Tuesday, May 10, 2011

A Historic Week - and Conference Craic in Kilkenny

Having a laugh with colleagues from the Waterford Branch
Getting ready to party at the Gala Dinner
This past week has been memorable for many reasons - it was a bit of a rollercoaster as Friday saw the Royal Wedding where all commentators suspended reasoned judgement and went into sycophancy overdrive. In Ireland where we scorn such monarchic shenanigans as unworthy of a republic there was a dip in ESB Electricity usage for the duration of the broadcasting - indicating that the only appliance in use was the TV - nary a kettle or a cooker in sight! Seems they can monitor such things, and it reflects our ADLs (as in the Barthel Index used in nursing assessment) - our Activities of Daily Living! Despite that little aside - I did watch what was on view in the various homes I visited and saw the bride's arrival at the altar. Kate did look good, but her sister Pippa looked better. True to form, within hours there was a Facebook fan page set up for her rear-end attributes. The sheath dress she wore called for a total ban on any surplus adipose tissue (=fat) or cellulite - or the Spanx-type compression undies that haven't been seen since Victorian corsetry and wasp-waists were the order of the day and which many of my generation can't live without at functions and weddings. I have refused thus far to be reined in by such a garment and WYSIWYG in my gladrags. Comfort rules above convention and at my age I will endeavour to look good but to enjoy myself as well.



Minister for Health Dr. James O'Reilly's Address
 Which brings me on to the social events that went with the Annual Delegate Conference of the INMO - tge Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (some day they'll have to put in apostrophes - I know, it pains my inner grammar geek). This was held in Kilkenny and we had a busy 3 days of motions, debate, addresses, keynote speakers (the new Minister for Health, Dr. James O'Reilly) and lots of card-waving to pass or reject motions. That was by day - come evening and we let our hair down as only nurses know how - and we partied into the night. It always amazes me that regardless of how much partying nurses get up to they are fresh and ready the following morning - whether for duty or for another round of debates.

I had a motion to speak to from our PHN (Public Health Nursing) section and unfortunately it didn't get an airing until late on the last day by which point everyone's motioned out and there was no time for debate - just voting. It was carried unanimously so there was no problems bar my difficulty in limiting my address to the requisite max of 3 minutes - even after judicious editing I was timed out by the bell.

Claire and Mary (with the Gobnait O'Connell Award for Outstanding Service to the Branch) with Liam Doran Gen. Sec. INMO
Me and my new Twitter friend Dean
 On a lighter note, I was tweeting a bit during the lulls in the debates and between speakers and discovered another tweeter at the conference - a young student nurse from the Sligo branch. We met up at the Gala Dinner on the final evening and had a bit of a laugh at the joys of Twitter, as he had been chatting with Fergal Bowers, the RTE Health Correspondent, who was reporting on the Minister's address. The media got a hammering over their negative reporting on the public sector - we have been so vilified in recent years that you'd  think we were responsible for all the woes in the country.


Nicholas Mosse Pottery Shop, Bennettsbridge
Kilkenny is a lovely small city with narrow streets and a lot of lovely old buildings. It rained almost incessantly for the duration of the conference but on our free afternoon the sun appeared so I went to see the Nicholas Mosse pottery in Bennettsbridge and the gallery in Kilkenny Castle. The Kilkenny Craft Exhibition was on and had some lovely pieces on display. Unfortunately I was too late to see inside the Castle and one of the main galleries, the Butler, was closed but I enjoyed the bit of culture - there were lots of ceramics on display.

Dessert mmmm.....!
As is now the norm at these conferences we had a Table Quiz for local charities on the opening night, which was a good laugh even though we didn't win. The following night we were entertained by the Kilkenny Gospel Choir which was upbeat and uplifting. That was followed by an Irish Dance troupe who were brilliant - none of the wigs and fake tan that's become synonymous with Irish Dancing Championships like the recent World Championships in Dublin which brought down the wrath of the public over the homogenisation of the dancers - like Oompah-loompahs with mop heads, all distracting from the marvellous skills they have. Thankfully our troupe were more Riverdance than St. Tropez and their elegance was matched by their expertise. To everyone's delight, one of the student midwives, Danny Oakes from Alaska and Dundalk put on a spontaneous show of spectacular skill. You can enjoy the video clip below. Michael Flatley won't want for a successor if this guy decides to do a nixer from the labour ward.



The final evening's Gala Dinner was good fun though everyone was pretty exhausted by that stage. We had lovely food and danced if off afterwards, and the camaraderie and craic made it an enjoyable few days which has become a bit of an annual reunion for the nursing diaspora of Ireland.
 
Given the goings on in the rest of the world - Osama taken out by Obama - what a difference a letter makes!- and the triumphal euphoria of the West being slowly replaced by cautious optimism as the radicals threaten revenge, it  has been a strange week of polarisation. Ireland awoke on Saturday morning to the prophet of doom Morgan Kelly's diatribe against the Central Bank director Patrick Honohan over the bank bailout - he predicted bankruptcy for Ireland in the coming year or two as we struggle to bring our head above water let alone keep it there. It was so vitriolic and personal that I wondered - as did most of the Twitterati - what agenda is being played out.

Today hubby and me are heading to Dublin to see Eric Clapton at the O2 - a birthday treat for Jan who loves Clapton forever. I'm looking forward to it too, one of the rock stars I'll enjoy seeing before he hangs up his Stratocaster.

12 comments:

Susan said...

They were a jam-packed few days for you in lovely Kilkenny!Glad you got to see some of the craft, and thanks for sharing the dance video- I loved hearing all you rowdy nurses whooping it up!

talesfromagarden said...

Looks like ye had a ball of a weekend!Kilkenny is a lovely city for a weekend away,plenty to see and do,pity the weather was not better but it did not deter ye anyway!

Barbara said...

I saw Clapton sometime around 2000 (??kind of guessing on the year) in Salt Lake City, Utah in the U.S. I didn't really want to go but some friends invited us. And it was absolutely the best musical performance I have ever seen! Everybody's right, the man is a genius!! Have fun!

Rita said...

You are a busy dame Catherine! Love reading about your adventures but...kind of jealous. Really enjoyed that dance. Nothing like enjoying ime with good friends.
Rita

Peggy said...

I love Kilkeeny
City Catherine but in all of the visits there I have not made it to Bennetsbridge, but you have whetted the appetite!
Danny is certainly fleet of foot and I have to agree whole heartedly with the criticism of the modern Irish dancing get up.The curls and fake tan add absolutely nothing to the dancers expertise.
You seem to have had a whale of a time!

Mimi said...

Looks like great craic, Catherine!
Wish I'd have never given up Irish dancing, it's a great way to keep trim figure!
Kilkenny is lovely, isn't it? Whatever hotel you were in certainly know how to serve a good dessert; I love a selection!
Hope you and hubby enjoyed Eric!

Ann said...

The conference sounds great Catherine. I must visit that Nicholas Mosse shop when next home. I do envy you going to see Eric Clapton. What a great treat.

Catherine said...

All my post comments bar Susan's above vanished when Blogger crashed some days ago and was down for a few days. Luckily I have them on email so I will copy and paste them here in the comments box. Thanks for all your kind remarks. Funny how we tend to take Blogger for granted until it goes awol! I'm well recovered from the Conference now and enjoying a nice sunny weekend in Lismore with the family!
All the best,
Catherine xxx

Catherine said...

Ann has left a new comment on your post "A Historic Week - and Conference Craic in Kilkenny...":

The conference sounds great Catherine. I must visit that Nicholas Mosse shop when next home. I do envy you going to see Eric Clapton. What a great treat

Catherine said...

Mimi has left a new comment on your post "A Historic Week - and Conference Craic in Kilkenny...":

Looks like great craic, Catherine!
Wish I'd have never given up Irish dancing, it's a great way to keep trim figure!
Kilkenny is lovely, isn't it? Whatever hotel you were in certainly know how to serve a good dessert; I love a selection!
Hope you and hubby enjoyed Eric!

Catherine said...

Peggy has left a new comment on your post "A Historic Week - and Conference Craic in Kilkenny...":

I love Kilkeeny
City Catherine but in all of the visits there I have not made it to Bennetsbridge, but you have whetted the appetite!
Danny is certainly fleet of foot and I have to agree whole heartedly with the criticism of the modern Irish dancing get up.The curls and fake tan add absolutely nothing to the dancers expertise.
You seem to have had a whale of a time!

Catherine said...

Rita has left a new comment on your post "A Historic Week - and Conference Craic in Kilkenny...":

You are a busy dame Catherine! Love reading about your adventures but...kind of jealous. Really enjoyed that dance. Nothing like enjoying ime with good friends.
Rita