Infinity + 1

{embed image: 'images/oldman1.jpg', alt: 'old man in a wheelchair'} An old man Dreams dreams of dreams dreaming dreams How many [[memories]]? How many [[threads]]? How many memories in a family travel through [[time]]? Infinity + 1

{embed image: 'images/woman kitchen 1.jpg', alt: 'old woman in farm kitchen'} Grannie at the Aga making tea. Gather round [[the table|gathered for tea]]. Quiet now! Let me tell you of the time the raven came to call and would not take no for an answer! [after 1 second] Is that your da? [continued] [after 3 second] Children! Away with you. [after 5 second] 'shh 'shh! [[This is not for you.]] [after 7 second] The adults need to talk. [continued]

{embed image: 'images/children field.jpg', alt: 'Irish children in a field'} Days spent playing in a field. Imagining a world beyond stone fences, old beyond reckoning. The fences you can climb over. The fields to stay away from. Farmer Neale's old bull, the legendary Finnbhennach brought back to earth and twice as fierce, but black as night and impossible to see in the dark of a moonless night. That time Uncle Bernard risked all to cross the field... A voice [[calls]] Night [[falls]]

{embed image: 'images/cottage.jpg', alt: 'thatched Irish cottage'} Stories over tea. The time your man Padraigh Flaherty was on his way to Ballindooley and disappeared for two days and then appeared in the middle of Cloonsillagh in broad daylight with no knowing where he'd been. Nothing in his pockets except for a woven chain of cowslip flowers! [after 3 second] And you know your Auntie Margaret Mary fell off a barge into the River Corrib once? How she saved herself, holding on to a bale of sheep's wool? The butcher saw her floating towards the Galway market, calm as a cat in a windowsill, head high, safe from the wet, not a strand of hair out of place! [continued] [after 6 second] They say that story pales next to the tale of how she rescued the bull lost beyond Farmer Neale's bog! The three tricks she knew to fool the massive beast into calm, as quiet as a babe in his mother's arms... [continued] [after 8 second] [[Life on the farm.]] The stories not told. The Troubles in town. Or only told in hushed tones. Arrests. The RIC searching. [continued] [after 9 second] Your father's years [[out of time|Connemara hills]].

{embed image: 'images/gran baby.jpg', alt: 'Grandmother holding a baby'} "Away with you to the farm to get the eggs. Take the peels and this letter. Thank your auntie and come back quick. Make sure you ask her if there's been word of Thom Purcell. No [[ dallying]] on the way back. Or the way there! Be off with you and mind [[the little ones]]!"

{embed image: 'images/little children.jpg', alt: 'Little children'} To the one in the chair, [[time is fluid]] Now in the field, [[brothers and sisters]] within arms reach. The summer Luke climbed too high in Ms Brennan's apple tree and saw the men of the RIC on the [[path towards Rahoon...]] Now [[gathered for tea]]. Adults first, children waiting. Now on the [[farm]] in Annaghdown

{embed image: 'images/girl 1888 1.jpg', alt: 'Beautiful Irish girl'} With [[a girl you just met|girl]] Tongue-tied. How did his father and mother come to meet? Come to be wed? Everyone knew the tale of the wedding day, the village's first in the new Republic. A story in the local paper. Your mother [[the most beautiful bride]].

{embed image: 'images/couple moon dance.jpg', alt: 'Young couple dancing'} Oh to be young! To dance with a [[girl]] under the [[moon]] To fall in[[ love]]

{embed image: 'images/Bros & siss.jpg', alt: 'brothers and sisters'} Long summer days out until the [[moon]] rises

{embed image: 'images/Irish Family.jpg', alt: 'Irish family'} Helping gran with [[the cooking]]. Tend the fire. Clean the fish. Gran's tales of treasure found in the peat bog. The ancient clay pot she promises to bring out someday. Left by the little people long before farms laid their stone traces across the hills.

{embed image: 'images/moon.jpg', alt: 'moon over countryside'} They watched the moon's light and dreamt of a [[future]]. A Home Land free.[[ Independence|windows]] Voyages seabound beyond the Aran Islands. Aunts and uncles in countries starting with A... The rarity of letters, postcards, kept locked away above the mantel. A father rereading the only letter penned in a son's [[hand|your father]].

{embed image: 'images/beauW1.jpg', alt: 'beautiful girl 1910'} There was a [[girl in a crowd]]. You thought you saw her on the [[Feast Day|St. Brigids Day]]. You thought you caught a glimpse of a future, what [[life might be|your love]]

{embed image: 'images/girl crowd.jpg', alt: 'girl in crowd'} You saw her once in a [[crowd]] The streets unsafe to [[linger|Poaching if caught.]] no matter how much you want to. What is her name?

{embed image: 'images/beau w3.jpg', alt: 'beautiful old woman'} There was [[your love]]

{embed image: 'images/beau w2.jpg', alt: 'beautiful old woman'} At the [[end of your life]]

{embed image: 'images/farmily 2.jpg', alt: 'Irish farm family'} Would she? She would. [[Again and always|walk out]]

{embed image: 'images/girl 1888 2.jpg', alt: 'girl in a crowd'} Would she even look at you? Might she [[walk out]]?

{embed image: 'images/farmily 1.jpg', alt: 'farm family'} Up early and out. Farming the land. [[Looking forward to tea|gathered for tea]] Father Byrne promised to call for tea. Gran waiting on word from Rinneroon, and stories of her sisters. Her sister's sons. Mind, she'd have a cake or a pie ready for his visit.

{embed image: 'images/Woman cooking 2.jpg', alt: 'Woman cooking by fire'} Peel the apples quick now. Save the peelings for the sow. You! Boys! make sure the drive is clear for our guest! [[Make yourselves useful!]]

{embed image: 'images/Would she.jpg', alt: 'portrait of a girl'} Would her people give permission to walk out across [[the hills]]?

{embed image: 'images/youth glance.jpg', alt: 'young man'} Would she even give him the [[time]] of day? One can [[dream|moon]]

{embed image: 'images/future.jpg', alt: 'young couple'} [[time is fluid]] Hopes and dreams are currents and eddies Past, present, dreams, entwine. At the [[end of your life]] there she is. There they are.

{embed image: 'images/sow.jpg', alt: 'the old sow'} Mind the old sow! Don't you go near her! She ate an old woman once. She was a little old woman but she ate her none-the-less! [after 1 second] Now how she came to be IN the pen, that's another story for a rainy day. [continued] Watch out for [[the little ones]]!

{embed image: 'images/Brit soldiers 2.jpg', alt: 'RIC at night'} Conversations quiet when you enter the room. [[Stories told.]] But not to you. [[Silences.]]

{embed image: 'images/Brit Soldiers 4.jpg', alt: 'Men of the RIC on night street'} Shots at night. Shots through windows. [[Your grandfather|the hills]]. Your uncle. [[Your father]].

{embed image: 'images/farmily 3.jpg', alt: 'an Irish farming family'} Hush. The adults are [[talking.]] Stay away from the [[windows]]

{embed image: 'images/grandfather.jpg', alt: 'portrait of a young man'} On the run for the years of the Troubles. To live in secret? Quiet as the [[Connemara hills]]

{embed image: 'images/Connemara 1.jpg', alt: 'Connemara moon'} Farming days. Quiet nights. [[A family on a farm.]] What one sees. What one doesn't. What one doesn't admit one [[sees|Cahill Fealy]].

{embed image: 'images/farmily 3.jpg', alt: 'an Irish farming family'} There was a [[girl|girl troubles]]

{embed image: 'images/girl troubles.jpg', alt: 'a girl'} Time is slow in [[the hills|time is fluid]] You can hear the sound of steps on cobblestones [[even here|sound of boots]].

{embed image: 'images/Brit soldiers 1.jpg', alt: 'British soldiers'} Close the windows. Silences. The words he heard, he doesn't [[speak|time]].

{embed image: 'images/grandfather 3.jpg', alt: 'a young man'} Your father has never said a word of those times. The stories begin here. With [[a girl|girl]]

{embed image: 'images/Brit soldiers 2.jpg', alt: 'Men of the RIC, Salthill, night'} Wait for the streets to clear. At dawn, salmon fishing off the Weir, River Corrib rushes below. Quiet moments with [[your father]].

{embed image: 'images/Father son fishing 1.jpg', alt: 'Father and son fishing'} Quiet moments with your father. Silence. Sounds of water, gulls overheard. In the distance, an old man walks. The first strong tug on your own line. [[The thrill!|A feast for all.]] [[Poaching if caught.]] Silence to catch the [[sound of boots]] on early morning cobblestones. Once a story of his grandfather out to sea, a calm day for fishing and a quick storm come up. It began with a seal that would not leave his boat. The wondrous miraculous escape not to be believed. A storm to defy the cliff ghasts. And yet he returned.

{embed image: 'images/Father son fishing 3.jpg', alt: 'Father and son fishing'} The day you reeled in a salmon yourself. Father watching. The taste of salmon poached the day it was caught. Gran convinced no matter how good THIS salmon, it could not match the taste of the salmon her father caught on the longest night of her 10th year. How he caught that salmon *after* the line broke... [[A feast to remember.]]

{embed image: 'images/Brit Soldiers 4.jpg', alt: 'RIC at night'} The ways of silence passed from grandfather to son to [[grandson.]]

{embed image: 'images/lone soldier.jpg', alt: 'Lone soldier'} Stories told in murmurs. The uncle *away*. A brother *away*. The countess who comes [[to visit|A feast to remember.]]

{embed image: 'images/Father son fishing 2.jpg', alt: 'Father son fishing'} Quiet tales of escaping the RIC. Routes and waterways to know in case. Paths into the countryside and [[old hidden ways|Connemara hills]] Moments spent with [[your father]]. What you learn in silence.

{embed image: 'images/salmon.jpg', alt: 'poached salmon'} Everyone helping gran. The lean days always close. The joy of [[a feast together]].

{embed image: 'images/family feast.jpg', alt: 'Family feast'} Stories shared of [[life on the farm|Life on the farm.]] Helping out with the planting and harvest. No wandering until [[the chores are done!|farm]]

{embed image: 'images/girl troubles.jpg', alt: 'girl in a crowd'} You saw her on the day of the protest for Home Rule. She looked at you. She would fight as would you. Would there be a time to under the [[light of the moon|Connemara hills]]? A time for [[a sweetheart|future]]?? A time for [[St. Brigids Day]]??

{embed image: 'images/brigid.jpg', alt: 'St Brigid'} Celebration of the Feast of St. Brigid. Icons of the ancient Goddess. [[Fire]] of the hearth. [[Milk.]] [[Straw dolls.]]

{embed image: 'images/doll.jpg', alt: 'Straw doll'} Traditions that go back before time's diary. [[Old stories|threads]] Stories of the [[Countess coming for tea]]. Talk of Independence.

{embed image: 'images/Hearth.jpg', alt: 'Irish hearth'} Gran's Aga. The coals always burning. Warmest by the [[stove|memories]].

{embed image: 'images/milk1.jpg', alt: 'a bowl of milk'} Visits to the farm. Helping with the chores. A bowl of milk to [[share|brothers and sisters]], one for many.

{embed image: 'images/Countess.jpg', alt: 'Countess Markievicz'} Voices hush when children enter the room. Off with you! Mind [[the little ones]]! Be home before [[nightfall|Poaching if caught.]]

{embed image: 'images/RIC.jpg', alt: 'A lone RIC'} [[Farmer Fealy|Cahill Fealy]] watched them pass from afar. Counting the men and the direction they went. Unsure of the path. A message was sent. Word reached the farm just in time. Ancient footpaths known in [[blood and bone|Connemara hills]]

{embed image: 'images/Cahill.jpg', alt: 'An old man'} Farmer Fealy awatch for a lost sheep. Ancient ways maintained in [[common paths.]] Learned by the little ones before formal schooling, [[playing chase across the fields|brothers and sisters]].

{embed image: 'images/Country path.jpg', alt: 'Irish countryside'} By the crow's flight, a young man runs faster than the RIC on [[unfamiliar paths.|Countess coming for tea]] Just in time. A whisper of plans across the country.

{embed image: 'images/pie.jpg', alt: 'Pie by fire'} Now make yourselves scarce. Company will [[be here soon|calls]]

{embed image: 'images/wedding.jpg', alt: 'News photo of a wedding'} She would still blush like a girl to talk of [[that day|old woman]]. All the town turned out to celebrate. More than one wedding. [[The spirit of the day|St. Brigids Day]].