Celtic Voice

So, this is my first blog. First of many I guess. I seems my whole life involves, facebook, twitter, blogging, Youtube blah blah but I guess it is the nature of my business and it is not going away.

I decided to start writing this week because of what happened last week. Since coming back from China I have had too much time on my hands to moan and to complain. Needless to say, I dont do vacations, I dont like to be bored and I will never be unemployed by choice. I returned from China and felt the need to stay at home for a few weeks before climbing back on board my horse and riding on to the next adventure. I havent done it in a while and it will be a long time before I stop and think again.

My misery was cut chort by the horrible news that Eithne Walls, a young doctor and indeed Irish dancer from Riverdance on Broadway, was one of the passengers lost on the Air France flight that went down in the Atlantic last week. At first the news seemed like every other piece of daily bad news one sees on TV until a few hours later when someone from the show announced to all Riverdance cast members, that Eithne was indeed on board.

Eithne was a bright spark, an injection of warmth, a ray of light and a breath of fresh air in Riverdance. I remember loving our chats about her future, hearing how afraid she was of starting to study medicine and of walking away from Riverdance. However underneath all of that was an assured intelligence and a confidence in her future. I was very proud of her heading off to school.

Her life was in Ireland, mine in the US so our paths didnt cross since the end of the run in 2001. I saw pics of her occasionally and remember getting messages through mutual friends. I heard about her getting her degree and smiled remembering her fear before she started.

Her life as I knew it, has danced before me since hearing the bad news. It has had a huge effect on me, taking me by surprise. I have relooked at everything over the past week. It helped me make enormous decisions, it refocused me, it made me grateful. The sadness I feel for her loss and for her family who cannot be consoled, is eased by the light that Eithne, without knowing, passed on to me this week.

I am grateful to have met, worked, shared and laughed with Eithne and hope she is dancing with the angels now.