"In Ireland - If You've Been Missing"...

...This proud Irishman playing his bagpipes...well, we found him here this morning, sitting on a bench seat enjoying the outlook of the sea and the sunshine of the day and enjoying playing beautiful Irish and Scottish tunes for all to hear...you may recognize him, his name is NOEL WHELAN and he comes from Carlowtown, Southern Ireland..

...I know that - because I stopped and talked to him... (well, I think you know what I'm like now)... and I waited until he'd finished playing "The Scottish Soldier" - and I asked him about the bagpipes. He plays both Scottish and Irish tunes he said, and he told us the history of his homeland - (as if we didn't know where he came from - with that broad Irish accent) - but apparently he is only here until next week and he flies home again..he has a few competitions to do..

...A world traveller and competitor, and a wealth of knowledge of the history of Ireland..a proud man he is...

...And upon further conversation - we find that he is actually a distant relative, with his family having the same maternal name as John, an unusual name - yes, an Irish relative - as his family also come from where John's forebears come from..and so John and Noel passionately discussed the politics of Ireland, and family, for about an hour...he was so delighted we stopped to talk to him and pass the day..and he'd forgotten all about his music...

...And do you think we would have discovered all of this wonderful history ...
if I, Estelle, hadn't stopped to talk to a complete stranger? ...

... Amazing isn't it, just what we can learn from others - if we just pass the time of day - we never know who we may be speaking to do we...and in this instance, a stranger, yes, and as well, a distant relative, visiting our waters, just for a very short time and ... soon to return to his native homeland...