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Blessing of the Fleet in Greencastle

Posted Sunday, August 12, 2007

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Blessing of the Fleet in Greencastle

Someone I know came up to me in Rosatos last night say "You should have been at the Blessing of the Fleet today".

It was almost accusatory, as though somehow it was my duty as editor of CraicOn.com to be there.

Never Been

I know it's a big thing in Greencastle but I've never gone to see it.

To be perfectly frank it didn't seem all that inviting if all that happened was that the boats were blessed and then it was all over.

Also, as I don't drive I would have had to walk to Greencastle just to see it.

I spent the day instead organising the upcoming BeatlesFest in Moville.

Weak Excuse

I replied weakly that CraicOn was a Moville website but that was a bit feeble as I had already done a review of Kealy's Restaurant.

As I could see that he felt that it was an important occasion that I should have covered I didn't really want to say "I couldn't be bothered".

I asked him if he would do a report on it and that I would publish it on CraicOn.

I think that he felt that it was my job, though.

What it Meant

So, I asked him what it was about the Blessing of the Fleet, what it meant to him.

For one, it was the first time that Bishop Daly had come to it for 4 or 5 years.

What he told me next, though changed my mind about it.

Emotional Moment

He said it was a very emotional moment for him, and for the other fishermen, when the boats were blessed and Bishop Daly asked everyone to pause for a moment and remember those fishermen who had perished from Greencastle.

He had lost friends and he named a few.

He said that he was having to hold back the tears as he listened.

It was a poignant moment, a time for reflection, a time to remember friends that he would never see again, and also to acknowledge the dangers that existed for those amongst the audience who went out to fish and who would be facing those dangers again in the coming months.

Auld Lang Syne

It reminded me of New Years Eve when Auld Lang Syne is sung.

It's a very poignant song for Scotsmen as opposed to people from other countries who join hands and sing it (it seems it is the world's 2nd most sung song after Happy Birthday).

It was written by Robert Burns about a promise he and a friend who went to America made to each other just before he left to go there.

In those days you went to America and never came back.

Promise Made

They knew they would never see each other again, so they promised each other that at the same time every year they would stop whatever they were doing, and think of each other for a few minutes - and each one would know the other was thinking about him.

They would take a cup of ale and each would drink to the other one at exactly the same moment.

So, every year Scotsmen take time out on New Year's Eve when the song is sung to remember those that they would never see again (childhood friends perhaps) for one reason or another.

Now I Understood

And that was what was happening at Greencastle.

Fishermen and seafarers, gard bitten by the sea, were remembering those who they would never see again and taking a step back to acknowledge the dangers that they themselves had faced and would face to bring the catch home.

That's why it was so emotional that the boats were blessed.

Glad I Bit My Tongue

When he explained all that to me I was awfully glad that I hadn't said that the real reason that I didn't come was because I couldn't be bothered.

I'll be there next year.

I wouldn't miss it.