Craic On

Gerry McLaughlin of CraicOn

This was the astonishing story I heard this morning when I went out to get my newspaper.

It seemed the person was told about it and wondered when she saw my son in the shop seemingly not upset at all about it.

I wondered if she was right and that I was really in heaven – and then I spotted a few people that I wouldn’t have expected to see there.

They say that there is no smoke without fire.

However, in Moville there does appear to be a lot of smoke without fire.

First Time Dead

This is my first time pronounced dead.

It has happened to my father three times.

A few years ago the coalman knocked the back door to tell my wife that he was sorry to hear about Gerry McLaughlin’s death.

She asked “Which one – senior or junior?”

As I had only spoken to her minutes before I can only assume that this was wishful thinking on her part.

Bearer of Bad News

She came upstairs and told me the bad news, i.e. that my father had died on New Year’s Eve. As this was now January 2nd you would think that someone might have told me by then.

So, I said to her that I had spoken to him on New Year’s day which would be quite a good trick if he had passed away the night before.

He’s still 3-1 up on me.

Newly Awakened

I’ve heard also in Moville that people have gone to wakes only to be greeted by the person at the door who was supposed to have passed away?

Who starts all these rumours in Moville anyway?

Perhaps it is because I haven’t been out since Saturday night that people feared the worst.

Mark Twain

I’ve been dying, for years to get the chance to use Mark Twain’s old line when the same thing happened to him and now here’s my chance.

“Rumours of my death are greatly exaggerated”.

I hope I didn’t alarm any family members or friends by the headline.

And as for those who clicked on it in eager anticipation…..you’ll have  a while to wait yet.

Gerry McLaughlin