Erected By Myself To Myself
Patrick Morrissey of Balyduff in Co. Kilkenny was interviewed by Cathal O’Shannon next to his own headstone in 1971 that he had erected in advanvce of his death – ‘best thing you could do is to put up a memory stone to yourself before you get too old’.
His policy brough a smile – ‘Live as long as I can, and die when I can’t help it.’
George Marlborough’s headstone similarly brough a smile. I brought an even greater smile when I learnt that he drafted the wording himself, before death.
Pearse, Wilde and Who? Joe
‘I passed from life’ and ‘Erected by myself’ are both past tense, which was correct? Joe was interviewed for the film in 2003
Another may need to await the film, if I can ever get to see it.
Sinatra did it his way. Piaf had no regrets. Is touching beauty from a song as well as a Wilde quote?
With his inscription, Joe has definitely increased the likelihood of his existence being remembered – by me anyway.
‘Quoting from the transcript Joe states:– “I don’t want to be remembered for anything. Only just ....that I existed, and that I walked upon the earth sometime. That’s all. And the reason that I put thirty-nine....because John Millington Synge...he wrote “The Playboy of the Western World” and he died at thirty-nine. So I put that. And I put ‘I did it my way’ because, sure, I did. I did everything my own way .... and I never listened to other peoples’ voices. Only to my own, which is kind of selfish, if you like, I suppose, but anyway. I am Joe and that’s why”.’ | ‘“A gentle and intimate documentary which treats its subject with immense respect, while revealing his very particular world”, was the citation the debut director received from the judges. It’s a comment film festival director, Mick Hannigan concurs with. “I had to sift through thousands of tapes for the festival but this one leapt out at me. It had a great subject matter, which was handled very articulately. In this day and age when self expression is frowned upon by the masses of people who live in big cities, a very individualistic Joe isn’t shy about saying who he is”, said Mr. Hannigan.’ |