Postcards from a New Republic

Ma, shouts Alroy. Have you ever heard this one?

‘Janey Mack me shirt is black,

‘What’ll I do for Sunday?

‘Go to bed and cover your head,

‘And don’t get up till Monday.

‘Ma, did you hear me yells’ Alroy. ‘God himself heard you’, his Nana Eileen shouts back. ‘Put that project away and give me a hand with the dinner. Why does everyone in this house have to roar at each other’ Eileen mumbles as she laughs to herself. Eileen is Lucy’s Mam. She moved in with the family earlier this year.

Alroy grabs a big cardboard display, stomps noisily down the stairs and bursts into the kitchen. ‘Where’s Ma?’ ‘She left ages ago’ Eileen tells him as she gently places an apron over his head. ‘Turn around and I’ll tie that for you. She got the lunchtime train to Dublin. It’s her Mam and Dad’s anniversary, remember?’ ‘Oh yeah. I forgot. Did the others go with her?’ ‘They did love. It’s just you and me tonight. Now put that project down and start peeling those carrots for me’.

Willa’s Mam and Dad died a few years ago. First her Mam, and then her Dad a year later to the day. Eileen was great friends with them both and misses them more than she ever lets on. When their anniversary comes around, she always volunteers to mind the kids that need to stay at home. Best to keep herself busy. 

This year, James, Afric, and Banba have all taken the new high-speed train to Dublin with Willa. It’s the kids first trip on the new line which completes Ireland’s high speed rail network. When cars were taken off the roads after the Great Global Flood, a massive public investment was rolled out in Ireland and across all EU member states. Intercity buses have now been replaced by high speed trains and local solar powered feeder buses. As Minister for Economic Sustainability, completion of the network is a big deal for Lucy, and the family. 

‘Ah Nana, I hate peeling veg’ Alroy moans. ‘Why don’t you do the carrots while I show you my project’, he says with an impish grin. ‘Go on then’. Eileen knew she would have no chance of getting the young fella to give a hand with the cooking but as her own Mother used to say, ‘God loves a trier!’ 

Alroy lifts his project onto the kitchen table and asks his Nana what she thinks? Jeepers, that’s brilliant Eileen exclaims. It’s a vision board, he says proudly. Eileen sits down with mock seriousness and says so, tell me what I’m looking at kiddo.

Alroy stands up and with a little flourish begins his presentation. ‘My project is called ‘Me Darlin Dublin’. We had to create our own magazine about where we were born. Everyone in my class was expecting me to do one like Ma’s magazine but I got a much better idea. Willa is the Editor of Dublin’s oldest Magazine, ‘The Voice’.’

‘Banba had these really old books all about Dublin. This man called Éamonn Mac Thomáis wrote them’ Alroy said, his lisp a little stronger with the excitement of having an audience. ‘He was a real Dub as you would say Nana. He even used to be on the telly! His books are really cool. But then Banba told me that he used be an Editor like Ma but for ‘An Phoblacht’. Did you know that Nana?’ 

‘An Phoblacht’ has been in print for as long as Eileen can remember. It has remained a critical and, at times, lone voice for progressive republican values throughout the decades. 

‘Come on Nana, pay attention! So, what I’ve done is made my magazine just like ‘An Phoblacht’ was when Eamonn was in charge. He wrote some brilliant books about Dublin and about the people. They had cool names like ‘Janey Mack me Shirt is Black’, just like the nursery rhyme. And he wrote this other one, ‘Gur Cake Coal Blocks’. I love that one. Ma said your Mammy used to buy gur cake, and that it was made from leftovers. Imagine that!’

Eileen heart is now bursting with pride and happy memories. She swoops Alroy up in her arms and hugs him tightly. ‘My Mam used to get her gur cake from St Catherine’s Bakery in Thomas Court. No-one loved the Liberties like my Mam. She was so proud of where she came from’. ‘Just like Eamonn’, Alroy says as he nuzzles into his Nana. ‘Yes kiddo, just like Eamonn’. 

To check in with the family, visit:   fb.me/PostcardsfromtheNewRepublic