Quo vadis familia mihi? Where has my family gone? Cá bhfuil mo chlansa anois?
Have you ever mooted that query? I have and do! Who is sufficiently blessed to have one or more of us – the real McCoy – authentic Irish Red and White Setters – (purveyors of unbridled love and drool laden earnest kisses) willing to share your humble human abodes?
We realize you may have ‘limits’ on sharing with us. After all why should we put up with your bomb like irritating snoring (which you deny), your lousy kibbleless heart assaulting foods, your tiny ultra sanitized toilet cubicles, when our oft scented systems function best in the great outdoors where in vacant or pensive mood we are not limited to daffodils, sweet grasses and clover like flora, misnomered shamrocks.
My name is Níamh (wondrous daughter) Oisín Mac Fionn Mac Cúmhail. I belong to the sept of Aisling Cudo (vision of Cuddy & Doherty). My lot is cast with Patricia and Albrecht Ua Siaghail of Punkey Doodles Corner, Ontario. I have totally ingratiated myself into their hearts and minds as have my close Red and White relatives, Daly, a champion athletic male, canis non grata in the USA for his winning ways, (sin sceál eile – that’s another story), Nessa na Rí a lauded multi – champion CKC – UKC – AKC and champion Eibhlín, lovely but uppity, who thinks she owns my dad’s lap.
Last August 16th my luteinizing hormones must have been indicative of my maternal desires or feasibility, (sometimes these two are confused or conflated). It so happened that Tórin (Caniscaeli I’d Do It Again) frolicked with me on the bawn and took advantage of my tail uplifted in a chaste ‘hi’. Having enjoyed the comfort of my loins a few times, (living up to his name) he did not cite a single thank you mam. Tu nihil est canem nisi altius dixit Elvis. Before sixty- three days had elapsed a certain queasy feeling had overcome me and my maiden form once again altered. Lo and behold I was expecting, the ultrasound said. Infallible oracles are they?
Activity on the phone and email increased many – fold much to my dad the luddite’s chagrin. It would seem a patient waits end for some was nigh.
With my dad’s honed midwifery expertize, that of two tender vets, Drs. Raza and Anne Marie and neighbours once owned by Liam na Meala of Aislingcudo my ancestor, I birthed nine beautiful babes – five wee boys – four wee girls. Due to a paralyzing reaction to some previous rabies shots it was not an easy process however and I make haste to thank all who aided me. May the Lord of all things great and small reward you.
Had I had a score of babes I could not have satisfied the myriad of needy souls offering the comforts of loving homes and open to all the delights of puppy love and new born breath; and while I was, of course, sorry to part with my delightful little ones at eight to ten weeks, I was cognizant of the joy and contentment and enhanced sense of wellbeing many family units particularly those with children from eight to eighty would enjoy.
Quo vadis – Tara na Rí – (Tara of the Kings). My daughter Tara joined the blended family of Val and Adam at King, Ontario, on an alluring and expansive property, with lots of room to roam unencumbered, with AKC – CKC – UKC champion Red and White Chester (usually shown by Sir William of Westminster to rosette perfection) and the Red Setter Mystique, une fille d’une certain age. Our complete household recently dined there with their house hold and dear friends, sitting to a royal repast prepared by Val. A little piece of paradise became more heavenly with the addition of my Tara na Rí.
My beautiful Sorcha Níamh the image of my late lamented gorgeous mum, so very much missed by my two legged dad Albrecht (no midnight passed without her enfolding him and giving him the ‘glad’ eye) moved South to Columbus, Ohio around Xmas day. Daniel a charming, voyageur, straight back and sides military man and the lovely Kathryn are so blessed to have the love of my baby and she in turn partakes in the plenitude of their joyous home. We look forward to hearing of her sterling exploits in the show ring bientôt.
A family with two very handsome young sons had anxiously awaited a Red and White for two plus years. Ensconced with Holli and Kevin, Gavin and Graecen is my Brianna na Bpóg now dubbed Hunter. She gives them lots of love and kisses (na Bpóg). They are so pleased with the alacrity with which she learns and I with the love all four embrace her. Her new abode is in the home of the maple syrup fest in Elmira Ontario where Mennonites, models of peace and benignity, quilt many coloured bed coats to spread appreciated notions of harmony, much needed in our fractured orb.
One of my boys, Mo Garsún Danny, lives in Nova Scotia on a secluded rural property. Dr. Frances, a retired surgeon and her husband Howard knew Celtic songster and folk hero John Allan Cameron at SFX. I would like to think that my mum Sorcha on the reward side of the rainbow bridge with many dear relatives midst pastures of green shamrock hears and moves to his ‘Lord of the Dance’. Do I but dream that Howard is calling Danny Boy on his personal pipes – pibrock – píob mór or the sweet Irish uillean pipes.
Maura and Frank and family in Sparta New Jersey so loved Rory their initial Irish Red and White Setter, that all five saw him peacefully across the rainbow bridge. They now have Fionn Mac Cumhail my boy (Finn the Fair) to spoil them. All five in this great family have solid ties to the Holy Land of Ireland as do we. My human dad can now use the appellation ‘bitch’ in relation to the four footers without upsetting or alarming the lovely Cara. Other words that may be new to her after her junior year in Cork by the Lee, may be Craic, Feck, Harp, Shite and Guinness. Most lawyers say they are extra Blackstone.
My son the handsome Finnegan the 2nd is practically adored by Dr. Rick and his beloved Sherry and he in turn loves how they have centered him in their entourage at the practice. Siobhan their first Red and White, a very pretty little girl left them too soon across the all too thronged rainbow bridge. May Finnegan live long, love deeply and bring honour to the Irish Red and White Setter breed and the family with whom he shares life in Dunsford, Ont.
Sandra, Shaun, Chase and Kayleigh are in the process of introducing my Émma to Niagara Falls, Ontario. Canadians claim their falls superior to the USA falls - one up man ship of course! I know all four will love Émma to pieces as they did their first Red and White a lovely male relative of mine called too soon to Elysium. My humans have greatly appreciated this lovely family’s visits and our rencontre at exhibitions.
Not so far from the falls in Welland live Teena and Dave and their lovely daughter Abby. Both adults are teachers and it has been my joy to welcome them to my home at Punkey Doodles Corner before and after my confinement. They sat in with me in my birthing suite and were happy to help with rudimentary toilet and mess hall training of my large demanding family. After all, the Lord of creation limited me to only eight effective suckling stations. My son File Brádaigh has settled in with the three of them like a bug in a rug if that simile is not too risqué for those who fear the exhibition itch – N.B. once bitten by the show bug there are few remedies.
Séamus Mór (resides in Kitchener, Ontario) dropped in to see me last week and was, poor lad, ‘cuted up ‘ with a smelly shampoo in which humans find delight and extra primping was added to boot. He adores his adoptive family, spoils them by sitting for their goodies and is evidently a quick study. Jim and Karen pretend not to fawn over him but being of Eriu he has their number. Séamus, Mo Mhac Díl (my loyal son) their second of our lovely breed to own them, is equally loved by a professional hockey player, a teacher and a dental sibling, the lovely Erin. Into their hearts he has made great inroads and not just for the free dental checkups.
To think that the Red and White Adventure in Canada exceeds more than two decades is remarkable. The Caniscaeli Harrisons, the ‘demeur’ Gail and ‘stalwart’ Leslie advertised a lovely initial birthing and my humans in deep melancholy at losing Sceolaing their imposing Wolfhound to an M.I., at a mere eighteen months in 1993, were so blessed, so lucky that Caniscaeli Two is Bran Díl my dad, came to live with them. Bran Díl was registered in the US stud-book lodged with Robert and Curtis Humphrey and the rest, as they say, is history. Our Bran was the progenitor of circa thirty champions though in my human’s eyes all fauna have pedestal status.
I Níamh Oisín Mac Fionn Mac Cumhail am pleased to inform you of the quo vadis of my last family with Tórin of Caniscaeli. I thank him for his potent contribution to posterity. We made lovely music together – saol fáda is sláinte mhaith (long life and good health). We thank our humans for their music appreciation.
Aislingcudo Níamh Óisín Ua Siaghail ~ April the 10th 2016 N.B. Try to match text first names to family names. I dare you! You may meet some of these lovely people with my babes.
Brophie; Crawley; Cowan; Schimus; Brady; Saunders; Oliver / Nelson; Sanders/Smith; La Fleur
P.S. Córa and Tórin
We were pleased to visit with Gail and Leslie at Caniscaeli Sunday 12 – 04 –’16 to celebrate Córa and Tórin’s lovely family of four, three girls and one sturdy boy off to New homes in Michigan, Toronto, Vancouver and Ottawa. Chico is to love and live with a Madrid, Spain, delightful family of three, La bonita Mercedes y los dos Luis, who have migrated to Toronto via Melbourne Australia. It springs to mind that the land where ‘the rain stays mainly in the plain’, enunciated by Liza Doolittle’s patron “Enry Iggens”, is also the land where Mrs. Cuddy (Knockalla i.e. echo hill) exported the first pure Red and Whites in the General Franco era. Señor Mayo’s imports won Gold Medals in Barcelona, Madrid and Alicante. It would be intriguing to know if vestiges of the Knockalla breeding are phantoms on Tiago’s Camino, romping with other Espagnols whose ancestral genes they certainly shared for perhaps aeons. The Roman Caesar’s veni, vidi, vici, of the continental Celt’s oppida and castros (Numantia 19 BCE – Alesia 52 BCE) did not erase the cohesive arriere fond of Galicia, Galatia nor omnis Gallia (divisa est in tres partes). We would suggest De Bello Gallico for a quiet afternoon read – feet up with a Guinness and an Uisge Beatha (whiskey) advised.