The Man from Mullaghgloss

Letters 2000 – 2002

 
Mullaghgloss, Renvyle
County Galway
June 2000

Dear Hildegard + Jürgen –

        It’s June again and I suppose you are looking forward to Ireland. Sorry that I have neglected writing for so long. Margaret and myself have been very ill. I have been to two hospitals. We are fairly good now. My eyes have been giving me trouble too, but I won’t bore you with anymore details until I see you.

Unfortunately, writing and many other things had to go on the shelf. Kieran said I will never be better until I come out to play again and meet all my old friends. So I took my fiddle and went out for two nights. I’m not at all complaining or looking for sympathy because I have lived a long healthy life and I am happy enough. I will complete my memoirs when it’s on my mind to do so. You see, Jürgen, I have an under-active thyroid gland, and I take a tiny small tablet every day which makes me drunk and dizzy, and sometimes I bump into things.

Two boys, nineteen and twenty years old, were killed in a car smash in Tully Village last week. Awful! Drop me a note and tell me when you are arriving, I will have a creamy Guinness waiting for you. All the best and God bless. — Yours sincerely Johnnie.

 
Mullaghgloss, Renvyle
County Galway
July 2000

Dear Hildegard and Jürgen –

        I hope you both are well and settled down in your daily routine. The weather here is very good now and tourists seem to be getting more plentiful, especially bikers and hikers from Germany and Holland.

I never thought your holiday came to an end so soon when Kieran told me you had gone. But indeed I am getting forgetful anyways. Margaret is not too well, she can hardly move her arms from pain in her shoulders. She has gone to Westport this morning to have a therapy done. Personally I have no faith in those people, but maybe it will help. I am doing jobs I never thought I would do, like washing up and cleaning and such things, but I don’t mind.

To-day it is beautiful here and it feels good to be alive. On Tuesday I was over there in Shanaheever to pay my respect to the young wife and children of a young man who died from a massive heart attack just when he was getting out of bed to go to an anniversary mass for his dad who was killed in a car some years ago. He was 40, had a lovely home and was the Renvyle postman. Perhaps you often saw a minibus passing through Tully Cross with Pat Lydon written on it, well, that was his brother. His little three-year-old daughter died earlier this year, and he was buried beside her yesterday. It is too sad. This world can be so mean to people who are so good. But life must go on.

I still play two nights a week in Clifden. I don’t care about it anymore, but it helps with the pension to pay the bills. Patrick says I can use his front room with its large windows and glass overhead to write in peace my memoirs with no grandchildren jumping around and shouting. That is a bonus I will avail of.

What more can I tell you from here, Hildegard? Oh yes, my sister’s son and her two granddaughters are home from Philadelphia. My son Sean will arrive on August 5th, and my second cousin and her husband and children will be here on August 7th. It will be exciting, except for Margaret who is no longer able to cope with it like in former years. But we will all give her a hand.

So I will finish for now, hoping all is going well for you especially healthwise. Slán for now and God bless. — From Johnnie, Margaret + Clan.

 
Mullaghgloss, Renvyle
County Galway
August 2000

Hello Hildegard and Jürgen –

        All is quiet again on the Mullaghgloss front after the hectic parties and gatherings of the clans. We had cousins from my mother’s and father’s side home from the U.S. There was a cousin I never knew that he exists. It’s a pity that it lasted so long before we became aware that we have all those fine cousins.

They didn’t know much if anything at all about Ireland, especially those on my father’s side. I guess their father couldn’t tell them much. He was a teenager when he left the country, and then it was under British rule and he was drafted into the American army and sent to France to fight for Britain in World War II. Back home they will know much more, because they went out and bought books to learn all about our history.

I want to thank you both so much for sending me the CDs [music by Johnnie and the Renvyle Comhaltas Group compiled from old tapes]. My cousins were delighted. The weather was wonderful while they were staying here. They enjoyed the place at it’s best. My sister is coming next Saturday with her husband, daughter and grandchildren. You met them all before.

There is nothing more from here to tell you, it’s the same old thing each day. I think the weather is going to break up, but we have no reason to complain. It was very good. Clifden is very quiet, it couldn’t boast a good tourist season. We only played two nights a week and had many cancellations.

Forgive my bad writing, my hand shakes, I guess it’s from of the tablets I have to take. Good bless you both always. — Johnnie.

 
Mullaghgloss, Renvyle
County Galway
Sept. 2000

Dear Hildegard and Jürgen –

        My sister and her husband are home, also the children [Johnnie’s grandnieces Fiona, Róisín and Sinéad, see Dec. 1997] who used to dance some years ago – you remember Jürgen? They asked me about you, and I told them that you have asked me about them. I was surprised when I met them at mass. They have grown so big and changed so much that I didn’t think they were the same. Their mother has a twin sister who also has children. So it’s very easy to make a mistake, especially when they don’t come often. I haven’t seen them dancing yet, but I hear they are going to classes and competitions in England.

I am playing to-night in the Central Bar, and I think it will be the last session this year. The tourists are leaving Clifden, and even the weather is becoming wintery.

Well, this is all I can tell you. Many thanks once again for the CDs. God bless you. — From Johnnie and all the Clan.

 
Mullaghgloss, Renvyle
County Galway
Dec. 2000

Dear Hildegard and Jürgen –

        Thank you for your greeting and good wishes on the 80th birthday. We had a wonderful party, far beyond my wildest imaginations, and we had all the family under the roof for the first time ever. There were more than 80 family members at the meal, including all my brothers and sisters and their families, all my own children and their children, and more than 100 friends and neighbours who were treated to food and drink as well.

There was wonderful music, and it all took off again on Sunday after lunch in the Angler’s Rest until 1.30 am. I got a nice presentation from the Renvyle branch of Comhaltas. It was wonderful. It was the best party ever here. I had greetings from many places in Europe and America. Indeed, it was too much for me, but the family who secretly had organised everything thought otherwise, and I am very grateful to them and to all those who had phoned from far and near the Letterfrack Radio Station to wish me well. All I could say was a simple thank you to everyone. Oh yes! Those six school mates still alive were at the meal with me too. We had a mass first at 5.30 pm. and then on to the Renvyle Inn.

No other news from here, only rain, rain and more rain. It’s terrible. I still play music an odd night, but it’s very quiet now until Xmas. I imagine if I quit the music and craic and meeting up with my old friends and having a drink I will go down hill and fade away at least. Kieran is always telling me that. Xmas is a busy time with all the greetings that have to be send to all the members of the family. A big number. Thank God that I can still write a bit.

We are well, and I hope you are too. So God bless you both and thank you again for your greetings. All the best and many, many thanks for everything. — From Johnnie and the Clan.

 
Mullaghgloss, Renvyle
County Galway
April 2001

Dear Jürgen and Hildegard –

        Thank you for your letter. To-day we have pouring rain and the mountain tops across the bay are covered with snow. But spring is in the air, and there is hope that better weather is ahead. All the winter we fed the birds well, and to-day they are repaying us with beautiful singing. It makes you feel good again.

I never felt so cold any winter ever. I think I was in a semi-state of hypothermia all the time. We have no heating system, and due to the bad weather we could not get the turf home from the bog. So we had to do with logs and coal, but it’s nearly over now. In spite of all that Margaret and myself felt well most of the time. There was a bad bug going around, and many younger people had to stay in bed.

We have three cows and a calf but no sheep, thank God. I wanted Margaret to get rid of them long ago, but she did not agree. They are treated like pets, but we loose money on them not to think of making any. I hope this foot and mouth disease can be controlled and it will spread no further. In England this epidemic is out of control, but the Irish people rallied behind the farmers and gave them their full co-operation. I see there are outbreaks of it in Holland and Germany, but the farmers here have got a clean bill of health for Irish animals. It would ruin Ireland if it spreads.

This brings my mind back to the Great Famine in Ireland, when it wasn’t cattle and sheep that were left to die but the people. A famine that never should have happened! England could have helped, but it didn’t.

*  *  * 

To-day I’m trying to finish this letter because I have been in the hospital and I’m due in again on April 30th. I won’t bore you with details, I will tell you all in June. I’m sorry that my writing is so shakery because of the tablets. They told me not to drive my car as if I had one, but I will be ok.

My oldest daughter Jeannie is very good to me. She lives under the Devil’s Mother on the Westport road. The night before I got to the hospital she collected me and I stayed with her to have a rest and an early start and good roads to Galway in the morning. She is a wonderful girl indeed.

I had such a long and healthy life that I feel bad about being ill so often, but I really should thank God. Most of the trouble I have caused myself – too much smoking and playing in smoky pubs, perhaps to much whiskey too. Guinness’s are talking about going on strike, that would be a disaster.

I hope you have a very happy Easter. Frank is off work for three months with a bad back, and no sign of getting better. I will finish now, Jürgen and Hildegard, I’m so tired. God bless you. — From Johnnie and Margaret.

 
Mullaghgloss, Renvyle
County Galway
August 2001

Hello Hildegard and Jürgen –

On Ballynakill Harbour, June 2001

        Thank you for your letter and the picture of Sean [Johnnie’s son] and Tom Heanue with the accordion – a very good picture. What can I write about? There is nothing from here, it’s the same old story from day to day. I played at a charity function in Clifden two weeks ago, along with other lads from Mayo and Galway. I enjoyed it very much! Clifden never picked up this year. The crowds are small, but next week is Arts Week, and maybe there will be more visitors for that.

I remember a day when Clifden was very crowded and I played at the Horse Show. It was a long day and sweltering hot, and, of course, I met so many old friends. For those not interested in horses it is a great day to meet people. The Guinness and whiskey was flowing. I really had to many drinks and lost all memory of the events. Next day I felt so bad. I was dehydrated, and the doctor ordered me to drink gallons of water and I got all right. It’s all history now.

My brother Paddie is very ill but still hanging in there, how long more God only knows. Frank’s and Kieran’s CD will be launched in the Angler’s Rest in two weeks time. We had a very mixed bag of weather, but after a heavy rainfall yesterday it’s very nice now.

What else can I tell you? It’s nice of Anne Jack to let you have the cottage for free when you return in October, but you really deserve it because you have been her best customers for so many years. You will be delighted driving down our road, the road works are finished and everyone is pleased with it. I hope you will have good weather.

I hate trying to write a letter when I have no news, but, oh yes, there is a film being made in Tully and other locations in the area. That will give some employment to the lads around the place. Some of the houses in Tully got an ancient face lift to make them look 19th century like. Margaret told me to-day that one of the film crew was looking for me, so they may have some music in a part of it.

So, this is it for now. I will play in Clifden to-night, but I’m getting weary of it. — God bless and best wishes always, Johnnie.

 
Mullaghgloss, Renvyle
County Galway
Nov. 2001

Hello Hildegard and Jürgen –

        Thank you for your birthday greetings and the kind words about Paddie. Honestly I feel happy that he is gone. To see him suffering was too much. Cancer is an awful end to think about.

Still there is that dark cloud over the family with a daughter-in-law reduced to only skin and bone. Margaret went to see her last night. She sat up in the sitting room, chatting and doing her best to smile and joke. I’m so sorry for Noreen and Kieran and his family.

I apologise to you both for not getting to be with you more often during your last visit. I was at the hospital with Paddie’s family. It was like a Vigil at a Shrine, day and night watching Paddie fading away. I miss him very much, he was a good fun. He had the biggest funeral ever seen in Tully Cross. He was indeed very popular.

God bless you both and thank you again for everything. — Johnnie and Margaret

 
 
Mullaghgloss, Renvyle
County Galway
Dec. 2001

Dear Jürgen and Hildegard –

        I hope you both are well and healthy. We are ok here, except for Kieran’s Noreen. She is putting on a great fight against the cancer, but I am very much afraid she is loosing the battle. She will go into hospital to-morrow morning and have the scan which will tell the story.

To-day is like a day in June. I can feel the sun shining on my back as I write. Everything looks well outside, the mountains and the sea, and it’s great to be alive.

There was a great night in Renvyle House Hotel to raise money for yet another cancer victim, and perhaps you know her. Her name is Etna, and she plays in the ‘Some like it Hot Group’. There were three groups from Galway, and the Kane girls and our own local musicians, they all gave a hand. Cancer is sweeping the west here. It’s alarming now.

I am sorry that my letter reads so depressing, but next year, with the help of God, things might be better. Socially it is very quiet here, and the pubs are only ticking over. I guess the people are holding back for a good bash at Christmas. I’m sorry I haven’t continued with my memoirs, but with Paddie dying slowly over two years and now Noreen I couldn’t. I feel heartbroken for her. Life can be so cruel. But I will pull myself to-gether and continue.

Beannachtaí na Nollag, I hope you will have a very enjoyable Christmas and everything good in the new year. — Slán ó Seán agus an clan.

 
 
Mullaghgloss, Renvyle
County Galway
March 19th 2002

Dear Hildegard and Jürgen –

        I have been waiting for something interesting to happen, especially on St. Patrick’s Day, but there isn’t anything to report. The day was wet and cold, and after mass I went to Paddy Coyne’s for a pint. After lunch, Margaret, Jeannie and myself went up again to the pub. There was a football match, and the TV was so loud. We only had one drink and went home again. The Angler’s Rest was just as bad.

Frank was over in France for St. Patrick’s Day, and so was ‘Duchas’ (Michael Casey, Danny Brouder & Co). I played with Kieran and took Frank’s place that night. The crowd was so big and it was so loud that I was glad when it was all over.

Kieran’s wife Noreen has made a remarkable recovery from the cancer. She was here this morning the first time since she got sick last August. She is very gaunt looking, but she is now eight stone and hoping to go to Lourdes early in April. It is terrible what cancer can do. Noreen, who was a strong girl and a very good worker, who loved life and a drink, now reduced to an old woman. Kieran is happy that she is alive, and he don’t mind how she looks.

Frank said they had a great time in France and they finished up in Belgium. Plenty Irish music and song there, and nothing here in Tully Cross. What happened to the way we used to have St. Patrick’s Day long ago?

God bless. Hope you both are well. All the best, take care. — Johnnie, Margaret + Gerard.

 
 
Mullaghgloss, Renvyle
County Galway
March 26th 2002

Dear Jürgen –

        This is like keeping a diary. Once again another virus has hit the parish. Margaret and myself are down again. Forgive this writing, Jürgen. My hand shakes after the nebulizer.

Now the weather has changed to lovely sunshine. The doctor has told me that those refugees here are bringing many different diseases. They cannot help, I suppose, coming from countries that are so undernourished and neglected. There are a lot of people dying. It is awful to see babies struggling to breathe; this virus is really nasty.

I have friends coming from the U.S.A. on Sunday. So I hope I will have improved till then and the weather stays good.

I’ll have to finish, Jürgen, I’m really struggling to write. I hope this finds you and Hildegard in good health. God bless. We miss Paddie very much since he died. All the best to you both. Take good care. — Johnnie, Margaret and Gerard.

Mullaghgloss, Renvyle
County Galway
July 5th 2002

Dear Jürgen and Hildegard –

        I hope you had a good trip back to home. The day was bad when you left, but I hope it improved along the way and you were not too tired when you arrived. To-day is the first sunny day here since you went. We played in Clifden on Monday night, it was depressing indeed. There are no people coming from overseas, it’s a bad season.

Thank you for printing the card after Noreen’s funeral. If you can put on it the following few lines

and send me some copies I would be very grateful. And can you send me two more CDs of the Renvyle Comhaltas Group?* I have a CD player now, which I never had before, and would like to listen back to my younger days, and my daughter would love to have one too.

This is asking for a lot, Jürgen, but we will have a good drink on it some night when you come to visit us again. Margaret liked you both very well and could talk to you all the night when you visited us last month. Her heart is not too good, and she has been warned by the specialists to slow down and take it very easy. I think Noreen’s death has stressed her very much, and it will last many months to come to terms with it.

You will be tired reading this, so I will finish for this time. God bless, many thanks for everything and take care. — From Johnnie and Margaret and Gerard.

* A CD compiled from old tapes featuring Johnnie and many local musicians in the late 1980s.

Mullaghgloss, Renvyle
County Galway
July 30th 2002

Dear Hildegard and Jürgen –

        Thank you so much for your nice letter, the CDs and the pamphlets to remember Noreen. I was delighted to have them for yesterday. A mass was offered for her in Tullycross Church, and I took the advantage then of giving one each to Kieran and Noreen’s brothers and sisters – they all said it was very kind of you to do this and appreciate it very much with sincere thanks to you both.

I was happy too, Jürgen, to hear the CD and think back with a feeling of sadness to when we were all younger and playing good music then. But that’s life, and life must go on.

Our son Seán is home and his 17 years old daughter too, but the weather is dull and overcast now. I hope it will soon pick up again. I must now make some tea and take it up to Margaret, she is not well, Hildegard. I am writing this where we sat having a whiskey, and I wish you were here and we could have the same again.

This is all for now. God bless you both and take care. — All the best for now, Johnnie.

Mullaghgloss, Renvyle
County Galway
Sept. 5th 2002

Dear Jürgen –

        I hope you and Hildegard are well. We are fairly good, except for Margaret. She has been in hospital, but they could not find the cause for her pain. Seán, my son from England, was home for two weeks, and the first week it rained every day. The second week was pretty good, and he went to Boffin Island for a day. He delights in fishing, but he didn’t get any proper day.

Anyway, we enjoyed two Monday nights in Clifden where there was one wonderful talent from the audience. Another occasion which was very enjoyable was his daughter’s birthday. Thirty of us went to Ocean’s Alive, and, when it was all over, a guitar player sang ‘Happy Birthday’ for her. Jodi, who was 17 that day, never expected it, and it was a great surprise for her. They are now gone back to England.

To-day it is raining again. Things have become very quiet in the pubs. In all it was a very poor year weatherwise and for the tourist trade, and I think it will go on record as the wettest year since records began.

This is all for now. — God bless, Johnnie and Margaret.

Mullaghgloss, Renvyle
County Galway
Sept. 21th 2002

Dear Hildegard and Jürgen –

        I hope you both are well. Margaret is something better. I have seen on TV the awful floods and damage parts of Germany have suffered. I hope your area escaped any damage. We have lovely weather here just now, really dry and warm. Up until now it was wet and rainy.

Kieran took Margaret and myself for a drive around yesterday. We went to see the Kylemore Gardens, and it was a lovely sight to see all the flowers and shrubs in bloom. Then we went to the Inagh Valley Lodge for a drink and a salad. We enjoyed the day very much.

The pubs and all around are quiet. In all it was a very bad year, but weather like this makes one forget how bad it was. Are you coming in June? I hope you are and I will still be around to have you visit us.

There isn’t anything interesting to tell you from here. I will finish this and have it ready for the post. Take care, God bless and best wishes. — From Johnnie and Margaret + Gerard.

Mullaghgloss, Renvyle
County Galway
November 2002

Hello Jürgen and Hildegard –

        I hope you both are well. To-day is sunny and warm here, but we had some very bad weather. I have been very ill for some time, but I am feeling a little better now.

Kieran is going for two weeks to the Canary Islands where the Dúchas play. They have accommodation there, and they are giving Kieran the use of a spare room for free. It will be good for him.

Things are very quiet here. I haven’t played in pubs for a long time and I do miss it very much. But I am expecting too much, I guess. I will be 82 this month, and I think I should be happy with that. And really I am, thank God.

I am glad the floods in Germany didn’t come your way. England is bad at the moment with seven people dead. There is no news from here to interest you. A young chap from Cleggan was drowned when he fell overboard from a lobster boat. His companion did not miss him for some time because he was in the wheel-house. His body has not been found so far, so it is hard on his parents and family.

So this is all just now. All the very best wishes. Take good care. Good bless. — Johnnie, Margaret and Gerard.

Mullaghgloss, Renvyle
County Galway
Nov. 26th 2002

Dear Jürgen and Hildegard –

        Thank you for your birthday greetings and also for the lovely CD. I have listened it so many times, especially the German versions of ‘The Green Fields of France’ and our ‘Kelly the Boy from Killan’. It may not be the words of the songs, but it was the music, some lovely harmonies too. Thank you again!

We had no birthday party, even though the family wanted to have one, but I had a bladder infection and I was not up to it. I was so sick, and I was just getting out of a chest infection. I am like an old car now, when you replace one part another one goes, but I will recover soon. We have a very good doctor here.

It is bitterly cold just now, and it will get worse they say. Margaret is fairly good. Kieran is back from the Canary Islands and as brown as an Indian. He liked the trip and enjoyed it very much.

I have an old tape recorded in Waterford in the late 1980s. There are very good pipers and flute players on it. The reels and jigs are old but good, and I would like to have it on CD. Can you manage it?

No news from here, and the pubs are quiet. Drinks and cigarettes and everything have gone so dear, and there are no jobs. The Celtic Tiger is gone and the Euro is useless.

My birthday has gone now, but the family is insisting to have a party as soon as possible. Christmas is fast approaching and time indeed flying. Anyways, I have to finish this for the post.

God bless and take care. Avoid the bugs. — Johnnie Margaret and Gerard.

Mullaghgloss, Renvyle
County Galway
December 2002

Dear Jürgen and Hildegard –

        Thank you for your letter. Well, Jürgen, I don’t know how you could call the CD, because I don’t know the names of the tunes. What about ‘Johnnie’s Collection from the South’? It was hard to record the tunes, because there were about 400 people and it was in the early nineteen-eighties. Tape recorders were not as good as they are to-day, but the music was very good, and I would be happy to have the tunes on a CD for posterity. The tape was much abused since then and looks bad, but I am glad I to have found it again.

To-day is beautiful here, not a cloud in the sky, and the sun is shining. The new hotel in Tully Cross is open now and looks nice on the outside. I hear it is nice in the inside too, so I wish him good luck. So the three of us will down a pint there next year, because you and Hildegard won’t have far to walk.

Margaret is fairly good, but her knees are painful. Kieran’s daughter has a baby boy, one week old now. It was six weeks premature. She has to stay in hospital while the baby is there, because she is breastfeeding it. They are all very happy for her, a nice Xmas indeed.

I hope this will find you both healthy and happy. Thank you again for your letters, the CDs and all the goodness in 2002. Le gach dea ghui i gcomhair na Nollag agus na hathbhliana. – From Johnnie, Margaret, Gerard and all the family.

God bless!