Category: People

We are grateful to the Garda Superintendant, who gave us a special permit to collect money, and we put collection buckets in many pubs and shops in Achill. The response from local people was fantastic and several people from Mulranny and Newport asked for collection buckets but our permit did not stretch this far.

On the big day, Sunday July 1st, we held a collection at the Michael Davitt Bridge at Achill Sound, and afterwards in Alice’s (Ostán Oileán Acla). From 1pm to 3pm, at Alice’s, there was music from Ray Cox, Wallop The Cat, The Mulloy Brothers, and Steven and Greg from Scotland.

We then had a half hour boat display from John McLoughlin, David Campbell and Michael Fallon in the backup and safety boats, and Rory on the jet ski, after which we departed for Johnny Patten’s where there was a further display before we set off for Clare Island.

The crossing was not as fast as we had hoped as the weather was poor and the sea pretty rough. Although we weren’t cold – we wore wet suits – my arms got quite sore from holding on! We certainly enjoyed the challenging conditions!

On arrival at Clare Island we were met on the beach by a crowd of people, including one of the Fureys, Dick Burke of Dazzle Discs in Westport, the Festival organiser, who was very helpful and supportive, Carl & Chris Grady and Jane & Patrick O’Toole who organised the collection team on Clare Island.

We enjoyed a fantastic night of song and dance with all the great musicians and to cap it all Dick Burke gave Steven and Greg special permission to close the Festival with a few songs, finishing with “Meet me on Clare Island.” They felt deeply honoured and were invited back for next year’s Festival.

As if this weren’t enough, we must say a special “Thank You” to Carl and Chris Grady for their kind hospitality as they put us all up in their hotel free of charge.

Thanks to the many people helped with the event, including my family from Scotland: Martin & Gillian Gibbons, their son Steven and his friend Greg; the collection committee and all the collectors, especially John McLoughlin, Michael Fallon & Noel Duggan who organised the collections in Achill and Jane & Patrick O’Toole, the collection organisers for Clare Island; the publicans and shop owners of Achill; Maureen and Owen of the Compass Bar, Currane; Pat Cawley and Cormac Ó Cionnaith of The Mayo News; Gerry Glennon of Mid West Radio and everyone else who was involved.

This was the first Festival and the first such Jet Ski run, but we hope to repeat it next year.

Finally, thanks to Al & Jane for all their hard work setting up and maintaining the Currane web site.

Steady drone of the aircraft
Boring movie,
Winding down at last
From six weeks of adrenaline buzz.
Half asleep with scattered thoughts
Of what lies ahead,
There is a feeling of release
Of letting go
Let it happen.
Harry is restless, he prowls the aisles
Then tucks a blanket around me,
I am grateful for the contact.
The night explodes into daybreak
Ears bung up
As we start our descent into the unknown.
Below are little terraced hills and trees
Misty and lush
Not like the war zones on T.V.
Noses pressed to windows,
Excited voices,
“Can you see”
“There’s Kenyatta”
“I need a pee”.
So here we go, back-packed, labelled
Documented, vaccinated, briefed
But unprepared
For 1994 Kigali.

Note. Harry is a Bosnian refugee he drove one of the trucks.