{"id":5196,"date":"2022-02-22T01:45:03","date_gmt":"2022-02-22T01:45:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/?p=5196"},"modified":"2022-07-20T16:46:19","modified_gmt":"2022-07-20T15:46:19","slug":"the-big-100-my-father-never-got-to-see","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/the-big-100-my-father-never-got-to-see\/","title":{"rendered":"The Big 100 My Father Never Got to See"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dad would have been one hundred today, if still alive. He would have enjoyed cashing the cheque from the President he often said. It wasn’t to be. Today we Remember a North Longford<\/em><\/strong><\/a> man.<\/p>\n

He was defined by his building, most of what he made still stands, unlike what professional builders have put up that’s falling down. His brother in law was interned in the 1950’s, the last time that happened south of the border. There was no income, no social welfare for the families of the interned, to break their will.<\/p>\n

My grandfather told him to build his sister a henhouse, so she could sell eggs. And thats how she survived, on egg money, and help of family and friends. They were tough hard times.<\/p>\n

So, it started with a henhouse, and ended up with “The Window Crisis and the Miracle of the Porch<\/strong><\/em><\/a>“.<\/p>\n

Along the way, there was a bit of smuggling – remembered in “On the Border Run<\/strong><\/em><\/a>“, a few bouts of fisticuffs ( “My Father, the Boxer<\/strong><\/em><\/a>“) and a life of hard honest work recalled in “I Have Not Seen What My Father Saw<\/strong><\/em><\/a>“.<\/p>\n

As a storyteller of yarns, ghost stories and politically incorrect jokes, he was always one to leave a smile on others faces, or if not certainly an impression! He recalled stories of his cousin telling locals of the Pashtun<\/em><\/a>, inspiring some of the North Longford Flying Column. The ghost stories<\/em> were second to none, some of whom such as “Rattling Buckets Cant Be Seen<\/strong><\/em><\/a>” and the woman and children on the wall at Willie Carty’s<\/em><\/a> are my favourite.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Our home place in Aughagreagh, North Longford – where dad was born and grew up<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n

<\/p>\n

\n
\n

Opening Up After a Hard Two Years<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ireland is just opening up after two years of yo-yo lockdowns and restrictions…<\/p>\n

The hero’s of this are the medics who worked with their lives at risk, the villain’s are both the government and NPHET who were as much in a power struggle of who would have the say as much as making regulations for the common good.<\/p>\n

Many were – and some remaining are – quite bizarre.<\/p>\n

I hope that we learn to live with COVID19 in whatever form it takes going forward. I look forward to poetry gigs in the coming months.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Remembering Civil War<\/strong><\/p>\n

Next year, we remember the Irish Civil War. The execution of Erskine Childers, the Ballyseedy massacre, Sean MacEoins excesses in Sligo…<\/p>\n

My verses on Childers, the Sligo incidents<\/a><\/em> and more still in the works are my contribution to #Treaty100.<\/p>\n

I also remember who history forgot, McEvaddy the sentry<\/em><\/a> shot in Athlone is one prime example, and I am doing research on him as I write.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dad would have been one hundred today, if still alive. He would have enjoyed cashing the cheque from the President he often said. It wasn’t to be. Today we Remember a North Longford man. He was defined by his building, most of what he made still stands, unlike what professional …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[194,308],"tags":[2354,4525,313],"class_list":["post-5196","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog","category-obituaries","tag-death","tag-family-anniversary","tag-obituary","column","twocol"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7EI4f-1lO","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5173,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/turning-the-big-one-hundred-a-north-longfordman-remembered\/","url_meta":{"origin":5196,"position":0},"title":"Turning the Big One Hundred – A North Longfordman Remembered","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"21st February 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Dad would have been 100 if alive today. While he always said his date of birth was the 22nd as the \"all the twos\" birthdate looked cool, we always thought that the 21st was the day he was born. Glossary to be added, as some of the stories make sense\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Family Stories"","block_context":{"text":"Family Stories","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/family-stories\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"How it finished - the last photo of dad and ma in relative health","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/How-it-finished-the-last-photo-of-dad-and-ma-in-relative-health.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/How-it-finished-the-last-photo-of-dad-and-ma-in-relative-health.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/How-it-finished-the-last-photo-of-dad-and-ma-in-relative-health.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/How-it-finished-the-last-photo-of-dad-and-ma-in-relative-health.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1040,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/breaching-the-veil\/","url_meta":{"origin":5196,"position":1},"title":"Breaching the Veil","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"3rd October 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Death creeps like a shadow and darkens our lives... In time the truth we see The shadow is cast by the unseen light Of the soul that now is free On our passing, we through the darkness will pass One again, once again, we will be. This poem was published\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Books"","block_context":{"text":"Books","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/books\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":758,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/obituary-ivor-hogg\/","url_meta":{"origin":5196,"position":2},"title":"Obituary – Ivor Hogg","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"26th September 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"The passing has happened lately of writer Ivor Hogg. Under the name of \"Poeticpiers\", he wrote on WritersCafe.org and also on Arcanum Cafe among other places online, rolling poems of tales regaled in the pure rhymers style. The American writer Tate Morgan messaged me on Facebook with the news. Ivor\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Obituaries"","block_context":{"text":"Obituaries","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/obituaries\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"PoeticPiers - Ivor Hogg, R.I.P.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/Poetic-Piuers-108x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5227,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/angels-cry-for-gaza\/","url_meta":{"origin":5196,"position":3},"title":"Angels Cry for Gaza","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"13th December 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Poets record history As only they could: Armed with pencils History written in their blood The bombs rain down All are guilty living there Mothers, children artists are not militants Israelis do not care. The Angels cry for Gaza History will tell the tale When the world looked the other\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Obituaries"","block_context":{"text":"Obituaries","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/obituaries\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Refaat Alareer - poet killed in Palestine in the 2023 Gaza War","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Refaat-Alareer-poet-killed-in-Palestine-in-the-2023-Gaza-War.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Refaat-Alareer-poet-killed-in-Palestine-in-the-2023-Gaza-War.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Refaat-Alareer-poet-killed-in-Palestine-in-the-2023-Gaza-War.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Refaat-Alareer-poet-killed-in-Palestine-in-the-2023-Gaza-War.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3814,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/december-8th-2011\/","url_meta":{"origin":5196,"position":4},"title":"December 8th 2011","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"8th December 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Cold wet soil of winter Is now her bed, darkness Eternal, wooden case embraces The body now still, but she Feels not the coldness of the earth Her spirit flown, at peace we hope As she seeks oneness with God On this her first birthday away from us We hope\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Death"","block_context":{"text":"Death","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/death\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Their last photo together in good health","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Mam-and-Dad.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Mam-and-Dad.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Mam-and-Dad.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Mam-and-Dad.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1079,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/divine-struggle-sylvia-plath\/","url_meta":{"origin":5196,"position":5},"title":"Divine Struggle – Sylvia Plath.","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"23rd September 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"The raging waves of the mind Tore her spirit asunder Yet still she wrote Those word we read... with wonder As words formed by worms of thought In a brain ragged from emotion The reader richer from the storms Of that cerebral ocean Lets hope it never is to be\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Obituaries"","block_context":{"text":"Obituaries","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/obituaries\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Sylvia Plath - Poet","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Sylvia-Plath-Poet.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Sylvia-Plath-Poet.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Sylvia-Plath-Poet.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Sylvia-Plath-Poet.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5196","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5196"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5196\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5197,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5196\/revisions\/5197"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5196"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5196"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5196"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}