BENCHMARKS continued
An
Encounter with the Ghost's Hand at Clarinbridge.
A week or
two back, M.C. and Benchmarker saddled up and rode the Iron Horse
from their Dublin homestead, out across the Kildare prairie, through
the Westmeath Territory and over the majestic Shannon and on through
the Western Badlands to the frontier town of Galway, where a coach
sped them on to the Clarinbridge settlement and a rendezvous with
compadre John Quinn.
OK! OK!
Enough of the cowpoke talk! It's just that Benchmarker got into that
mood when recalling a passage or two from the radio documentary
'Goodnight Balivor, I'll Sleep in Trim' - John Quinn's memoir
of his childhood in the1940/50s in the village of Balivor in County
Meath. A few years after the radio programme John produced a written
version of his memoir; and in that book there is a section on the
estate of Elm Grove. And within that section there is a paragraph
that refers to a particular benchmark on the wall of the estate. Here
below is the paragraph: -
On first reading that two word, second-last sentence -
“How disappointing” - the effect on M.C. and Benchmarker felt
like a kick to the solar plexus by a Montana mountain mule. The very
notion that anyone, especially John Quinn, could be so curtly
dismissive of the wonders and joys of benchmarks has been difficult
to deal with. However while this did not mar the air of geniality
that prevailed during the recent appointment at Clarinbridge, it has
not been forgotten and it can be taken that John Quinn will not be
receiving any time soon an invitation to join the Most Honourable,
Wise and Worshipful Company of Benchmark Hunters and Allied Trades.
Below: The ghost hand on the bridge at ClarinBridge in
Galway County.
Above: On the bridge at Clarinbridge with the ghost hand
at bottom left, while in the distance John Quinn and M.C. examine a
plaque on the bridge wall. In the far distance is Paddy Burke's
saloon which served up some mighty fine chow, plumb better'an beans
'n' coffee.
