Last Friday the phone rang, far too early for it to be good news. I sat bolt upright in the bed, while my husband scrambled his hand around the dresser to answer it. Sadly my Aunty Cherry had passed away, my father's sister. He is the last of the six now.
I flew to Dublin on Sunday. Cherry was surrounded by family, laid out in her sitting room She looked beautiful, aunts, uncles and friends, cousins; once, twice, thrice removed, all in attendance.
After the service in Dublin, we convoyed to County Kildare, an hour below the city. Cherry was buried with her mother in Nurney, close to the family farm in Kildoon, a place she loved.
She was glamourous, petite. Had a penchant for shoes with high heels. She was my favourite aunt. When she took you out, in her Morris Minor, (I think it was pale blue,) she spolied you rotten. I'd promised I'd visit many times. I never made it. I'm cross with myself now.
Although very sad, it is also a time to see lovely relatives you forget you have. Swapping stories is great, but you can't compete with the Irish tales.
These days I only go back to Ireland for the sad times. I'm determined to take our babies to see their cousins..........they know their English heritage, time they knew their Irish breeding.....
Sorry to hear about your loss, but wonderful that your memories are happy. Isn't it strange how we only think of things when something big happens?? It's never too late xx
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear of your loss, sometimes births and deaths are the only time my family gets together too
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about your Aunt. I echo the Madhouse when I say that these occasions are great for families to get together, At my Nans funeral my cousins, sister and I all sat round a table at the Wake reminiscing about the whitsun week family holiday we used to have altogether every year in Suffolk as kids all organised by Nanny We wondered why we had ever stopped and decided to get the tradition going again - 7 years on and with lots more children/husbands and wives added we are still going strong - the first week of August now every year for us is Cousins week- we are usually in Suffolk - I get a limp in my throat just thinking about it. xx
ReplyDeletelove the music - what a great idea.
Lou, So sorry to hear about your Aunt Cherry. Very sad indeed. You should take the kids to Ireland - I love it there. Best holiday of my life was there with a good friend about 14 years ago. Sadly, I didn't meet with any of my relatives as I was young and in the mood for fun without family. I'm determined to get over there while we're in the UK. - Erin
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry for your loss.
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