REUNITED

Nora's paternal grandparents' grave (c.2001)

Today (26/4/24) Nora was reunited with her grandfather who died when she was a child of 5yrs.

Anthony John was a strong-willed man. He built his stone cottage with his own hands in Meenbanad in the County Donegal just north of Dungloe (An Clochán Liath). Nora's father and his siblings were raised there and from there went out into the world to make their own way.

Nora's father became a teacher and then a headmaster. He was strict in matters of religion and discipline, and however unwittingly, did not do Nora any good when he brought her to a forced confession after she had been sexually abused at the age of 8 by a neighbour.

Nora's relationship with her father was frought throughout their lives. She felt she should love him as a parent but her feelings often bordered on hate.

Then, in the final years of his life, paternal grandfather, Anthony John, came to stay and an easy and intimate relationship developed between the young toddler and her grandfather. She teased him by withholding his daily newspaper, which she read to him, and he let her brush is hair. An intimacy not found in earlier years.

So Nora had a particular attachment to her grandfather and today Donal and I, his great grandson and grandson in law, had the emotional experience of spreading some of her ashes on his grave.

She would have approved, indeed, enjoyed the occasion.

Pól scattering some of Nora's ashes

Donal scattering some of Nora's ashes

The inscription on the gravestone
seriously deteriorated even since 2001

Donal, Pól & Poppy

Donal, Maria & Poppy

Uncle Dannie's grave

Nora also had a special relationship with her uncle Dannie, based on family and music. Dannie was among the cream, if not the best, of Donegal traditional fiddlers. As well as trditional perfection in his fiddling, Dannie always had that extra dimension from his colourful musical past which included playing with jazz bands in the USA. And I have never heard the use of harmonics from any other traditional fiddler.

If truth were told, Nora was the only person on this earth who could adequately accompany Dannie on the piano without destroying the fiddle line, and Lord knows, there were plenty of these out there. Nora had the combination of empathy with the traditionsl and a rigorous classical training which enabled her to adapt effortlessly to the idiom. You'd listen to the pair of them all night.

So it was a particular privilege to include a visit to Dannie's grave in our trip today.