A funny man who lightened all our everyday tribulations

Country Living with Francis Farragher

Most of us like to think that we’re busy as bees and think that we cannot be done without (talk about being full of our own importance), but here and there an odd minor medical matter can call a halt to the rat-race for a couple of days.

Back the years, one of the ‘characters’ in Galway education used to often remark that ‘Glasnevin Cemetery is full of indispensables’ and how true a statement that was. While we all leave our little mark, the show must go on, and that’s the way it has to be.

Last week, with a bit of unexpected time on my hands with the work-agenda put on the backburner, it kind of struck me how depressing it can be to tune into regular news bulletins and current affairs programmes.

Now, I will spare you any regurgitation of some of the most awful news stories and court cases that have made the headlines over recent weeks, and of course while all those things have to recorded and covered accurately by the media, most of us reach a cut-off point where we just don’t need to any more detail on a particularly stomach churning crime, and especially if children are involved.

We all do need our lighter moments and while we cannot live forever in a bubble of denial about some of the awful things that happen on our planet, I do think that it’s good for mind and body to consciously take breaks from such intense doses of sadness and at times pure savagery.

Here and there — but not too often I have to concede — I’ve gone to hear some of ‘the funny men’ of our time (better known as comedians), and last week the passing of Brendan Grace, whilst bringing its own sadness, also ignited many happy memories.

I’m no expert on the world of comedy but he was about the only comedian I’ve ever seen who could have the audience in stitches of laughter by simply walking onto the stage.

The last time, I saw him might have been in the Black Box in Galway city where he tore onto the stage as Bottler with the audience breaking into convulsions of laughter that never stopped until he left the stage. And what a gift that was and what a legacy of happiness it has left to anyone who has ever been at any of his concerts or seen him on television.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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