Labhraíonn beagnach leath agaibh Gaeilge!

Long pause, and then about fifteen

The following Monday, full of self loathing, I decided I’d better email him to apologise for any inconvenience caused.

GREAT news - almost half of you (people of Clare) speak Irish. Labhraíonn beagnach leath agaibh (Muin ab Chláir) Gaeilge!

According to the Census 2022 Summary Results for Co. Clare, the number of people who stated that they could speak Irish was 54,437 (52,482 in 2016), which is a whopping 43% of the population. Within this figure, 1,415 said they spoke Irish daily while 3,142 spoke Irish weekly.

What does this mean?

It means that there is a great chance, a 43% chance, that the person beside you on the bus, in the queue behind or in front of you, in the pub or café, or in your classroom or workplace, has Irish.

It means, you can start a coversation with ‘’Dia dhuit’’, and know that there is a 43% chance you’ll get ‘’Dia is Muire dhuit’’ in response! Or when you say ‘’go raibh maith agat’’, you might well get a ‘’go raibh maith agat fhéin’’ back!

It means there should be more Irish in schools, on the airwaves, in advertisements, in print, online, in shops and businesses, and on the streets to cater for 43% of the population.

LEAN ar na meáin-shóisialta muid / Follow us on social media, @ClárAsGaeilge, Twitter, Facebook agus Instagram. R-phost / email: lionranahinse@gmail.com

Imeachtaí/Events:

• INIS – CAINT AGUS COMHRÁ, chuile Dé Luain ag 11am sa gCopper Jug, Dé Céadaoin ag 11am in Insomnia (Tesco), oíche Déardaoin sa Temple Gate (8pm), agus Dé Sathairn i nGlór, 11am-12pm

• BAILE UÍ BHEOLÁIN – ‘’Dúchas is Dóchas’’, Under the Oak, Dé Luain, 5ú Meitheamh, 7pm, in aisce

• INIS - Scéalaíocht do pháistí / Story time i nGaeilge le MacDara, Dé Máirt 6ú Meitheamh / June, Leabharlann De Valera, 3pm, in aisce

• RAIDIÓ CLARE FM - ‘’Cúl-chaint’’ le Domhnall Ó Loingsigh chuile mhaidin Dé Sathairn, 9am. Seol nuacht chuig: Donal@clare.fm

• INIS - Rith le Ruairí, chuile Dé Máirt ag 7.30pm, ag Local Motion, Sráid Uí Chonaill

• CILL INÍNE BAOITH - Ciorcal Comhrá san XPO, chuile Dé Céadaoin ag 7.30pm

• INIS – An Fleadh Nua, ‘’Cupán Ceoil’’, Glór, 11am

• Déardaoin, 1ú Meitheamh: Conor Keane and Evan Ó Cualáin

• Dé hAoine, 2ú Meitheamh: Rachel O’Dea and Muireann Byrne

• Dé Sathairn, 3ú Meitheamh: Joan Hanrahan, Brid Long, Joe Carey and Sean Lyons you need to understand that you will never reach the high standards that your inner saboteur is expecting you to meet. Once you accept that, you should start your task anyway and more importantly settle for the results as they are. I suppose it’s another way of allowing for progress over perfection.

He was generous in his response, advising that he had had many similarly embarrassing evenings in his time, not to worry about it and that he’d see me around the office. He signed off with a winky face emoticon. Six months later, I joined his team. Our “formal” introduction was super awkward but within weeks we had quickly established that:

A Life In The Country

(a) Our biggest disappointment in life is that we are not Madonna;

(b) The Pet Shop Boys’ Hotspot album is indeed as good if not better as any of their predecessors;

(c) A bag of Manhattan cheese and onion crisps and a cold bottle of Peroni together is quite the pairing; and

Just last week, the topic of success came up at my sister’s. We had finished a breakfast of chocolate croissants, orange juice, and peppermint tea. So far, so diabetic. The sun was shining and the conversation easy. I admired the tulips in her garden. Her dog ambled over, looked at me with sorrowful eyes, and dropped his head in my lap for a little rub. It was just lovely and allowed me to be very much in the moment. Anyway, we moved to the garden and as I made myself comfortable in a chair, she took up a shovel and began to dig the periphery. I shielded my eyes from the sun, admired her Saturday work ethic, and asked her what was next. Not for the weekend but for her. Her answer basically amounted to what looks like a very simple, sustainable life in the country. I asked her if she worried about pensions and how much is enough? In short, the answer was no. We touched on consumerism, capitalism, the environment and the appeal of simplicity at this point in our lives, before moving on to mundanities like other family members and holiday plans. The chats, good weather, good food, and cuddlesome canines can go a long way toward being a balm for what ails us.

(d) As mid-40 somethings, we really missed nightclubbing. Since then, we have left our roles and moved on to other firms. It hasn’t stopped us going to ALL the fun concerts. Steps in Belfast post lockdown? Count us in. Rina Sawayama at the Olympia? We’re down with the kids. We’re about to see Lizzo, Sam Smith, and of course, the Pet Shop Boys. We’ve made almighty fools of ourselves by paying an extortionate amount to see Madge in Antwerp later this year.

Self Compassion

Discovering mindful self compas- sion has been a pleasant surprise. Instead of resisting a negative thought and berating ourselves for it, we can learn to accept it while speaking kindly to ourselves. In practice, it’s difficult and tiring but ultimately serves as an effective tool to have for the times when you’re calling yourself a donkey, whatever the reason.

I think, we have to keep asking the questions, irritating and disruptive as they are. Surely, success in life lies somewhere in appreciating the moment, not remaining stagnant and taking it easy on yourself. If we’re lucky, friends and family are on hand for light and laughter. The arts, community and charity are key components too. Maybe we should prioritise getting out of our heads and into our bodies. Does anyone know a good dance instructor? I’m determined to master the moonwalk before that birthday. Until next month.

Thought for the week: Living in hope

Spreading the word of positivity

I am grateful. Firstly, I have health. Secondly, I have family and friends I can be serious, frivolous or serious in a frivolous way with. The trick is to let them know.

RONAN SCULLY

It doesn’t matter if it’s a random Tuesday at 10.30. Buy them a bun. Pass on a book. Leave them voice notes. Text them until the message is received loud and clear. That way, the next time a dental appointment reminder rolls in, they can remain entirely apathetic instead of reaching for the Rennies.

SO OFTEN, I hear the following phrase: “Life doesn’t send us anything we can’t cope with.”

This isn’t to say that life doesn’t send us a barrel load of hardship at times, but that when it does, we can deal with it, that our coping powers are far in excess of what we perhaps think.

In spite of this refreshing news, we still fail to cope on a daily basis with the events that crop up. When I say ‘fail to cope’, I don’t mean that we fall into a mega depression or run screaming to the hills every time life goes against us. Rather, we moan, whine, cry, get snappy and generally over emotional about things that could otherwise be solved quite easily. These things, if we were to look closer, are perhaps not just problems, but maybe also solutions or as I like to call them blessings to help us face up to life’s problems and challenges with hope.

I have received many letters, cards and emails over the years because of the messages in my writings from various people up and down the country and from abroad. Some said they were doing great, seemingly on top of the world while others confided in me that they were barely getting by, living day-to-day, trying to make ends meet and that life was a hopeless situation for them and with many others dealing with circumstances such as serious illnesses, financial worries and lack of faith so difficult that, quite frankly, they felt defeated and overwhelmed by life. We will all battle hopelessness at some point in our lives. And no matter who we are or what our situation, “Hope” is one thing we all desperately need. Hope is what sustains us as we persevere, remaining steadfast in times of trial and discouragement. Hope means to keep living amid desperation and to keep humming in the darkness. Hoping is knowing that there is love; it is trust in tomorrow. As long as there is still hope there will also be prayer and you will be held in God’s hands.

Hope Is Everything

One little drop of hope has far reaching consequences for all of humanity. As Desmond Tutu once said, “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.” They say that a “man can live about forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air, but only for one second without hope.” Hope is seeing light in spite of being surrounded by darkness. Living a hopeful life is to recognize that everything and everyone matters, even you. Taking care of yourself matters. Hope can be the difference between success and failure. You can withstand so much if you know you have people who support you and are looking out for you. You can face just about anything, as long as you don’t lose the hope that you can succeed. Even hope and faith as tiny as a mustard seed can produce mountainous amounts of blessings. Each of us carries within our hearts the seeds of enduring hope. With a conscious effort and committed action, and rooted in God’s love, our hopes have the power to transform our lives and the lives of others.

Thought For The Week

As your thought for the week, pray for hope for the people in your life especially now that things are beginning to open up after nearly two years of lockdowns and restrictions. Every morning when I wake up I tell myself that today is a new day, a new beginning, a new dawn, a new chance, a new day with endless possibilities. And that gives me something that everyone cherishes, it brings me hope. It can bring anyone and everyone hope, and if you hold on to hope one day all those thoughts of a better life will become a reality. I am going to try each day and I hope you will too. I am going to wake, get up, dress up and show up and give it the best I can at that time. And if you aren’t going through any of this but know a friend or a family member or a colleague who is, talk to them, be with them, listen to them, guide them, help them, get help for them, show them where they can get help, be there for them, care for them and help them to show up and find that hope that you hopefully have in your life. I will have that candle of hope lighting for us all today, tonight and tomorrow and everyday that we will all find that hope we need in our lives. I wish much hope and prayers for us all and especially for any families or friends or colleagues who are searching for a loved one who is missing, or who is unwell or is suffering in any way. Let us all say my beautiful friends David’s prayer“God keep me well with acceptance of your will” especially for those of us in those longer seasons of joblessness, sickness, financial stress, addiction, homelessness, relationship strain and other ongoing life events and especially where the stress and frustration is overwhelming and where hope had started to lose its flicker. I pray for strength and hope for us all as we go forward on our life journey’s!! And finally, be a reflection of hope to the world. Let them know where your hope, faith, and trust lies, sharing the light and hope of Jesus with them. A prayer of Hope I like to say to keep me going each day goes as follows - “Dear Lord, I try so hard to be your humble servant, I come before you today in need of hope, courage and strength. There are times when I feel helpless and lost. There are times when I feel weak and addicted. I pray for hope. I need hope for a better future. I need hope for a better life. I need hope for love, care, shelter and kindness. Some say that the sky is at its darkest just before the light. I pray that this is true, for all seems very dark in my life at times. I need your light, Lord, in every way. I pray to be filled with your light from head to toe. To bask in your glory. To know that all is right in the world, as you have planned, and as you want it to be. Help me Lord to walk in your light, and live my life in faith and support to those most in need. Help me to shine my light to help others shine their light. “When my arms can’t reach people close to my heart, I hug them with my prayers of hope”. In your name I pray, Amen.” Let me say here to everybody reading, don’t let nothing or nobody take away your HOPE.