@McTag,
Hey McT " ohh... the Irish connection... it’s tentative at best (in every sense !)
but ...deep inside my heart - the Irish are special.
In 1987 I went out for a lunch break having got a tad annoyed with a very controlling boss who had basically said I would only amount to being “someone” if I chose the direction he believed I should take - hmmmmmmmm. So, during that lunch break " I bought a Round The World plane ticket (as you do), walked back in and handed in my notice. I left Dec 18th after having an “out of this world” leaving party!
Jan 1st, 1988, went skiing in Austria (what a fab place to ski - Soll) " I then came back home and 4 days later got on a plane Down Under (my poor parents).
I thought, at the tops, 3 months in Oz, rest of the world - 9 months " spend a couple weeks in Sydney and then travel around for a bit - but then, being BiCentennial year and the lure of fireworks and Sydney’s Harbour Lights, I discovered the Tall Ships were in town!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Never in my life had I seen such beauties. I climbed on the deck" got chatting to the crew (as one does) who appeared to “sing” with every word they spoke " the lilt was a serenade and I was hooked. They needed another crew member " one place left - once in a lifetime opportunity, so joined the crew of Asgard II to sail to Melbourne. From Day 1 " there was just something about the Irish " the most wonderful sense of humour and the "singing accent".... Being English " well, in those days, it was a little difficult " one of the crew (wee girl), her Grandfather was big in the I.R.A., another girl was a member of a family that couldn’t be any bigger in Ireland (tho I hadn’t a clue who she was), one of the guys was about to join the British Army (he kept that very quiet).... a ship full of kids and crew " and we didn’t speak about the difficulties " we were there to learn how to sail and...party <ahem>. And we did.
The ship rocked " 44 knots and Force 8-10 " it rocked big. I had picked up an Aussie accent immediately (which I still have at times when I get over excited! " or so I’m told) and was very brown at the time " so I passed off as an Aussie " not an English Gal. That was coco.
We used to sit on the deck, heading into the sunset.
Alan " he was the guitar player with a voice like I hadn’t ever heard before (McT " the photos are all in the garage " you may have seen them here) " anyhoo, Alan was just amazing " the best nite being on Phillip Island and on our roadtrip " ha " he wouldn’t remember me now, but I won’t ever forget him. He and I did the Pancake Race on shore " I won the girlies race, $50Aus and a pic in the paper and Alan came second in the pancake eating competition.
Niamh, Paul & Alan
We had the massivest storm, it lasted days and we got just a touch battered as we limped into Welshpool. I took the helm with the skippers cap and sailed her into Geelong
Funny ‘ole thing! Hence, my love of ships thereafter. (oh, and I was/am the worst sailor, threw up for 24 hours " ack).
When we went in to port " Alan would grab his guitar and we would go make a big fire on the beach " we would play volleyball, tag rugger and then... sing into the night and port... port... Molly Blooms Port. I had never been with people who had so much soul. I had a very sheltered and blessed upbringing, boarding school since the age of 9, knew nothing of the world, and then met a crew of Irish lads and lasses revelling in life and from different walks of life. I learned a lot about life from The Bosun " Grant. They turned the world around. Everywhere we went, Alan took his guitar and we held the Irish Flag high " he sang in pubs, with a jazz band, on the road and by the sea " he sang all the time " and we were the backing singers " ha! Niamh had the most beautiful voice too.
Oh, what a blast that was. Some of my very happiest memories. Made it to Melbourne (was sick there with tonsillitis) " but, as you do, 5 of us hired a camper van, had the most incredible trip back up thru S.Aus, Victoria and into the Blue Mountains and NSW - and drove back up to Sydney - where I was taken into hospital and had my tonsils taken out.
So far I had spent nearly 2 months in Oz, spent most of the time on the sea and with the Irish - and ended up back in Sydney. Recovered for a bit and then took off on a greyhound bus to Perth. Met Mark... one of best " cockney lad - travelled around the rest of Oz with him and whoever else joined our adventure - worked in Kakadu for a couple months and made some money to hire a yacht on the Barrier Reef and sailed there a few days " finally ending up back in Sydney before flying to NZ, Fiji, Hawaii, Canada, US, UK. Spent 7 months in Oz! Loved it. Never once forgot the Irish and how my journey started. Got sick the next year back in the UK. Everything changed. Few years down the line, living in the US for 4 yrs, married " had Big Boy, back to the UK, had S-boy.
Both my children, Irish names and have yearned to go to Ireland since ’88. You would have thought by now, just a hop across the water and having travelled a bit, as I’ve done, that I would have visited there by now " FQsis and I have been trying to organise a trip over since... forever, a girlie weekend at a spa hotel, but it’s not quite been the right timing. I guess I’ve been waiting for a special occasion " and it’s presented itself in the most unlikely format. (of course, that could change in a week - ha!)
So, next weekend, as friends <weird>, G & I, along with his parents, go to Ireland for a big birthday celebration " it was going to happen, then when I got back from the US things changed for various reasons and then, out of nowhere, it was booked and I was invited along.
It’s going to be mighty strange " but perhaps strange is good " being that’s the way it is, there’s a reason for everything.
Next weekend, dream come true " I’M GOING TO THE EMERALD ISLE " ON A FERRY! Not quite Titanic " but you know, it’s a boat. It’s going to be a long, long journey and I’m not sure yet how I’m going to manage my insecurities re the family and me just being me with the fatigue that is knocking me out right now. Whatever happens tho " it is going to be a fabulous time " how can it not, I’ll be in Ireland
I wonder what ever happened to Alan O’Mahoney (the young man with the voice and the wickedest sense of humour) and his guitar, Kevin “Herbie” McDonnell (who I was very much in love with, so was Niamh " ha " ohhhhh Herbie), Nigel (Kiwi), Paul " ahhhhhh Paul Giltinan, Barry, Graine, Tom, Steve, Andrew (Oz), Eammon, Barbara (Oz), Michelle, Gerry (Skipper), Guy (!), Aofie, Gillian, Liam, Steve, Moire (Galley Queen) Jackie, Carol (Oz) Grant " the Bosun... loved Grant (he looked after me after I had my tonsils out! " he was very special " he was Grant), Pete (PnGrunt), Ken, Theo, and my best compadre " my girlie " Niamh Cullen. I have every photo, letter, the ship’s log and amazing memories " we ended up losing touch when I moved to the US. Shame, would love to know what they ended up doing. You never know, might bump into one of ‘em some time
So..... there ye go, bet you wished you never wondered about the Irish connection now McT " now ya know - hahahahaha! <prods McT to wake him up> What is it about the Irish?... for me - they live, laugh and definitely love. Bit like a this crew " feel good!
<McT- now know not to ask questions " me, talk the hind leg off a donkey a? You knew that!>
So glad I got to sail on her.
Oh... btw McT - offer's still on for Fowey if you and 'er indoors are down this way - I know a man who has sailboat! <pass the bucket>
Missy " how’d the singing/teaching go today??????
Nite BEAgle - sleep big Aussie Boy!
)
