Mam, ma, mum, mammy, mother, máthair

August 11th 1978, 40 years ago yesterday, but it's a clear memory, the shock of the Friday night it happened. Long faded now in every other way. It's been on my mind recently as I'm exactly the age now that she was then.

On the way back down from Dublin today, we met two of my sisters, put some flowers on the grave and went for a cuppa and a chat nearby. Most of the talk about upcoming weddings and babies and what's to come.

The extra is from probably 1939-1940, she's second from the right with friends and one of her sisters, leaning against a haystack, smiling into the future.