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Princess

An Gorta Mór


Posted in: Dublin, Ireland, Princess

Herself is learning about the famine in school. She had a great time doing a dramatisation where she got to play the lady from the big house increasing the rents of misfortunate tenants who had made improvements and then tossing them out. Another day, they made a coffin ship.

One night, she had a couple of questions for homework, the first of which was – “Why were the Irish so poor at the time of the Famine?” “Why were they so poor?” she asked me. “Well, lots of reasons: landholdings tended to be small as they were divided up between families; landlord and tenant law was unsatisfactory in a number of ways [insert digression on land league]; there were, of course, absentee landlords and unfair agents [digression here to cover Captain Boycott]; then remember that the Catholics had been disenfranchised for a long time and there was the legacy of the Act of Union in 1801 and the penal laws…” I began. “Does this go back to William of Orange and James II?” she asked. “Well, yes, even before that, I suppose it is the nature of history that it is informed and shaped by the past.” And so on.

I checked her homework later. In response to the question, “Why were the Irish so poor at the time of the Famine?” she had written: “Because the English were not very nice.”

Is it any wonder that her aunt has vetoed all talk of the Famine when she marries her English man in London at the weekend?

Céad Fhaoistin


Posted in: Middle Child, Princess, Twins, Youngest Child

The boys made their first confession this evening. Their sister sang in the school choir. They were all a mass of tension. Herself because she had a solo; the boys because they had to confess their sins and in Irish to boot. I had read them Frank O’Connor’s “First Confession” to get them in the mood.

It all passed off peacefully. The children did a drama on the altar about the lamb who had gone astray (Michael was the lamb) and then went up and made their first confession. It’s a lovely ceremony. The priest told them, quite mendaciously (one assumes), that he had been speaking to the new Pope who had said they were all good boys and girls. When he asked where the Pope was from, there was a forest of hands which did not include Michael’s. He was leaning over the edge of the pew examining the parquet flooring. Daniel, however, was a credit to us and very serious, sober and upright throughout.

At the end, Michael asked me whether he could now get the “holy bread” at mass on Sunday thus showing his, alas, utter ignorance of the nature of the sacrament of reconciliation which he had just received. He appears to have fatally confused first confession and first communion. This might be remedied, if I made known to him the likely cash bonanza that his first communion will bring but I feel that this is hardly in the spirit of the sacrament.

We all went for a drink and the children have just now been whisked off to bed. And tomorrow we’re flying to London. It’s just non-stop excitement.

Votes for Women


Posted in: Princess

Me: It was International Women’s Day last Friday.
Her: I know and I still can’t vote.
Me: Well, that’s not because you’re a woman, it’s because you’re 9.
Her: Indignant silence [yes, she conveys indignation with her eyebrows].

Faustian Pact


Posted in: Princess

The Princess is to be in another television programme.  Her class are to be filmed a couple of times and she was very excited.  I had to sign a release form for her.  I came home shortly afterwards and she said, “I read the release form.  They can do anything they like with my image.  They own everything I have no rights.”  “That’s right,” I said, “if you don’t want to, you don’t have to do it.” “Of course, I want to do it, I’m going to be on television!”

The actual experience of television was very boring. They had to do lots of re-takes. The crew brought out some worms to show the children (the programme is about gardening, I understand). This was a highlight and they were all fascinated. But this was not the correct reaction. All the girls had to scream; the boys did not have to scream. So they redid the worm introduction until the girls screamed loudly enough. “Which was very sexist,” said she. That’s my girl.

School of Hard Knocks


Posted in: Princess

Herself: Do you know what T (the childminder) says when we hurt ourselves?
Me: No.
Her: La douleur passe.

I suppose it is the equivalent of “It’ll be better before you’re twice married” which is what we used to get.

Big in Japan


Posted in: Princess

The Princess has ended up with a bit part in a Japanese documentary about Francis Bacon. I understand that she will be listening in rapt silence with a group of other children from her school while someone from the Hugh Lane Gallery explains his importance. We’re going to get a copy of the DVD. I know, you’re on the edge of your seat out there. You’re also humming that Alphaville song.