Sláinte

I'll be raising a glass tonight in honour of a good friend, Finbarr, who we lost but 2 years ago on Sunday. Fin was one of the best, and left us far far too early.
He was a talented and accomplished photographer, here is his flickr page, and he is the inspiration behind today's blip. I liked all his photos, but I specifically remembered this simple photo of 'pegs on a line' that he took, loved it, and "pegged" it to recreate once the blue skies came. Today they did.
I never talked with him much about photography, which is the greatest pity, especially as I'm now really back into it myself. I think he would have loved blipfoto.

I'll remember him most for the music though. We met doing our music degrees, hit it off almost immediately, and for a while were 'besties'. For a year we shared a house, and although he had 10 years on me, I struggled to keep up with him. Such was the energy of the man.

A consummate entertainer too, more than once I remember going to a random pub with him, armed with nothing more than an acoustic guitar. And by the end of the night, he had the place rocking, singing along with his vast repertoire and laughing at his vast Irish charm and wit. And all night long his only payment was free beer for him and his buddies. Happy days.

Fin taught me the word Sláinte, and whilst it may be a little ironic toasting him now, I'll always remember him raising a glass and saying it to me, so tonight I'm saying it anyway.

Sláinte old friend.

C