Tarbert Theatre players returned to the stage over the past two weekends with a comedy from the pen of Sam Cree, directed by Helen Enright. It was a return to thread the boards after a two year absence after they last put on “nobody is talking to me” back in 2022.

This particular comedy is based on the upcoming nuptials of the daughter of businessman Arthur Marshall (shane wall) who is trying his best to get the house ready for the festivities and to that end he is try manfully to get local painter Andy Crawford (Cormac wall) to try and get the house painted and in tip top shape but Andy seems pre occupied with his upcoming return to fatherhood for an 8^th time.

He has a wondering eye and  is more interested in getting over time and time and half for very little work and a lot of fun. It has taken 6 weeks to get to nearly finished. Add to this the housekeeper Ivy (Yvonne O Keeffe) is constantly “merry” after many small ones and will regale you with many musical numbers a favourite being “wandering star”. She almost poisons Andy on more than one occasion after trying to top up the whiskey bottle with what she thinks is water but is in fact weed killer !!

To complicate the wedding, Andy’s wife is returning after a near 3 year period away and Andy’s new admirer Madge (ciara shine) is making it tricky. Clare Marshall (noelle mc gibney)  is an actress who has been on TV and likes a good time and playing games with her soon to be ex husband.

Judy Marshall (katelyn foley) is Arthur’s daughter and his hoping to marry Alan Rea ( james enright) and after a small fight that was almost the end for the new couple, they manage to find common ground and head up the isle. Alan’s mother (niamh wall) is a widow and thinks the Marshalls are still are a married couple

Local Reverand Gribble (jerry o connell) is hard of hearing and is quite forgetful and seems to think that it’s a christening he is officiating for rather than a wedding. He also seems quite good at getting a damp backside while cycling his trusty stead….

It is a well-constructed comedy that has a few hat tips to the local area, mentioning Tarbert Island and an ongoing strike. It was a debut for Helen Enright is the director’s chair and she can be proud of the efforts that herself and the cast and crew put in over the past few months to bring this comedy to life.

All 9 cast members were well matched to the parts they played and it has been well received by all audiences over the 5 nights. The hard work has paid off for cast and crew who can now take a well-earned break and who knows we may see the Tarbert Theatre players before 2024 ends or failing that we may see them back in some way in 2025…

This Saturday will see thousands of people walk from darkness into light. The walk will again take place in Tarbert with many people taking to the route from the Comprehensive school down the Island Road and then returning to the school.

I have written extensively over the past now 10 years of my own personal battles and the 10^th anniversary of my first suicide attempt passed a few weeks ago. As I have spoken of, only for intuition and a phone call in March 2014, I would not be sitting here and that is why I write and speak so openly of my experience as I hope if even one person clicks on this and reads it and that may help them find there light bulb moment to seek out people they trust to open the conversation with those they love and trust.

I know I probably come across as cold and awkward on occasion but that is not the reality. I also know it looks I can’t shut my trap but this will come as a shock for many years I couldn’t speak openly or freely but all that has changed in the past 10 years.

Opening up and sharing has been such a saving grace and although doing it isn’t an easy thing to do for most people over fear of ridicule and being made fun of, but trust me when I say this, opening up will make things easier and people will do all they can to help and support you. I am sure there are people struggling with life, work or school at the moment and feel they can’t turn to anyone for help and support. We all feel like that and we all think we can face our issues single handily but again trust me, we can’t.

I did it that way for so long and in the end I almost killed myself with worry and stress over what others were thinking of me and where I was in life. My battles have been in my own head and believing through the voice in my head that I wasn’t good enough for this planet. Being told I was living in cloud cuckoo land from time to time didn’t help the ongoing battle in my mind and head.

But I asked for support, through a letter I wrote openly and let me tell you it caused war at home but It did the trick and after going for counselling a few years later I realised I need to take up the offer of support.

I also began to slowly realise I am worth my place on this planet and subsequent conversations made me think that ending my life would have destroyed more than my life but the lives of many people.

There is light at the end of every tunnel, trust me again when I say this because I have been to the depths of despair and found my feet through genuine love and support from many people. I always felt alone through my teenage years and even though I never let it show I was tearing myself apart from the inside out and like I always say I am so thankful to my late Mother for her intuition and also that family member who picked up the phone and helped talk me down in that fateful moment in 2014.

Fast forward 10 years and that future I felt unworthy of is burning bright in front of me and I really can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I made it from my own Darkness into the Light. Go and do the same and find someone you trust and have that opening conversation.

To anyone struggling at the moment, reach out and grasp the hand that will come out to help and support you….

15 George Furbank

14 Calvin Nash

13 Tomas Menenchello

12 Bundee Aki

11 James Lowe

10 Jack Crowley

9 Jamison Gibson Park

8 Ben Earl

7 Tommy Reffell

6 Peter O Mahony

5 Tadgh Beirne

4 Joe Mc Carthy

3 Tadgh Furlong

2 Dan Sheehan

1 Andrew Porter

Here is my team of the 6 nations that saw Ireland win back to back Championships and win a 6^th title since the 6 Nations came to be in 2000. Like all team selections it is subjective and will be easily disagreed with. Here is hoping Italy in particular can build on two wins and a draw from this campaign.

Wales need to continue the tough rebuild job from the bottom up as this campaign has shown the cracks from last season haven’t been dealt with and it is imperative that the WRU do what they can to try and get the Welsh game back on an even keel.

Ireland of course won a 6^th crown of the 6 Nations era and a 15^th outright Championship. These are special moments and yes while the World Cup issues will linger until 2027 at least, winning another title is something to be celebrated and not taking for granted as many ex-players and supporters will tell you, these wins were owe so seldom for large periods through the 80s and 90s so soak it up and enjoy it. What is seldom really is special….

You set out in life with hopes and dreams and sometimes they come through and in more cases it doesn’t happen for you… But you always strive to reach that goal you set out to reach.

Looking at how things have panned out for myself as I’ll only write of my own experience as I know that best. The past few months have shown me I should have done this earlier but that is the way life went and I of course knew better as a teenager in particular. This move to “independence” has done wonders for me, it has help my waistline as well as the other benefits.

I have the typical jesting you get in my situation, you have the pad now try and find the lady to go with it too. I am only out on my “own” just over two months but life has improved and I am so grateful to be in this position as I know in the current climate things are tough and tight for so many of my age group.

I was fortunate to be offered this chance and even more fortunate to accept the offer. It’s a privilege as well as a right of passage. For years as I have spoken of previously I have been told I was mollycoddled and minded. I won’t mention names but I know I can now look those people in the eye and say here I am, 33 out and free, take me as you now find me or take a hike !!

Time and space has given me the opportunity to think and reflect on past mistakes and success. Of which there are many of both but I am still here and that for me is a real success as I have spoken of many times, on more than one occasion I had thought of ending my life.

That plan was supposed to be executed on my 30^th birthday but thankfully I didn’t think of following through on the idea that ending my life would help others, family or friends. I have been prompted to write this by seeing the anniversary yesterday of the closing of the last Magdalene Laundry in Dublin in 1996.

To think of those women, who had their lives ruined by church and states is a national disgrace and let’s hope those women that are still living will have the chance to see real change in Ireland. We are 27 years beyond that point and the wheel is slowly turning away from that period. As I say I am thinking of those women, young and old as I sit here and type.

I suppose my reasons for including that in this piece is that I have had the opportunity to have a life and make choices where those women didn’t have that option. What I am saying is, take any chance that comes your way and don’t sit back and wait for it to come to the door to you because as I realised only in the last couple of years it won’t come to you and ask you do you want to take the chance presented.

I am currently “between” opportunities myself and I am working on my next move. I have been lucky to have some of my dreams and hopes become a reality since I left school.

Having the chance to work in community radio and write for my own website, and then with the helping hand of the late Fr Pat Moore putting in a kind word with a man I know can call a friend John Herilhy to take me on board with the Radio Kerry Broadcast course in 2015.

 I broke his heart but the skills he managed to impart to that 25 year old who felt he knew plenty when in fact in all honesty I didn’t know anything gave me the tools to have something to fall back on when I am “between” chances. This is one of those periods and I am writing away and planning for a few interviews.

I have spoken to a number of sports people and also people in other industries and have been lucky to meet and interview many people including a few of my hero’s. What I am saying is if you have a hope or a dream go out and do what you can to achieve it because it will not come in the door to you….

So yet again it’s a quarter final exit for Ireland at another Rugby World Cup. But this exit seems different to many others because Ireland were in this game for 80 + minutes. A 28-24 loss to New Zealand is a familiar tale of the Irish tape at World Cup time. Unfortunately on this occasion Ireland were left counter punching and trying to find a way to turn around an early 13-0 NZ lead.

As I have said so many times here and on a few podcasts you can’t give a team like New Zealand a head start and then expect to keep counter punching and find a way past them. This time though Ireland did that three times and found scores that included a penalty try.

We were found wanting a scrum time and maybe Farrell should have called for Dave Kilcoyne earlier than 10 minutes from the end. Alas this didn’t happen and it might just have countered the impact of the replacement New Zealand replacement front row.

The past two years in particular under Andy Farrell and Co promised some much and a Grand Slam last March also suggested that lessons of previous tale offs in the months leading to World Cup time had been learned from.

Yet again though, it’s a story of If, But, Maybe and Could Have, Should Have, Would Have. This review will be as though if not harder than what went before.

Ireland worked a position late on and went to the corner took the line out and went over only for Jordie Barrett to use his 6”4 frame to get under Ronan Kelleher to deny Ireland a famous winning try.

This New Zealand side does not have the aura of other teams that had Carter, Mc Caw etc but what it does have is players with the right strong skill set to execute the game plan that is set out by whoever may be in charge at that point.

The impact of the assistant coaches, Joe Schmidt and Jason Ryan can be easily seen. Both men were assistants previously with Schmidt of course coaching up here with Leinster and Ireland and Jason Ryan was assistant to incoming New Zealand coach Scott Robertson at the Crusaders.

It will certainly be an interesting one to look to see with both men be kept on in the short term once New Zealand’s time in France ends whether that is on Friday on the following weekend.  

Back to Ireland, Saturday of course marked the end of Jonathan Sexton’s time as a professional rugby player. He played 118 times for Ireland, scoring over 1,000 Test points.

He burst onto the scene here with Leinster in late 2009. Having appeared during the Celtic League campaign that year it was his appearance against Munster in Croke Park that brought him really to people’s attention. His drive to succeed and win has to be mentioned and say it was unrivalled. Many Irish players tried to drive standards but only him and Roy Keane truly made that happen.

Of course people will look at his record at RWC’s and say not he never did it on that stage but that is only part of his story as he drove them to victory last March to win a Grand Slam, kicked them to win a crucial win against France in 2018 in Paris with “Le drop”.

So looking at his career on the whole it’s been very special and he will be recognised as one man who drove Ireland to huge heights maybe not on the RWC stage but his impact on the game in Ireland will be long lasting I have no doubt.

He will bow out now and fade into civilian life with ease and enjoy family life.

A word too for Keith Earls who it was quietly announced would also be stepping away from the International game after 101 caps and 36 tries. He is loved by all who follow the game in this country and will be missed by those who support Munster aswell as the Irish supporters if he confirms his retirement from the club game also.

These two along with I suspect a few more will make statements about there long term futures as one or two will have contract renewals to discuss in the coming months. We can leave that for another time.

Thank you to both Keith and Jonathan for their respective contributions in green. I was there the night Keith made his international debut in Limerick in November 2008. He scored after 2 minutes and never looked back….

So that elusive first semi-final appearance will have to wait until Australia in 2027… Time now to take stock of the last few weeks and reset the clock for 2024 and beyond.

Enjoy the rest of the RWC where England will carry the hopes of the northern hemisphere after Ireland, France and Wales were beaten this past weekend….