'Sometimes the words arrive, sometimes there is emptiness.' I said; 'but who is in control of you?' She looked out of the window, raising her head to the sky. It had neen a tougth day for Valerie Marlett, there was red around her eyes and her hair was less together than was usual. I decided to say no more as I watched her come from the window back to the armchair that she had been occupying before my question. She picked up again the book she had been writing in.
I decided that I would go out walking for a while to ease the atmosphere that had developed between us and to get some much needed air and excercise. Dun Carrig had known better times. With a population of about 2,500 and a high rate of unemployment in the area. Years previously the town had been noted for its weaving industry and in particular for its own Duncarrig Tweed. But now it was 2010 and things had changed dramatically. There was no weaving industry, and no longer was there Duncarrig Tweed.
I left the cottage and proceeded up the hill to the town. It was abjout six o'clock in the evening and there were quite a few people around. I passed a couple of people that I was familiar with and we exchnged greetings, as was normal, at least around here in Dun Carrig. I decided I would walk further up the hill and have a pint in Mooney's. It was January and the temperature was about -1 Celsius. I was dressed in my usual Jeans and Denin jacket and beacause of the time of year had my hat and gloves on.
As I was approaching the pub I could hear the sound of music. Mooney's was the local music pub and some of the local trad musicians made a point of meeting there for a session on certain nights of the week. Tonight was Friday and although it was fairly early in the evening there were a few customers and musicians in the bar. I approached the bar and ordered a pint of lager from Jack, the old barman. After receiving and paying for this I took a seat beside an old friend of mine from my schooldays, Michael Harkness. We engaged in some easy conversation about the town the county and the politicians.
After a few minutes when our easy conversation had run its course we both sat and listened to the music that was being played. there were three players on fiddle, guitar and bodhran and at this time the guitarist had broken into song with the musical version of Yeats' poem 'Down by the Sally Gardens.'
Valerie sat with her sister Susan in the Kylemore cafe on O'Connell Street, going through several coffees and tales from the heart. She gazed out of the window, thinking of Sean Og and wondering how things were since she had left Dun Carrig. Now she was staying for the time being at least, with her sister Susan at her place in Drumcondra. She was still busy writing her third novel, as yet untitled and although Drumcondra didn't hold quite the same tranquility as Dun Carrig, she was progressing with her current writing nonetheless.
