Editor’s Corner: Goodbyes and Hellos
by John O’Brien, Jr.
It’s so hard to say goodbye, and yet, within a few seconds, a few thoughts, or a few pages, we say hello to the cycle of life, with engagements and births, anniversaries, hearing old songs, as if for the first time. Fare Thee Well James Mangan and Mary Anne McIlwee. Congratulations to Karen O’Malley and all the gang at The Harp, celebrating TWENTY years as a Cleveland fixture,
and to one of my favorite Bluesmen, Colin Dussalt, celebrating THIRTY years on stage. They are masters at entertaining, being a place and a friend where everybody knows your name, and yes, even educating, those generous souls lucky enough to show up at The Harp or at one of Colin’s shows. Both, and others, are profiled within.
Mother’s Day is an opportunity to show great love; I am especially blessed to have one of the truly great ones. I love you is never said enough. Yet for those who have loved and lost, it is a day of ache, even if they have families of their own. Have a read of Sue Mangan’s Blowin’ in: A Reciprocal Gift column on page 16 & 17, for a very poignant look, and perhaps a different perspective.
I was so very honored to introduce Marilyn Madigan, our Madigan Muses Columnist, and a great friend to so many, like those of Catholic faith, nurses, children, and of course, the Irish, not just in Cleveland, but across the Diaspora, and in Ireland itself, as she was inducted into the Cleveland Hall of Fame on April 16th. I thought long and hard about what I wanted to say, and how do I do justice to one of my mentors, who is a source of great wisdom about the Irish in Cleveland, and about life: perspective, and what really matters.
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Nuair a stadann an ceol, stadann an rince
(When the music stops, so does the dance)
John
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