On Saturday the town put on its agricultural show: red-ribboned roosters, dog competitions, curly/long-haired twisty-horned sheep, blow-dried fluffy cattle, pygmy goats, speed sheep-shearing contest, obstacle courses, best-dressed farmer/“farmerette”, children dashing about wielding cotton candy and ice cream, booths for farm equipment, saw-cut wooden sculptures, plushies, the local Gaza solidarity group, more. We had the day for it; sunny and warm, unlike last year, everyone crammed under a tent, shivering in the mud.

Afterwards, the husband opened the pub early, for our busiest day of the year, bar Paddy's Day. The brother-in-law and his family arrived in time for dinner, roast beef followed by birthday cake for Siún. Wee wans, some related, came in from the bar to celebrate. We doled out cake and teased and chatted while the dog made multiple appearances to the children’s delight. A drunk punter strayed into the kitchen, and minutes later the children spotted him in the alley beyond the kitchen door, peeing on a yellow bin. Of course I ate the head off him: “Dude, WTF! This is my house. There are children around. The men's toilet is right there. WTF! Just fuck off, fuck off!" I was mortified by myself; it’s undignified to shout at people like that, and in front of others. Emmett: "Ah, you were right to." After the children went to bed, I worked in the bar while live music played on packed Main Street. We finished at 3 am, earlier than in pre-pandemic years, and I had a nightcap of two glasses of Black Bush before I lurched into bed.

On Sunday morning there was the Blessing of the Graves; the whole town came out, solemn and hungover, standing at the graves of their own, while the priest walked past each grave, flicking holy water. The brother-in-law and family left early; they were driving to France on Wednesday. The husband and the mother-in-law and the children were disappointed. Afterwards town was quiet, except for the occasional roar of punters in pubs, watching the GAA football final. We opened early for the match, and it felt like the longest day and night before I finally went to bed.

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