Spring is Sprung

In the Wood near Childers’ Park

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Schiller

Statue of Schiller in the Garden of Europe, one day in early spring 2025

Hugh Stancliffe’s memorial seat with a view of Schiller.

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Writers’ Week Reveals its new Curator

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R.I.P. Pat Ingoldsby

In memory of Pat, I’d like to share one of his most powerful poems. Pat was a very empathetic observer of the world around him. We need more like him.

TONIGHT THEY PUT THE COTSIDES UP

Tonight they put the cotsides up

onto the old man’s bed,

“You can’t fall out and hurt yourself,”

that’s what the nurses said.

And God you should have seen it, 

you should have seen his face, 

as metal sides both rattled 

and bolts clanked into place.

He sat there numb 

and silent, 

silent 

and very very still, 

and nobody who saw him, 

nobody ever will 

forget the way the colour 

drained right out of his face, 

as metal sides both rattled 

and bolts clanked into place.

The nurses said the cotsides 

were to keep him safe in bed, 

“You can’t fall out and hurt yourself,” 

that’s what the nurses said.

The rest of us lay looking, 

we know that no matter how far 

that old man fell in future 

it could never leave a scar 

the way those cotsides did.

Nobody wanted to catch his eye, 

he was curled up silent and still, 

maybe he’ll go asleep for us, 

that’s it – maybe he will 

go asleep embraced in a cradle, 

in the morning they’ll take 

the sides down,

Go asleep embraced in a cradle,

that’s the way Jesus was found.

You couldn’t go over and talk to him, 

for that would only mean… 

you couldn’t go over and talk to him 

for then you’d have to lean and look in over the top, 

nobody wanted to do that, 

remind him of the way you’d stop

and gaze at a new born infant.

And merciful God you couldn’t peep,

peeping through the bars would be worse, 

You couldn’t go over and talk to him,

Softly he started to curse,

“Do yez think I’m a bloody baby,

Do yez think I’m a baby or what?”

then he sank down under the covers,

In between the sides of his cot.

Tonight they put the cotsides up,

onto the old man’s bed,

“You can’t fall out and hurt yourself,”

that’s what the nurses said.

The rest of us lay looking,

we knew that no matter how far

that old man fell in future

it could never leave a scar

the way those cotsides did.

…

Welcome to my Head, 1986, Anna Livia

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Birthday Celebrations Continuing

My birthday party is a bit like The Wedding Feast of Cana. It’s been going on now for over a week.

Part 2 was a day out with my friends to Adare with lunch in the Carriage House restaurant. Still feeling like a queen!

A little bit of horse lore on the menu

The meal was delicious and the company relaxed and entertaining, a lovely treat.

After lunch we transferred to the Manor for an post lunch cup of tea.

My image lools a bit funereal. These top hatted doormen were everywhere. I didn’t open a door all day.

Then we took in the chocolate cottage. Here you can drink hot chocolate or buy a souvenir confection to take home. A bar of chocolate; which is made on site, is 10 euros.

This box of luxury chocolates, handmade in Adare, costs 450 euros. I know it’s kind of vulgar to talk about prices in these places but….

We didn’t bother with the souvenir shop. We knew we’d have to take out a mortgage to buy anything there. We did visit the golf shop however to see how they were preparing for the Ryder Cup.

As expected, the merch is already in and selling well.

All in all a trip to Adare Manor is a luxurious treat, a great way to feel really special and to get a glimpse at how the other half live.

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A Fact

In 1970 one maneating tiger devoured 48 people in India. A maneating tiger can eat up to 400 people in his lifetime.

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