A noble band of women

I WISH to pay tribute today to a noble band of Irishwomen who, to the best of my knowledge, have never been recognised or thanked before this for their huge contribution to Irish culture and, above all, for the width and depth of the real and subtle kind of love which they show towards their husbands, fathers, and sons. These women are special. I observed one of them in action in Clare last night and was reminded of their worth.

They are more common in rural Ireland than in the towns and cities of the nation but they can be seen in action everywhere. I’ve seen them working away too in niches of the Diaspora in Europe and in the United States. They are as numerous as ever they were during my lifetime. They are as silent and semi-invisible as ever they were.

I’m quite certain there are many who don’t even know they exist at all. Their nuanced skills and mode of practice is such that only for occasional slight muscle movements around the mouth they are almost impossible to spot for all but an experienced professional observer, like myself. And I freely admit to having failed to see a few of them myself down the years until they suddenly displayed their golden value by whispering just one or two words.