I must be strong and carry on…
Eric Clapton, Tears in Heaven

It is this time of the year again: today, Sunday 19 May, Pentecost, between 11:00 and 15:00, we will have an absolutely brilliant time in the fabulous home and in one of Dublin’s most beautiful gardens of Pádraig’s friends in 85 St Mobhi Road. Marie and her family have been organising a get together of friends and neighbours nearly every year since his accident to gather support for him. Coffee and tea, the most delicious cakes, and an amazing raffle are all part of this annual Coffee Morning. As is the good company of all the people who have been making this their annual meeting, spending time together in great company. Every year, with one exception, we had blue skies and gorgeous sunshine – like today. So join us today from 11am!

In the meantime, Pádraig’s friend Keira shared with Pádraig some more, professional, photos of her wedding with Emma. For me, the picture with Pádraig in the middle is the picture of the year. Talk about inclusion, equality, integration, and sheer happiness! The black and white pictures could not be classier and the group picture taken from the roof of the venue on the most beautiful grounds will give you an idea of the incredibly brilliant people who joined Keira and Emma for their very special day.

Last Wednesday, I went to see Eric Clapton. I wasn’t too sure what to expect – but he definitely was one of the musicians I always had wanted to see in concert. When we were sitting in the 3Arena, waiting for the concert to start, I had to check his age: 79. Two years younger than Joe Biden and two years older than Donald Trump.

Contrary to these two politicians, Eric gave me hope. One can remain cool and energetic with great skills and a fantastic voice, even at 79. He didn’t sing Wonderful Tonight, nor Layla or After Midnight, but he made up for it with songs like Hoochie Coochie Man, Nobody Wants You When You’re Down And Out, Tears in Heaven (for which he was joined by the brilliant Paul Brady) and Cocaine. The only time, the big screens did not show him and his band was when he sang Prayer Of A Child. Instead, the screen showed scenes from Palestine. It was a statement. As was one of his guitars in the colours of the Palestinian flag.

I thoroughly enjoyed the evening. There was a bit of a wait at the start that really was too long, but when Eric Slowhand Clapton and the band finally began to play the night turned magic. Too few people, if any, play music like this anymore. I felt so lucky and privileged to have been afforded the opportunity to enjoy the company of one of the icons of an era, in a way the ‘sophisticated and intellectual’ pendant to the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, the Blues version of Dylan, Mitchell, and Young.

When he sang Tears in Heaven, a song he wrote after his 4-year old son Conor died tragically when he fell out of the window of a high rise building in Manhattan, I thought that there are also Tears on Earth. There is more to tears and tragedy than dying.

Time can bring you downTime can bend your kneesTime can break your heartHave you begging please

We must be strong and we will carry on. Here on Earth.

With our families, friends, and neighbours. Sharing and Caring. With Equality, Integration, Inclusion and Participation. With nobody being excluded because of who they are. All feeling the excitement, energy, and happiness of a fulfilled life. No matter what age, gender, or ability.

Thousands of years ago today, on Pentecost, tongues of fire came to rest on each of them. “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?”

Today, it is more important than ever that we understand each other, use a common language, talk to each other, live together, in harmony.

Today, we desperately need those tongues of fire, the Holy Spirit.