Uncle Seamus passed away yesterday. I don't know all the details other than his funeral is tomorrow (no hanging about in Ireland - very similar to Spain really - this time last year Ana was frantically trying to get a flight out in time for the funeral of our late beloved Abuelita who was to be buried about 18 hours after passing away) He'd had a good long life (in his late 80s) and as he had been a widower for a few years since Auntie Lizzie passed away, I hope the end was a peaceful one and, if things work out the way they should, they can be reunited in a better place.
I have a few memories of Uncle Seamus, so I thought I would put them in my blog by way of a humble tribute.
I first met him on one of only two visits I have made in my lifetime to Dad's homeland of Co Antrim in Northern Ireland. We went as a family (with the exception of new born Matt, who we left home alone - just kidding of course - he stayed with a friend of Mum's who was apparently dying to look after him - which was fine by me, because I still hadn't got quite used to the competition) in the summer of 1969, when I was 4 years old. We saw a lot of Seamus and Lizzie and their own kids at that time were in their teens and early twenties I think. He drove a VW Beetle, and I dropped a Double 99 ice cream cone on his shoes whilst legging it back a little too excited from the ice cream van on the beach at Cushendal. He had a great 'knee bouncing' technique (rather like Dad) and coined my official Irish nick-name, 'Colin Glen Sausages' (look, I was 4 ok, and maybe you had to be there, but I appreciated it anyway)
In the early 70s, Seamus and Lizzie came to stay with us in Bounds Green Road and I remember spending a whole afternoon entertaining them with a lengthy but banging DJ Set of all of Dad's Nana Mouskouri singles (and he had a few I can tell you), finished off with 'The Black Velvet Band' (the only Irish single I remember we had at the time) played at the wrong speed for comedy effect (there could be an act in there somewhere - mental note to contact 'Britain's Got Talent')
The last time I had the pleasure of a few days in his company was back in 1990, my second visit to Co Antrim and this time with my new bride (Ana) who I wanted to show Dad's side of the family (I had been taken to Spain the previous year to meet Ana's equally huge Spanish side of the family) It was only a little over a year since Dad had died and when Uncle Seamus arrived at one of the many big gatherings that were held in our honour, it was heartbreaking to see how much like Dad he was, in his looks, his mannerisms, even the way he stood; on the sidelines, hand on chin, nodding in silent approval to himself at the fine gathering of family around him. Towards the end of our stay, Seamus and Lizzie took us on a whirlwind tour of all their (now grown up) offspring with all their own families, and a full works chinese meal in Antrim town. Seamus was even then quite hard of hearing, added to which there was a band march happening outside, so conversation was limited because he couldn't hear a thing anyway. I remember being quite happy just to sit and watch him, a good and dignified man, just like Dad and all his brothers.
That's my own little personal tribute to Uncle Seamus. May he rest in peace.
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