Use the time you have wisely. Also, be grateful for your life because that too will not last forever.

12 year-old Hamish O’Flaherty at his father’s funeral last week in Creeslough

You will all have heard about the terrible explosion in Creeslough, Co. Donegal, that killed ten people on Friday of last week.

This week, their funerals took place. A short speech made at the funeral of James O’Flaherty by his 12 year-old son Hamish, was probably one of the most moving. He said about his father that he had no shame: he wore a jacket with a huge paint stain on the side of it everywhere, in the shops, to the movies, or on the beach.

Having thanked everybody involved in the rescue efforts, he said that he liked to say something he had learnt in the past week or so.

We should be grateful. For your families, cherish them, be grateful for they won’t be there forever.

Use the time you have wisely. Also, be grateful for your life because that too will not last forever.

Be grateful, for you will be able to rest after your hard work. 

You can see and listen to Hamish’ short speech here.

Yesterday was Harp Day, of Lá na Cruite. There were all sorts of Harp concerts going on. The best one must have been the free lunchtime event in the Casino at Marino, just a short distance away from us.

The Casino is one of the finest examples of 18th century Neo-classical architecture in Europe and was only recently re-opened to the public. For us, it was the first visit. And it was spectacular. Three excellent harpers, Ann Tuite, Mary Kelly and Leah O’Sullivan, entertained just over a dozen guests for an hour in one of the fine rooms of the Casino (=small house, from the Italian casa), the Blue Saloon. You can listen to an amateur recording of some of the pieces here.

There was this small issue of the 12 beautiful steps leading into the Casino. We managed that no problem with the help of other concert goers. Those were the days when I was afraid of pushing a wheelchair through narrow isles in a supermarket – never mind brining it up or down steps.

I was thinking: imagine, a 12 year-old boy who has just lost his father asking the mourners at his father’s funeral to be grateful.

If he can. So can we.

No matter how harshly we believe life has treated us.