transatlantic Irish ports historically, the town was the departure point for 2.5 million of the 6 million Irish people who emigrated to North America between 1848 and 1950. 

​On 1 Nov 2019, just over 240 months ago, I published my first blog post on my bucketlist blog website 80b480.com.  I was still recovering from my 2017 stroke and multiple organ failure and 12 months since I took redundancy from the Exchange.  I had this vague idea that because I had come so close to dying I should make a list of all the things I wanted to do on my bucketlist and start 

One of the nice things about living in Dublin is the amount of art installations visible throughout the city.  With numerous statues, sculptures, fountains, murals and other installations, you’re never too far from a piece of art.  Now, that’s not to say that everyone is in agreement as to what’s art….Dubliners have a habit of slagging off their art pieces with descriptive nicknames of their own.  Who remembers the poor “Floozie in the Jacuzzi” (The Anna Livia Fountain now in the 

My beloved mother Peggy passed away in Feb 2014. It took me a few weeks to gather my courage to go through her “bits and bobs”.  In a blanket box behind the bedroom door, I found the bundle of letters tied with a red ribbon. Forty years ago this year, my best friend Catherine and I had 

​The wedding photo on our wall at home of Peggy’s grandparents, John Gough and Alice Mulcahy, first got me interested in family trees and genealogy.  I wondered what their life had been like in Massachusetts, what had brought them back to Ireland in 1899 and what had become of their family…. especially their daughters born in America who had re-emigrated. 

​My hometown of Carrick-on-Suir is renowned for its musical and theatrical heritage.  My earliest memories are of going to see my neighbour Madge when the (then) Carrick-on-Suir Amateur Operatic Society were performing “Cinderella” in the Ormonde Hall. It was my first time seeing a musical live and, in the flesh, and I remember being mesmerised by the live orchestra, the singing 

​Now, if I had a Euro for every time I heard that nursery rhyme recited to me, I could have retired 10 years ago 😂.  But as it happens, one of my Covid-19 lockdown projects has been exactly that…getting my garden to grow.  Actually… my livingroom Balcony and bedroom Terrace to be more precise…seeing as I live in a 6th floor city centre apartment in the middle of Dublin.  While in lockdown, private outside space is more valuable than ever; we’ve all learnt and I've found that gardening is really good for the soul.

Themed Parties are a fun way to celebrate key milestones and events. Significant birthdays, Christmas functions, engagement parties, school reunions and even weddings can be a whole lot more craic when there’s a theme! 

This time 5 years ago I had a “Hippy” Party for my 50th birthday….being born in the mid-1960s.  I’m not exactly a party person and I’m 100% certain I am not the most fun person you know.  In fact, I’m probably one of the least fun people you know.  My idea of a good time is curled up by the fire on a winter’s night with a good book and a steaming hot mug of hot chocolate.  But despite all of that, I’m not sure about anyone else ….but I really enjoyed that “Hippy” Party. 
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I learned a lot from organising it (with the wonderful help of family and friends) so the planning was never overwhelming.  When all of this Covid-19 malarkey is hopefully a distant bad memory, these tips may help you throw the best themed post-Covid party ever!!

Learn 8 Poems

So…..why learn poems??  Well I read somewhere that poets have the uncanny ability to tap into the realm of spirit. Poems enable us to transcend the mundane, and experience the world as we see and feel it. Poets have the ability to turn what to most people, are chaotic thoughts and feelings, into beautiful and meaningful works of art. Poets pass on what they have learned through their words and believe it is their duty to pass it on. All cultures revere their poets, none more so than my own, the Irish. We call them Seanchaí (shan-a-key) meaning the storytellers, the bards and the minstrels.
 
OK, it’s so difficult to pick just 8 poems!!  After all, poems are written about all aspects of life and death – love, loss, nature, beauty, human struggle, amusement etc.   In Ireland, we are blessed with having some of the world’s best poets that it’s almost impossible to pick only 8!!  We learn poems from Primary School upwards……and everyone has a favourite poem/ poet.
 
So forgive me if you don’t see your personal favourite here.  I’ve cast the net wider than just Irish poems/ poets….to those that resonate with me.  Some I remember from school (thanks to Mrs. Denny) and some I’ve learnt along the way.  3 of the poets I've chosen are called William!!  So here are 8 of my favourite poems which are in