Healing a Broken Heart One Musical Beat at a Time.....

“For you can’t hear Irish tunes without knowing you’re Irish and wanting to pound that fact into the floor.”

Words from the very wise author Jennifer Armstrong and my god could this be applied to my experience of the National Irish Music Fleadh that was held in Mullingar last week 🇮🇪 For anyone not native to the Irish language (myself included, I was always distracted in my Irish class- that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it), the word ‘Fleadh’ is pronounced as ‘Flaa’ and means festival.

So for seven days straight we’ve been holding our National Irish Music Festival in a town called Mullingar in county Westmeath & historically it is the World’s largest celebration of Irish music, song, language and dance of its kind. Just to give you a bit more information on that end, Mullingar is located about twenty minutes from where I live and it’s a much loved town, Fleadh or no Fleadh. Mullingar sits itself beautifully in the middle of the country, gorgeous lakes all around it, soaked in history & beauty and locally known as the midlands as we are in commuting distance of Dublin City and not too far from the West of Ireland either. One hour east of Mullingar will bring you to the capital City and and if you turn on your indicator & and head west, a one hour thirty minute drive will bring you to the beautiful city of Galway. The area in which Mullingar sits is boundlessly rich in its geographical location beautifully sunk into a midway point between the east and west coast of our Emerald Isle ☘️

When it comes down to the world map, we often, the Irish, run away with ourselves here, but Ireland really is a very small country. There’s only barely five million of us leprechauns here but we do have acres and acres of endless green grass as far as the eye can see…84,421 kilometres squared of green grass…That’s a lot of grass and of course the main reason we are known for our green complexion….Blessed by many spiritual and cultural Celtic traditions of our past and a determination to never lose our deep historical roots, an event like the Fleadh really embraces and reignites a fire within the Irish soul.

Even if you weren’t Irish, by the time you leave the Fleadh, you will be signing yourself up for an Irish passport, giving into to that famous lepraunchaun charm and telling everyone that you’ve spent the weekend ‘acting the maggot’ and you now greet everyone asking them, ‘how’s the craic?’ ☘️🇮🇪☘️

I count myself very lucky to live rurally out in the countryside here in Ireland, surrounded by cows galore, lots of that famous green grass, endless country roads filled with an array of specialised potholes but not forgetting the magical wildflowers that line those roads and the beautiful backdrop of untouched nature. Even though I live rurally while living close to Mullingar, by car we aren’t at all far from the main cities.

I know I’m biased about Mullingar but it’s just got that loveable factor about it. It’s not too big or not too small. It’s not too hot or not too cold. It’s just like that bowl of porridge goldilocks was looking for. It’s like that friend that we all love dearly. Mullingar is indeed the friend who even if we try and find a fault about them, there really isn’t any…Mullingar is a town that everyone loves. I always describe it as having aspects of a few different towns in it, it’s a bit like Kilkenny, a bit like Galway, a bit like a small village, yet it has that blend of country and town nicely matched. It has great shops. Great restaurants. Great musicians. Great local businesses. Great pubs. Great streets. And my favourite of all, great people…..

The soul of Mullingar came to life like never before over the last week and even today as Monday marks the beginning of a new week, (a week without the ‘Official Fleadh’ in place) I know the town of Mullingar is still drenched in the atmosphere and aftermath of the fire that was lit through the magic of the people coming together for the Fleadh. The magic of souls coming together and the magic of Ireland just being itself. The magic of spirits lighting up in the sound bath of talents that travelled from top to toe of our little country. The happiness and everlasting and ever infectious smiles of thousands infecting thousands with joy. In a time where the word ‘infection’ up to this moment couldn’t be used without fear chasing it, I proudly use this word to say the Fleadh has indeed infected us, the Irish people, with joy once again.

We can feel pride in our country while standing amongst each other of what our little island offers. We may be small but my god do we punch with heart. Thank god for this moment. Thank god for life beyond what we have all been through. Thank god for the amazing sunny weather which has allowed us all to enjoy live Irish traditional music, dance and culture take to the streets like never before. 🇮🇪💚🇮🇪

I’ve never in my whole life experienced anything like the fleadh in Mullingar this past week. I’ve been to Electric Picnic, I’ve been to the ploughing championships, I’ve been to international rugby matches, travelled across Europe chasing some of the biggest stadium gigs and I’ve never ever felt an atmosphere like there was in Mullingar over the last week. The town has a population of around 20,000 people normally so this full and blooming atmosphere was definitely something we are not used to around here….Rumour has it that over 500,000 people and maybe more when official numbers are released, made their way to the midlands town of Mullingar for what is being hailed as the ‘Best fleadh Ever’.

As I walked the streets, I couldn’t help but smile and smile and smile. I started my fun on Thursday and continued right up to Sunday, and I nearly had to be dragged away from the town kicking and screaming…well not screaming… but instead singing and dancing I was and that wasn't anything alcohol fuelled…quite the opposite…We all were just so happy to be out and about, myself included and there definitely was an atmosphere of musical magic in the air….Like a party you just didn’t want to leave.

The level of entertainment was exceptional. Every ten steps I took, it brought me to another set of musicians and their talents on show. Look left….look right..look left..look right….music everywhere…some you couldn’t see because of the large number of people gathering around them like a religion of sorts…we were all there to bow down to the musicians of this country and remind them of how amazing they are and also to show our appreciation of those hours they practiced when nobody was looking…

Young children everywhere with instruments of all types. Older children everywhere with instruments of every type….Grown adults from all walks of life with instruments of every type…It literally had to be seen to nearly be believed. All ages taking to the side path and giving it socks. The crowds couldn’t be nicer. I mean everyone was just in such good form.

At one stage while I looked up to the big blue sky with the sun in my face, I thought to myself, god we could all be in continental Europe with the heat and the good energy bursting off the crowds felt like we were all on holidays together. You know that feeling you get when you are the Irish and are on holidays together… There just is something magical about us Irish taking flight and gathering in another country….that lovely cosy warm excited feeling you get inside yourself with happiness bursting from your soul and that special pride you feel for our little country…Well that’s what happened at the Fleadh.

Maybe a combination of all the trauma of covid and now the slow realisation that maybe, just maybe, this might be our opportunity to be back out loving and living together again. I described the whole experience as something between a World Cup quarter final vibe where Ireland were winning 5-nil, the fun of the crowds and banter of the Ploughing Championships and then throw in St. Patrick’s day for good measure and then you’re just about touching on the amazing atmosphere of Fleadh Ceoil na hEireann.

I had some really personal moments myself during the few days too. I got to spontaneously meet some of my wonderful Facebook family…My god was that the best part of the whole affair…I have to be honest and say a big YES because it was everything I knew it would be…You were all so lovely and and I’m just so grateful you approached me…My one and only issue at the moment is that I don’t know what a lot of ye look like….so if you do ever see me anywhere, please do come over to me…I had so many messages afterwards saying you saw me but you so kindly didn’t want to interrupt my lunch, or didn’t want to interrupt my chat with my friends that you didn’t disturb me…. which is ever soooo cute but can I promise you one thing, you will never be an interruption, you will never disturb me, you will always be a joy to me, a part of my heart I always want to embrace and meet and chat…and of course hug as well so please if you see me somewhere, do let me know its you! I didn’t get photos with everyone so very sorry to those who are missing….From now on we will definitely take a celebratory selfie when we meet 💖🥰💖

I had such magical meets up with so many of ye and thank you for sharing your time and stories with me over the last week in Mullingar. Your words and kindness means more than I can ever express but please know I’m looking forward to our next meet up already. Our friendships are cemented in the magic of Granny and also we have a whole lifetime ahead of us to have fun, laughter and all the good stuff together so it is truly time for us to meet each other…It’s time for us to hug. It’s time for us to meet face to face. Eye to eye. Hand to hand. It’s time for me to be able to say thank you to you in person. It’s time for us to exchange numbers and meet for tea…

It’s time for this book to leave my hands and my heart and enter into yours….And that moment is getting closer and closer…and how excited I am to know Granny’s story will live not only in your hearts but also in your homes and your hands…The three most sacred places of our lives: our homes, our hands and our hearts……In meeting so many of ye over the weekend, I realised and was reminded that I can do this. I can bring this book to the finishing line and I won’t be there on my own…You will all be there waiting for me and that’s the magic of Granny Nancy living out into the next stage of her story…….Of course I’ll be dearly missing one person from that part but I know she sent each and everyone of ye to me so I won’t be alone…We will all be there together…We will all celebrate this wonderful friend of ours called ‘Granny Nancy’, a friend we all had just when we needed her and we will never forget her.

Another slightly emotional moment over the last few days that I wish to share was something I didn’t expect…..Like all emotions, sometimes we can see the wave rising and we can surf it and other times, it bubbles up and knocks us down in a breathe….This moment was a little unusual….But over the last few months when I was knocking about Mullingar for normal day to day stuff, I often walked down Mount Street and would pass a bakery called Patisserie 2210….The girl that runs this business is a young, trendy, very lovely and hard working soul… Una Leonard is her name….

I came across Una when she started sending out her beautiful treats in the post during lockdown…It was then when I ordered some for myself and Granny as a surprise. As many of you will remember how we all searched the internet high and low for ways to keep our sanity back then & when I found Una on Instagram, I instantly liked her & wanted to support her…So I ordered some goodies and within days they arrived in the post...Granny loved them & loved that this young baker was just in Mullingar ‘it’s great to support a local girl Louise and what a great idea’ would be her words to me after. We had great fun and made a lovely fun video cementing this memory in my mind and my phone bank forever more…..I always thought I would go into Una when lockdown lifted and Covid went back to wherever it came from and I’d share with Una Granny and maybe even we’d have a chat with her on the phone or something silly like that…Of course I never planned in my mind, when the day would come that I would be able to walk into Patisserie 2210 that I would no longer have gran….It’s like something we shared together had now become something I carried on my own…the joy squeezed out of it by the grief…Me suppressing the sadness within the happiness left me with not wanting to engage with the memory so therefore everytime I walked by Una’s shop….I just walked on by….I just couldn’t do it…So to speed up this story, in the loveliness of the Fleadh and while with a very good friend, we approached Una’s door for a coffee…My friend’s words unbeknownst to her what this shop door held for me were as follows, .”I’m getting this coffee Lou’’….And at that I followed with ‘I’ll come with you”. …Being brave and courageous and a little in the mindset that I’d just jump from the plane without a parachute and go for broke…Up to that, my overthinking, over sensitive brain had stopped me every time…but in this moment I was gone in the door without anytime to retreat…I did have a moment or five of doubt in the queue…My get out being brought forward in the words of ‘maybe this queue is too long, maybe we will head out and come back”.

Again my friend knew no different and in a lovely calm way said “ah sure we are in no rush…what do you think?’ and then…out of my mouth came my healing words…”you’re right. There is no rush. Let’s get our coffee here. I love this place myself.” So it was a simple coffee order but in behind the process was something much deeper. I couldn't sleep that night thinking of all that move meant to me. I had took the step, travelled over the memory and made a new one.

The fleadh musical sounds in the background, my heart split with the love and joy of all the fun being had out on the streets and the hurt somewhere caught in the baked treats of Una’s magical making….. I’ll share here the video I made that morning in a flood of tears (that brings this story to video format - I think it's cute and also you get to see Granny in full flight too) but as I always say, tears are healing and in moving on in life whether grief based or just life based, sometimes it doesn’t happen as you plan it, it just happens….and in the least expected moment, you start to heal…One more step forward …..and one more step towards my broken heart being less broken.

I owe a lot of joy and healing to the magic of this years Fleadh as it allowed me to return to me….A new me. The old me. A mix of both me’s if that makes sense….drenched in the spiritual wisdom of Granny and most importantly forever wrapped in her love and equally learning the tough lessons of life that those we love are not here forever and either are we…

So its Monday once again and the Fleadh and all it represents is officially over but like any good moment in life, it’s all packed away in our hearts. The place where all good memories need to stay. A huge congratulations to everyone involved in the most amazing festival I’ve ever been too. The magic and pride I felt all weekend is beyond my own words and I’ll be forever grateful for the shamrock that belongs inside my soul. And for the healing that comes from spending time with good people.

I hope life is being good to you and that your week head is gentle and kind to you.

Keep looking up and never forget, you’ll always have a hundred thousands welcomes waiting for you here and one huge heart waiting to embrace you.

Thank you always for your support and friendship to me. It never goes unnoticed or unappreciated.

Keep smiling! Keep going! Keep being you!

Love and light always,

Lou x

I did about a million Facebook Live streams from the Fleadh so if you want to experience the Fleadh unedited (My hair and Make Up team were fully booked for the weekend- not for me haha!)…..you can visit my page to watch the Fleadh in action & me as well - Just click here :)

Here’s another little video I’ve put together just with a quick round up of what the Fleadh looked like…Hope you enjoy x

I think this is fun 👇

And don’t forget the Fleadh moves locations all around Ireland but on the back of the success of Mullingar, rumour has it, it’s coming back for a second year next year! Make sure to put it in your diary. Well done Mullingar, so proud of you in a million ways. Hope you get a well deserved rest this week. You’ve not only done yourselves proud but you’ve done the nation proud! Up the Irish! Up the Fleadh! Up Mullingar! Ps When it comes to instruments, my best contribution is a sound you will recognise…here it comes……WAHOOOOOOOOO!!!!

A big shout out to two other businesses I loved at the Fleadh 🇮🇪💚🇮🇪

*Gerry’s Groovy Grub - such lovely people - Gerry’s Van was at the Fleadh & he also has a van permanently at Mullingar Hospital too. This is the link to Gerry's Facebook Page. ☘️

*Derek Tuite is a pal of mine for a lifetime. His brilliant shop Juice Zone is located just beside Pamela Scott and Guiney’s. Derek’s grub is the best & I promise you will be guaranteed a big smile to go with it too everytime. This is the link to Derek’s Juicezone's Instagram Page 🇮🇪