One of six kids, Martin was the youngest in our family. He was, unquestionably, the best singer but we are yet to be convinced about his dancing. He is a quiet achiever but he managed to impress everyone at his wedding when he gave his speech. I recently requested a copy of his notes for the speech but his family was in-between houses at the time and most of their belongings had been packed in cartons and were in storage.
My nickname for a short time was Opium (because I was a slow
acting dope) but I’ve tried for years to read that speech but to no
avail. Martin doesn’t say a lot but he is a school teacher so that when he speaks it is with
authority. When he was given the microphone he delivered for over ten minutes. His
opening words were about how he and Trina had met and how the families got to know one
another. There was great laughter about the “city boy and the country girl” (our mum being
the girl) and then Martin mentioned the history of Irish settlers coming to Australia. John
O’Brien wrote poems and ballads and his best-known book was “Around the Boree Log”
which contained forty six poems. Martin announced he was going say a poem titled “The
Trimmins of the Rosary” from this book. Not read it but recite it. There are 83 stanzas in this
poem and the opening lines are: “Ah, the memories that find me now my hair is turning
grey, Drifting in like painted butterflies from paddocks far away,”
The room fell silent as Martin delivered line after line without prompting or notes or help.
Approximately halfway he stumbled into silence and the room held its breath as he
searched for the next line. After almost ten seconds he somehow found the words and
cadence again and completed the poem to huge ovation. I’m so pleased that it has been included in this book so now the moment won’t be entirely lost. I just wish that I had been there.
John Wilson, 2019
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