The focus, nay even the purpose, of a visit to Ireland was to visit the grave of Jeremiah James Murphy, aptly nicknamed the 'Piano Man'! So, who was he?
There had been a plan for 2021 but, like so many others, it got delayed because of the pandemic. Hugh, Colin, Russ and myself all served our time with Cable & Wireless, criss-crossing the World during our careers as foreign service staff. Russ was on point in Glengarriff to coordinate plans and book accommodation and restaurants as the only resident of County Cork, so the rest of us were the 'seagulls' - flew in, ate the food, drank the beer & wine, and flew out again! Well not entirely.
We converged without hiccups or delays - Hugh & Tammy flew in first to Dublin for a stopover, and then in Adare before driving to Glengarriff & Casey's Hotel.
I travelled by car by ferry from Fishguard to Rosslare, then a stopover in Waterford. Colin & Sue flew into Cork, as did Jean a few days after the rest of us. Meanwhile, Russ got the tent (read marquis) and, importantly, the draught Guinness and Carlsberg, the lamb and the pork organised at his.
Immediately, the craic and friendliness of Ireland was all around. Even Donal in Casey's Hotel was up to speed about Piano Man and the story you couldn't make up. So, who is the 'Piano Man'? He was Hugh's 3xGreat Grandfather, born 1795 died 1851, and was part of the Murphy family who started Murphy's Stout and Irish Distillers, which morphed into Jameson among others over the years.
He was in Pisa when he unexpectedly died, reasons unknown. Italian sailors refused to ship his body home to Ireland for burial for fear of bad luck, so the family arranged for him to be put in an upright piano and shipped that home. He was interred in it in Carrigrohane in the suburbs of Cork according to records and the account has been widely reported. All credit to Russ for his forensic detective work in finding its precise location in St Peter's Church graveyard. And what a spectacular tomb it is:
In its dedicated plot in the corner of the graveyard and surrounded by its fence, albeit both being rather in need of some TLC, it is enormous. And so it was there that we (less Jean not there yet), convened to pay tribute. Tots of Jameson Black Barrel were dispensed from a hip flask for the gentlemen, Russ mixed up Black Velvets (Champagne & Guinness) for the ladies, and so we toasted Jeremiah James in the appropriate manner.
I took Jean to have a look before we left, as she had missed the toast:
We did a few things other than just pay graveside tributes, drink Guinness and eat!
We returned for a party at Russ & Gail's with their friends and neighbours for our last evening together:
We found a dry window to walk down to Mizen Head, the most south-westerly point of Ireland, but a wet window caught up with us while we were there and while walking back!
At Gougane Barra the wet ground seemed to enhance the colours and ambience of the forest trails and running streams:
It was entirely appropriate to finish off a fine dinner with Irish Coffees, while not forgetting those other memories of:
As if we could! Till next time, maybe next year, and thanks for those memories Jeremiah James!
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