And so today is Síle’s birthday , the number is a significant one (she was born in the fifties-just) but she looks years younger, unlike her spouse (her pupils in Scoil Lorcáin used to say when they saw me waiting for her “Teechur your Daddy’s outside !)

Anyway, in co-operation with at least two of her daughters I managed to present her with this picture as her (principal) present this morning.
It is a photograph which she took herself in St. Beauziel in the Lot et Garonne about 20 something years ago.

It is taken just after a long summer lunch , the remains are still on the table , and is of her parents and her sister Una and beau frere Martin and my self.
It works extremely well and has a real painterly feel so I got it blown up and mounted on canvas for the occasion – Well I say I got it- truth is at my request daughters Deirdre and Caitríona organised it for me.