Another visit. Guglielmo Marconi and Clara

Mam will reach 90 next week, and, when she had to go into a care facility a few years ago - located not far from where she grew near Gneevguilla, Co. Kerry - as is the way with these things, the situation with the house in Clara, Co. Offaly was complicated. A combination of uncertainty regarding our mother's condition, the emotionally loaded nature of dealing with the house contents, and other factors I won't mention here, resulted in it gradually falling into disrepair. Given that there is a housing crisis, and for other reasons, it does seem a shame that the building cannot be used productively. Right now it is unsuitable - from a legal and ethical perspective - to live in. My sister and I have not got the resources to invest in it, nor would that make sense, given that we would have to sell it quickly enough, at some point, under the Fair Deal scheme.

Meanwhile I have been intervening in the area when time arises, whilst carrying out work in the bungalow. Today JC and I will journey to Clara from Ballydehob, Co. Cork. What will the days ahead bring? An interesting discovery, made by the intrepid JC again, after I had mentioned the Goodbody family and the history of Quaker Capitalism in the area, was that inventor, Guglielmo Marconi, had carried out important early radio experiments in Clara! More here: https://www.offalyexpress.ie/news/tullamore-tribune/968165/history-one-offaly-town-s-contribution-to-the-birth-of-radio.html

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