There was a Lord and a King welcoming almost 50 young people to Belfast.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, and Patsaí Dan, King of Tory. What a welcome. What a day.

It started at 6am this morning, when you all met at the Conradh in Dublin’s Harcourt Street, about the time you usually go home. Today you left on what will probably have been one of the most memorable days of your lives.

Following your tweets, I think all turned out to be just a ‘little’ bigger, wetter, colder, longer, more complex, more fun, more exciting than you had anticipated.

There were some really beautiful beaches.

And there were some really freezing moments when you came out of the water.

There was absolute excitement and deep misery. It was just really really cold: Ireland in April – what did you expect???

My own opinion: None of you had ever done anything like this before, you just had not thought this through, you were stone mad!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or were you?

There is nothing in life you do, nothing that really counts, nothing that really makes a difference, unless your heart is in it, unless it has meaning. And most of this kind of stuff you never really think through. You don’t have to. It comes from your stomach. You just know what you need to do. You might make an attempt to plan these things. But then reality takes over and your plans go out the window. And you’re beginning to have the time of your life.

One year, with three young kids, we went to Ibiza. On a charter flight. We arrived at 2am in the morning. Without a hotel booked. In July. You don’t need to know anything about Ibiza to know that this was stone mad. We went there because I had got a contract to write a travel guide for family holidays on Ibiza. (That by itself was a crazy idea.) We found a hotel for the first night and a wonderful apartment for the next 2 weeks. The impossible during the high season on one of the world’s hottest party islands.

Now, Ibiza is warm, all year round, and especially in July. The North Atlantic Ocean is freezing, even in July, never mind in April. But there is a parallel: madness, uncertainty, and a huge amount of fun and adventure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I believe Mayo was tonight’s last stop. Hopefully, you’ll be all fast asleep and warm by now.

Pádraig sends his regards. I think he is somewhat embarrassed by all that is going on. All of you, wishing him well, struggling with him through the nearly impossible, to come out at the other end as a better person. Like himself. One day soon.

Thank you. Sleep well. And have another great day tomorrow. Pádraig will be there, right in the middle with you. Always.