The two exercises were:
1. You have been honoured with a museum celebrating your life. List 5 objects that have some personal connection for you that would be found in this museum and then write a short piece - maybe 100 words or so - about one of them in the form of a description which might appear beside the exhibit.
2. Write a 26 sentence story where each sentence begins with the next letter of the alphabet. This is an excellent exercise to carry out when you are having difficulties in either finding a subject to write about or need a quick starter.
Exercise 1:
Objects
- Copy of Dubliners
- Cricket ball
- Old style cabinet radio/wireless
- Copy of RTE Guide, Christmas edition
- Woolly hat
Gerard Marin Hancock purchased the Christmas edition of the RTE Guide religiously every December on the day it hit the shops. The rest of that day and the day following were spent underlining and highlighting in bright colours those programmes he dared not miss over the holiday period.
The following week was spent in an often vain attempt to convince the two women with whom he shared his life that they too could ill afford to miss the highlighted broadcasts. Unfortunately, his diaries (exhibits 27-84) reveal he was largely unsuccessful in this undertaking than he had hoped.
However hope being one of those intangibles that insists on springing eternally, The Christmas TV guide continued to be purchased and highlighted until his untimely death at the age of 107.
Exercise 2:
Alphabetical story - Gerry Hancock
Along time ago, before there was history there was myth.
Back in the mists of time man and the spirits shared the same table.
Chiefs and peasants were equal in the spirit world.
Daring deeds were performed on a daily basis.
Each and every event went unrecorded however.
For it would be many thousands of years before even an oral tradition would evolve.
Greatest of those myths was the story of Machbrinn.
How he defeated the Spirit of Darkness was told around fires but then forgotten.
In this way each generation had its own greatest hero - a hero for their time.
Just as one hero's fame reached its zenith it was snuffed out.
Kith and kin could not recall a single event from their family history.
Later, much later, with the emergence of a recorded history greater heroes arose whose fame spanned generations.
Men and occasionally women who performed great feats were celebrated down through the ages.
Now we live in an age of instant fame and anti-heroes were every event no matter how pedestrian is recorded.
Only those who negate what went before have standing.
People no longer look to heroes to inspire them.
Quite the contrary in fact.
Revisionism is the new history.
Stalin wasn't all bad, Collins was flawed, and 1916 was no more than a blood sacrifice.
Terrible Beauty has no place in this version of history.
Unfounded allegations assume the status of News.
Vicious social media trolls are encamped under every bridge.
We have lost our way.
Xenophobia is the new patriotism.
You can feel the change all around you.
Zorro was never more needed than he is today.
Alphabetically Speaking - Gabrielle Gannon
Ah here, what’s the story.
Behave.
Can’t! I don’t know how.
Don’t be stupa’.
Easy now!
For God’s sake, shurrup.
Give it up I told ya.
Here! Who died and put you in charge?
I’m Warning ya.
Just chill will ya.
Knock it off.
Listen! Relax!
Make me.
Now you’re being really stupa’!
Oh go way.
Play nicely
Quick! Move or I’ll box ya.
Really yeah
So help me I will.
Try!
Use your head.
Very smart aren’t ya.
What about it?
Xrays are what you’ll need.
Yeah right!
Zonin’ out so I am. Zonin’ out.
Roddy Doyle will be well Jealous Gay - great swing to this!
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