Kindness

I’ve had quite a week, and it left me in awe of how, when you live in Ireland, you experience kindness just when you need it. It never fails.

This isn’t the kind of post I normally write but today I am not inspired by castles or stained glass or saints (well, maybe. . . read on) or books or art or archaeology, but by people – the lovely ones who rescue and support you and send you on your way humbled and grateful. Let me explain. [OH – and all the flowers? I don’t know how else to illustrate this post except to construct a thank you bouquet of flowers from my garden and from the wild, all photographed today.]

On Sunday last I set out for Dublin. I was going up for a funeral and a book launch. I like to make this a two day event, staying with my oldest friend in the world, Anne, in Cork overnight. I made it almost to Bandon and all the lights on the dashboard of my 12 year old Skoda Yeti started to flash and the car went into emergency mode, in which it can only be driven a few km an hour.

I pulled over and called my insurance emergency service. It was Sunday evening and nobody was willing to be called out except for Tim, who came all the way from Killarney (an hour and a half away) to rescue me. He towed my car to the Skoda dealership in Bandon, Finbarr Galvin’s, and he took me to the hotel.

I had called the Munster Arms Hotel to be told, by Don, the owner/manager, that he had one room left. Why only one? Zach Bryan was performing in Cork and every room in a 50 mile radius was taken. Don said not to worry, he would keep the room for me no matter how late I got there. I ate at the hotel and fell into bed. In the morning, Don arrived specifically to drive me to Galvins.

Galvins was busy – I got there right when they opened, first thing Monday morning, and there was already a queue of cars coming for servicing or repairs. Grace, at the counter, said she would do her absolute best to get the car seen to today, and reassured me that whatever the problem was, they would find it. She ordered me a taxi so I could explore the delights of Bandon while I waited.

By sheer coincidence Anne, and her husband Jack, were coming to Bandon that afternoon, with their own ailing car. They picked me up and delivered me to the train station in Cork. I was at my sister’s house in Dublin by dinner time.

I made it to the funeral, on Tuesday morning and it gladdened my heart to be there for my friend Ken, who had lost his beautiful wife. Afterwards, Grace from Galvins called me and broke the bad news – it would cost more to fix the car than it was worth. I decided it was the universe telling me it was time for a new car. Back to my sister’s (Aoibhinn) and she took me under her wing and showed me how you buy a car nowadays, having gone through the process herself very recently. You go onto the big Car Store site, use the filters to select what you want to test drive, and make an appointment.

Next Morning, Wednesday, my brother (Fergus) drove me out to the Car Store where Daniel was all set – he had my desired cars lined up and we started by test-driving a Suzuki S Cross Hybrid, a few years old but very low mileage. It had me at Hello. We arrived at 10:30AM and at 1PM I drove away in my new car, thanks to Chloe at McCarthy Insurance who was right on the ball with switching my insurance to the Suzuki. Meanwhile, back at Galvin’s, Orla had taken over from Grace and had found a nearby car recovery service willing to buy the Skoda from me. She arranged for Ger O’Donovan to pick up the car.

On Thursday, I attended the book launch, which was a jolly affair. It was to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Sandford Road Church. David Caron and I had co-written the chapter on the stained glass in the church and George Walsh, who has a wonderful St Francis window in the church, was also there. Here is his St Francis.

On Friday I headed back to Cork, staying over night with Anne and Jack, and visiting, as is my wont, a couple of churches along the way, and marvelling once again at how a) beautiful Tipperary is and b) how long it takes to drive the length of it.

On Saturday I met with Ger O’Donovan in his Ballinascarthy garage (no link, just Google) where he had taken the car, and we retrieved my house keys and all the detritus that cars accumulate. He bought the car outright from me. The relief! I was back home that afternoon.

So – in the course of six days I was plunged into gloom and arrived on the other side in a celebratory mood and so so grateful for the kindness of friends, family, and strangers. Thank you Tim, Don, Anne and Jack, Grace and Orla, Aoibhinn, Fergus, Daniel, Chloe, and Ger. You are all saints stars!