I remember the past because of today.

My childhood holidays spent in Dublin with grandparents

the walks by the sea.

My grandmas enormous handbag with every provision or catastrophe catered for including a fresh peaked half an orange

Especially at the cinema

The fresh air.

The rod on your back to make you walk straight.

No slouching

The sweat off the mountains as they said. Never rain.

And all those relatives. Nearly everyone was a relative

my grandpas sweet shop no chocolates at lent and the highly polished brass trays

the famous coffee shop down the road where we had homemade tomato soup and a fresh ground coffee

The enormous meals cooked to perfection every day

With homemade soda bread and marmalade The old bus routes to town and Stevens green

and further down past trinity college and the bank of Ireland

to walk over the bridges of the river Liffey

and find old bars where smooth Guinness would take ages to pour with a perfect collar left to settle then cut with a knife.

How are yuz and good luck now to all.

Today I look at two stones that represent you since 1977 and 1988.

Yet today I was back with you even further back

and all those childhood and early teens came flowing back faster than the sea on a full tide.

Bless my memories and my family past bless my family now and memories to come

bless you all with one thing to say.

Sleinte on a perfect Guinness on this memorable day