I am Donal, the sixth of ten children. Michael was the first or second. And thought that I should add to the memory of Michael as one of his brothers. There are only two of us left. Brothers that is. Jim being the other now aged four of five years older than me. At 75 this month and recently experience a storke. Jim is an invalid in Rockwell College. Two sister remain, Joan and Nuala.
All you will have is patches of his early life. He's now at university in Galway when I became aware of him. I remember his study at home in Market St, Ennis where he had a room to himslef, a small one and kept to his schedule of studying religiously. We were are strangers. He to his schedule of subjects, me gallavanting around the town. Can't remember that we spoke. About that time (in the early forties) my sister Madeline and I were sitting at home on a cold winter' night getting the best that we could from the turf fire when Michael burst into the room and to each of us handed a big bar of Cadbury's chocolate. And he was gone as quickly as he had arrived. That was Michael, always in a rush when he had things to do. It was Christmas and he made it for my sister and me. At St Flannen's College in Ennis I went to the sports day one year and I saw Michael, his face screwed up like it was an Olympic event, doing his best to win the 100 yards. He didn't. I remember him around the same trime at Drumore Lake (we used to have a family caravan there, that summer anyway) about six miles from town and three of us posed for a photo still alive today. Me sitting on some rocks with Jim behind me going up and Michael at the top with him pipe.
Some time after he met and married Ena then went to the States. And came back for a holiday. I met them in Bath in England and shot a complete film, each one of Mike and Ena. It was after all a long long time since I had met my big brother and I needed something to hang on to! Of the town, of the Roman Hot Springsl, everywhere they went. And send the lot to Mike when he returned to USA. Didn't see them again until I think 1983 when all the Smiths and their better halves returned to Ennis for a Smith reunion. Can't remember the numbers but there were a lot. And a noisy lot the Smiths turned out to be too.
We first me in Shannon Airport for a reunion dinner laid on by the Rockwell College Catering School Staff suitable led by Jim, Brother Jim being of the Catholic Creed. Great food. Thoroughly demolished. Then a request from Madeline's husband (Madeline was No 7 and also now from the States) with a message from Maureen who was dying in Galway General Hospital, and No 1 or 2 in the family). Thus started one of the famous rows in the family history, led by Michael and supported by most of his bros and siss. Quite simply all hell broke loose. Which, looking back on it, was a hoot. But not at the time. As a family we had been thoroughly scattered worldwide by then. And were still scattered by the time we met. Different viewpoints, different opinious. There was no set plan when we met and that first night was the ideal setting for a non harmonious first meeting.
We stayed together for 10 days I think. And, as quickly made up our differences and returned to them on the next meeting. We travelled a lot. To Galway Hospital where individually we saw Maureen. To Bunratty, a famous ruin of the 13th Century I think but modernized. To Lahinch a seaside village on the west coast. We laughed a lot, rowed a lot, cried a bit And swore that we should something like it again in the future. And didn't. We were too fragmented. The whole of the reunion was paid for out of the limited funds from the deaths of my father and mother - that is, the sale of No 10 out of which we were done by a clever tennant who swore that he did not have a rent agreement - nothing signed.
A fair bit there about the family history of which Michael was considered a figure head but not respected as one. He returned again to Ireland with Ena and stayed in my house (my wife and I bought one - had it built - out in the wilds of Co Clare.) They stayed there for a week or two and bought a Kayak, which they tried on the lakes around the house. Well, a couple of miles away. I did not meet them then, I was in England. There was a bit of a story that Ena tried to upturn the Kayak to keep Michael quiet because his temper was too much to cope with. She having to learn her part in the small craft. And it was small. I know because he left it behind him when he returned to the States. I had an oppertunity to get rid of my wife when we used it. But it meant me getting wet if I tried it. Pity, because later she divorced me and almost broke me. I said almost. And mean it. Anyway...
There was the story of Michael's part in the mathematical numbers game. Tried his hardest to get his nembers of whatever it was called - a formula of sorts that would have provided mankind with information that would tell you how many sheep were in a field, what position each held in relation to the sun, what way each was facing, where each had been, where each would go to, how much each had eaten - all this kind of useful information. Not that mankind would benefit from any of it. As I understood it anyway. Which is another way of saying that I didn't understand it at all. But he hept very busy and had bumbled his was through the higher maths brigade of the USA trying to make his mark. And appointed me Maketing Director of the European side of things !! Wow!!! He was convinced that his theory was infalible as all of this family in the States knew it was not. It kind of pettered out. I think he found one small calculation in his theory that wasn't exactly right.
Although I didn't know Michael all that well or see him all that often, I found him excessively funny when his lost his rag. Couldn't stop laughing at him. He would have made a wonderful commedian - if he did not take life so seriously. I just recall the story of him going to the Carmody Hoterl here in Ennis with his brother Jackie and two girl friends (I heard of this story - did not see it) and Michael purchased a round of Putteen for the four. Which they consumed and after a few moments of quiet Michael stood up and set about destroying the bar - literally. Tables, chairs, the bar itself, a male body, a female body, everything that could be lifterf and thrown. No one could stop him and of course the two ladies beat a hasty retreat as did everyone else in the bar. Michael spend the next three or four days in bed and was handed a rather large bill from the Hotel owners.
His brother and sisters in order of Birth
Maureen (Gone)
Jackie (Gone)_
Jim
Collette (First to Go)_
Joan
Donal
Madeline (Gone)
Nuala
Ted
And I finish my story here. Especially here because Michael had in him a nasty temper which I saw myself on a few occasions and could not stop laughing. I knew of no one else who did. And of course I did love him. May he Rest in Peace.
Donal
All you will have is patches of his early life. He's now at university in Galway when I became aware of him. I remember his study at home in Market St, Ennis where he had a room to himslef, a small one and kept to his schedule of studying religiously. We were are strangers. He to his schedule of subjects, me gallavanting around the town. Can't remember that we spoke. About that time (in the early forties) my sister Madeline and I were sitting at home on a cold winter' night getting the best that we could from the turf fire when Michael burst into the room and to each of us handed a big bar of Cadbury's chocolate. And he was gone as quickly as he had arrived. That was Michael, always in a rush when he had things to do. It was Christmas and he made it for my sister and me. At St Flannen's College in Ennis I went to the sports day one year and I saw Michael, his face screwed up like it was an Olympic event, doing his best to win the 100 yards. He didn't. I remember him around the same trime at Drumore Lake (we used to have a family caravan there, that summer anyway) about six miles from town and three of us posed for a photo still alive today. Me sitting on some rocks with Jim behind me going up and Michael at the top with him pipe.
Some time after he met and married Ena then went to the States. And came back for a holiday. I met them in Bath in England and shot a complete film, each one of Mike and Ena. It was after all a long long time since I had met my big brother and I needed something to hang on to! Of the town, of the Roman Hot Springsl, everywhere they went. And send the lot to Mike when he returned to USA. Didn't see them again until I think 1983 when all the Smiths and their better halves returned to Ennis for a Smith reunion. Can't remember the numbers but there were a lot. And a noisy lot the Smiths turned out to be too.
We first me in Shannon Airport for a reunion dinner laid on by the Rockwell College Catering School Staff suitable led by Jim, Brother Jim being of the Catholic Creed. Great food. Thoroughly demolished. Then a request from Madeline's husband (Madeline was No 7 and also now from the States) with a message from Maureen who was dying in Galway General Hospital, and No 1 or 2 in the family). Thus started one of the famous rows in the family history, led by Michael and supported by most of his bros and siss. Quite simply all hell broke loose. Which, looking back on it, was a hoot. But not at the time. As a family we had been thoroughly scattered worldwide by then. And were still scattered by the time we met. Different viewpoints, different opinious. There was no set plan when we met and that first night was the ideal setting for a non harmonious first meeting.
We stayed together for 10 days I think. And, as quickly made up our differences and returned to them on the next meeting. We travelled a lot. To Galway Hospital where individually we saw Maureen. To Bunratty, a famous ruin of the 13th Century I think but modernized. To Lahinch a seaside village on the west coast. We laughed a lot, rowed a lot, cried a bit And swore that we should something like it again in the future. And didn't. We were too fragmented. The whole of the reunion was paid for out of the limited funds from the deaths of my father and mother - that is, the sale of No 10 out of which we were done by a clever tennant who swore that he did not have a rent agreement - nothing signed.
A fair bit there about the family history of which Michael was considered a figure head but not respected as one. He returned again to Ireland with Ena and stayed in my house (my wife and I bought one - had it built - out in the wilds of Co Clare.) They stayed there for a week or two and bought a Kayak, which they tried on the lakes around the house. Well, a couple of miles away. I did not meet them then, I was in England. There was a bit of a story that Ena tried to upturn the Kayak to keep Michael quiet because his temper was too much to cope with. She having to learn her part in the small craft. And it was small. I know because he left it behind him when he returned to the States. I had an oppertunity to get rid of my wife when we used it. But it meant me getting wet if I tried it. Pity, because later she divorced me and almost broke me. I said almost. And mean it. Anyway...
There was the story of Michael's part in the mathematical numbers game. Tried his hardest to get his nembers of whatever it was called - a formula of sorts that would have provided mankind with information that would tell you how many sheep were in a field, what position each held in relation to the sun, what way each was facing, where each had been, where each would go to, how much each had eaten - all this kind of useful information. Not that mankind would benefit from any of it. As I understood it anyway. Which is another way of saying that I didn't understand it at all. But he hept very busy and had bumbled his was through the higher maths brigade of the USA trying to make his mark. And appointed me Maketing Director of the European side of things !! Wow!!! He was convinced that his theory was infalible as all of this family in the States knew it was not. It kind of pettered out. I think he found one small calculation in his theory that wasn't exactly right.
Although I didn't know Michael all that well or see him all that often, I found him excessively funny when his lost his rag. Couldn't stop laughing at him. He would have made a wonderful commedian - if he did not take life so seriously. I just recall the story of him going to the Carmody Hoterl here in Ennis with his brother Jackie and two girl friends (I heard of this story - did not see it) and Michael purchased a round of Putteen for the four. Which they consumed and after a few moments of quiet Michael stood up and set about destroying the bar - literally. Tables, chairs, the bar itself, a male body, a female body, everything that could be lifterf and thrown. No one could stop him and of course the two ladies beat a hasty retreat as did everyone else in the bar. Michael spend the next three or four days in bed and was handed a rather large bill from the Hotel owners.
His brother and sisters in order of Birth
Maureen (Gone)
Jackie (Gone)_
Jim
Collette (First to Go)_
Joan
Donal
Madeline (Gone)
Nuala
Ted
And I finish my story here. Especially here because Michael had in him a nasty temper which I saw myself on a few occasions and could not stop laughing. I knew of no one else who did. And of course I did love him. May he Rest in Peace.
Donal
