She ain’t heavy she’s my mother

So on we go, her welfare is of my concern.
No burden is she to bear, we’ll get there… but then she ain’t heavy she’s my mother.

Ours is a well-trodden path, Mum and I, and we have been lifelong travelling companions.

But today we set out on our last journey, to Teasy’s homestead of Brockagh, Co. Donegal, in the north-west of Ireland.

Our drive to the airport, this time from North Berwick to Edinburgh, is quieter than usual.

Although I can hear in my mind’s ear her still trying to distract me by pointing out every landmark along the way.

The Adventures of Teasy and her baby

I smile too at the memory of her reaching into the glove compartment on another occasion, for a travel sweet.

And pulling out a joke plastic turd which the kids had left, and almost jumping out of her seat.

We have been travelling this road all my life, either as a family.

Or on those privileged Easter trips, when being the youngest and unencumbered by schoolwork, it was just the two of us.

Sorry for your Troubles

It was always an adventure.

And not without an element of danger.

Such as when we got lost in Belfast in the height of The Troubles.

And Teasy stopped to ask for directions, even inviting the randomer into the car to show us the way.

You can take the girl out of Donegal, and for 70 years my Dear Old Dad did, but you can’t take Donegal out of the girl.

Or when we found ourselves on the Scottish Isle of Arran rather than Ireland because of a communications breakdown at the ferry port.

In the driving seat

Today I am in charge as I was over the 13 years I spent in Greystones, Co. Wicklow, near Dublin.

And I would drive her up to (or down to as she would insist despite it being north) Donegal on her annual pilgrimage.

Although, of course, I never was truly in charge, and it was double trouble when her sister Ronnie came with us.

And Teasy started giving out exhorting Ronnie to get me to stop.

Because she thought I had taken a wrong turn and was ‘now in Bandit Country.’

The parting glass

She is still, of course, causing mischief and it is no surprise to see my backpack siphoned off for checking at Edinburgh Airport.

Or that the security staff highlight that this is no ordinary passenger… ‘she’s very bright’ he opines.

‘That’ll be all the alcohol in her’, I reason.

It could, of course, have been worse, and I half expected to be asked to divide her into 100 little plastic bags and go through again.

The Pearly Gates

But we are on our way, after 70 years Teasy is going home for good.

It’ll be an adventure and already our gate for our EasyJet flight has changed twice in the last ten minutes.

You hope they haven’t got any old airport staff reemployed at the Pearly Gates.

Not my worry yet, I have to get a Daughter of Donegal home, safe and sound.

But be sure that I’ll eek every minute out of our last journey together.

Because the load doesn’t weigh me down at all. She ain’t heavy, she’s my mother.