Monthly Archives: August 2011

August 31, 2011 · 11:45 pm

Some diary entries … December 1999 to February 2000

3/12/99 – We let the kids stay up to watch The Late Late Show’s toy show, so they were up after midnight.

5/12/99 – Sean finished writing an unnecessarily long story for homework, and I had to get him to correct numerous spellings – his spelling is very bad, largely because he doesn’t stop to think.

6/12/99 – Sean’s teacher praised his story highly, which gave him a boost. She also praised his keyboard playing when he had a lesson later – he’s been doing a fair bit of practice.

7/12/99 – Susanna and I retrieved our Monopoly from the garage, and the four of us had a game – the kids had never played it before and really enjoyed it, especially Sean. Continue reading →

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August 19, 2011 · 3:41 pm

Sean’s music 28 … Lisa Mitchell

Sean used to play Lisa Mitchell’s ‘Neapolitan Dreams’ a lot. He really liked it, and he put it on a compilation CD for us to play in the car. I really like it too – it’s fresh and catchy, with the wide-open feel of halcyon teenage days – and I associate it almost painfully with good times had with Sean. I used to associate it with Vanessa Carlton’s ‘White Houses’, and could never remember either singer’s name, to Sean’s amusement.

The All-Ireland Fleadh is on in Cavan at the moment, as it was this time last year, when Sean was working behind the bar in the Breffni Inn. Now the weather is colder, wetter and windier than it was then – unlike last year, when we went up there several times, we probably won’t make it to the Fleadh this year. Looking forward to seeing Dave and Dervla and perhaps going to a different music session tomorrow night, though. Continue reading →

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August 17, 2011 · 11:19 am

Well done, Susanna! (again)

Susanna got her Leaving Cert results today, and did really, really well.

Congratulations, Susi … your mum and I are so proud of you, and Sean would be too … especially after the tough year you’ve had.

I always told you you were the best girl in the world. 🙂

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August 15, 2011 · 2:12 pm

Our weekend

Mossie, Sean, Liam Óg and Ray

It’s been a busy weekend. Early on Friday morning Pauline, Susanna and I were in Dublin for continued heart screening (so far, so good). Munterconnaught Gaelic Football Club opened its new (magnificent) facilities on Friday night – as part of this, the heritage society staged an exhibition of photographs – mostly old ones of local people, but there was also a selection of Sean’s photos of the area, which drew a lot of interest.

An excellent concert followed – the high point, Pauline and I thought, was a great rendition of ‘All the Lies’ by Timmy, Martina, Geraldine and Kieron. I sang ‘Will You Go, Lassie, Go’ with Noel, Pauric and Jim, plus Caroline on fiddle and Breda on harp. We had a few drinks in the pub, and got to bed around three. Continue reading →

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August 9, 2011 · 10:12 pm

Sean’s music 27 … Coldplay

Sean liked Coldplay, but wasn’t a huge fan – he may have been influenced by Pauline, who always said they were a boring band. He did put ‘Violet Hill’ on a superb compilation CD, now missing, that I have often referred to – I liked this song from the start, and it really reminds me of Sean.

The only other Coldplay song I remember hearing him listening to on the other computer in this room (and singing along to) was ‘The Scientist’ … a track that I really like, with its poignant lyrics:

Nobody said it was easy
It’s such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be so hard
Oh take me back to the start

Miss you, Sean. Still thinking about you all the time.
Continue reading →

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August 5, 2011 · 12:06 am

Some diary entries … March to May 2000

1/3/00 – Pauline took Sean to his keyboard lesson.

4/3/00 – Pauric picked up Sean for Gaelic football training … Susanna had made up a song and dance routine yesterday – she’s very good at that. Sean is writing a story: Pauline thinks he may be a writer, as he clearly has a flair for it … Pauline took Sean and Susanna to their drama class in Virginia.

7/3/00 – Sean and Pauline are both still upset about Peter’s death – they had a long talk about him after Sean went to bed.

8/3/00 – I taught Sean ‘With a Little Help from My Friends’ on the keyboard, by writing down the notes as numbers.

17/3/00 – Pauline and the kids went to a Paddy’s Day parade in Ballyjamesduff … It was very poor: even Sean, who is normally so enthusiastic about everything, didn’t enjoy it. Continue reading →

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August 1, 2011 · 10:16 pm

Sean, Susanna and Bertie

I love this photo.

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