StormThoughts

In joyful company we travelled through ancient Ireland. Telling stories, relating anecdotes, touching the elemental stones that compose the earliest settlements. We existed in a mythic realm.
This was a special experience.
From King John’s Castle at Limerick to Dun Aonghasa on the Arann island’s, we walked and talked, climbed hills to view the Bricklieve tombs, or stood in wonder at the Boa island stone. Sceir Court Tomb was for many a private moment to reflect on old ancestors. At Tara we pondered the tale of Diarmuid and Grainne, at Newgrange we saw wonders older still.
In time we could almost read each other’s thoughts, the fellowship deepened, and we were at one with each another and with the land we trod.
Deep spiritual moments ensued as we remembered an old friend, long time Sierra traveller, whose spirit was our guide.
Finally the Geasa lifted and we returned to the world of men, the company parted, carrying with us a little of each other.

I was in Crete when Paddy finally succumbed to his illness. I have known this man for almost twenty years now. We had great times together, as we hiked the hills and trails of Ireland. Paddy hailed from Birr in Offaly but spent most of his life in California and as an activist in the Sierra Club, somehow when we last rambled together around his home near La Honda, last year,I felt that it might be the last time. So it was, jovial, witty, carefree with his time and company, he was a giant among men, ni bheig a leithid ann arais.
Though Paddy was not what you would call religious, he was a deep feeling person, his humour…. crude at times hid that sensitivity.
Perhaps he would enjoy the irony of my choice of poem for his valedictory, I choose Gerald Manly Hopkin’s poem Felix Randal: Just see Patrick Colgan for Felix and I think you will understand, this is from all of us in Ireland who loved this man.

FELIX Randal the farrier, O he is dead then? my duty all ended,
Who have watched his mould of man, big-boned and hardy-handsome
Pining, pining, till time when reason rambled in it and some
Fatal four disorders, fleshed there, all contended?

How far from then forethought of, all thy more boisterous years,
When thou at the random grim forge, powerful amidst peers,
Didst fettle for the great grey drayhorse his bright and battering sandal!

Well it was almost inevitable, the Leinster pack were just to strong for Munster and Ronan just could’nt kick….. opting in the first half to look for attacking positions from penalties, positions that were extremely well defended by a mean Leinster defense….. and Johhny could and did kick his points…. one a lovely kick to convert a classic Leinster try by Rob Carney. Munster have problems but thats for them… Leinster just need to settle down and there will be silver again for the third year in a row. Ospreys looked good but really Glasgow were’nt a strong challenge.
It has been a nice few years and we will miss Micheal Cheika, but he has laid down a solid system and we have players coming through.

Western Greenway Newport to Mulrany return via Achill Spur mountain track

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We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.

For me these words are so incredibly resonant with meaning, how often I visit and revisit certain places, here in Ireland mostly, places that are significant with meaning, each visit brings new ideas and feelings and experiences and emotions to the fore.

This was a great trip if not the greatest match. The boys in blue did enough to ensure a home draw against Clermont Auvergne in the quarter final of the European Heineken Cup. We had 7,500 supporters over from Ireland. The atmosphere was good even if we were in such a big stadium, [47,000] altogether I am told, in a 76,000 seater.

D’Arcy was magnificent as was Isa Nacewa.

Alastair and Anne Marie enjoyed themselves and we met Brian Dornan, Eoin and his girlfriend [name gone sorry] as well as Greg.

We march on !!!