In the early hours of this Sunday morning, the clocks go forward one hour and summertime officially begins. And not before time.
Although the winter has been nothing compared to the past few years, it has been a dreadful start to the new year for many. In this office alone, we had two bereavements — two people departing, both well before their time. And across the city and county, not a week has gone by without some sort of tragedy befalling some family. Men and women of all ages have lost their lives in a variety of places and manners. Several have died while abroad in the far away counties many of our our young peope now call home. More have died on the roads in the city and county, in seemingly inexplicable ways.
We have lost great journalists like John Cunningham, talented musicians like Eugene Kelly, gentleman fooballers like Chick Deacy. Just this week, we saw the waters of Lough Corrib claim the life of a local angler. While, there is never a good time to be reminded of the limitations of our mortality, hitting us at a time when moods are low has doubled the blow.
Many were glad to see the end of 2011. “Bad cess to it,” a friend of mine used to say about things that he was glad to be rid of. But 2012 has not been any kinder to the sensibilities of us all. The shortness of the days does not allow for the chance to get out and allow nature to heal us.
So and that is why I am looking forward to the longer days. From next week, the stretch in the evenings will be more pronounced. We can all get out there and let in the light so that we may see more clearly the things that are happening around us. In the dark days of winter it is hard to see solutions, but the quality of the lights that hits us here in the west is enough to stir the inner recesses of the brain, to freshen our minds, and to allow us to be more creative in foraging our way out of this situation.
On Sunday morning, get up and sample the light, make use of the longer days to get out there stretching the legs, pounding the roads and parks of the city and county, fill your lungs with fresh air, let the light penetrate the back of your eyes, let the wind caress you gently so that you may think more clearly about where we are and how we are going to get through it all.
Galway has one hell of a summer to look forward to. In exactly 100 days, the eyes of the world will be upon us, but it is not just for the economic boost that we welcome it. We anticipate it greatly because it is just another colorful thread of the intricate tapestry that is Galway, the tapestry that we love. Let in the light, folks and let us enjoy life for we know not when it could be taken from us.
