Tuesday 26 March 2013

IT'S (NOT) A LONG WAY TO TIPPERARY!

So, apparently...
I'm not sure I need any more gift of blarney, having been blessed with a naturally chatty tongue, BUT who could say no to kissing the famous stone?!
Am only slightly (very) terrified about visiting Ireland at a time described by my Irish friends as Baltic, but I have dreamed of setting foot in Ireland since I first read Yeats, curled up in the heat of an ordinary Indian summer... Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths... I shall arise and go now, and go to Innisfree... and most of all, listening to my grandfather and great-great grandmother singing 'It's a long way to Tipperary, it's a long way to go...', which of course it was, from Bombay...
I was chattering to a Polish taxi driver today, spilling over with excitement about my trip to Ireland; he asked me where, in Ireland... Tipperary, says I, smiling. Never heard of that one, sez he... So naturally I had to sing him The Song. Clearly he didn't have ancient relatives crooning Irish tunes through his childhood. It was something to do with the war, I think... my grandfather was seconded to the British army (a captain), my great uncle (Brigadier Jim) led the Gurkhas, and music somehow passed through the allied nations, like a gentle daisy chain, unsuspected by the enemies. Who notices the passing on of daisy chains?
Here's my mother's portrait of her father... handsome, wasn't he? And the sweetest, gentlest grandfather a girl could hope for... can't wait to make him smile wherever he is when I set foot in (jump up and down like a crazy leprechaun in) Tipperary!!

3 comments:

Marcoantonio Arellano (Nene) said...

Have a great time.

Hope your health is touched by a magical leprechaun and lucky four leaf clover

Teresa M said...

I'm delighted to read this! I know you will have an amazing time - with love and luck, Teeza xxx

Jonathan smith said...

Hello Author, i am so glad to read this one. I found it so much informative in my perspective. Actually i was looking fir this kind of post since last months and finally i got this one.
http://www.tipperary.com/im_visiting

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