February 15th was what the locals call a "soft" day. Grey, with rain that isn't heavy enough to be called rain, but JUST heavy enough to thoroughly soak you. Elizabeth and I locked up an hour early (shhhhh), carefully packed a few glass pieces into my little car, and set out on an adventure. It had been years since I last visited Mám Éan. All I remembered was that the drive was particularly scenic. Mám Éan (often anglicised as Maumeen, Mamean, etc.) is a little pilgrimage spot at a pass through the Maumturk mountains of east Connemara, roughly between Oughterard and Leenane. A visit reveals a tiny chapel, mass altar and the Stations of the Cross scattered roughly around the rocky, boggy site. ...
"This unique streaky glass uses the magical properties of Bullseye Red Reactive glass. Each sheet is a swirling dreamscape of moss, geological caramel, and jewel tones. Heatwork heightens the interplay. Fired characteristics may include areas of opacity, transparency, mottling, streakiness and polychromatic effects ranging from earth to jewel tones."
All sorts of people ask all sorts of questions. They range from, “is this plastic?” (no, it isn’t) through, “do you paint the colour on afterwards?” (no, we use coloured glass), to “how do you squish it into shape?” (is ‘squishing’ even a word?!)
We've since established a very happy and satisfactory relationship with FedEx, the international couriers, but in those innocent days this had yet to flourish
Fully expecting it to be my other - and far better - half, I deeply intoned into the receiver, "Ben's Sanatorium for the Incurably Bewildered". The silence that followed told me everything
