by Andy Halpin
After Annette’s passing some of her friends asked me what I intended to do with her music. Some of her friends knew she composed songs and some only became aware of her music at her funeral Mass. Those who heard her music for the first time were surprised and impressed with her talent. I had thought about it and I did intend to try and do something with her compositions. I approached her friends and work colleagues in South Dublin County Council with an idea that would I hoped keep Annette’s name and memory alive and help other young musicians to develop their talents and careers. Arts Officer Orla Scannell and her assistants, Collette Ryan and Blaithin Keegan, immediately agreed to help me with this idea.
Annette had often commented about how little help was available to young up and coming musicians in Tallaght, so I thought it would please her very much if her music could be used to help and encourage others. I put my idea to Orla and she fell in with it immediately. She arranged to make the Civic Theatre in Tallaght available for a concert of Annette’s music in March 2010. All proceeds from the night to be given to South Dublin County Council to set up some kind of a fund or foundation in Annette’s name to be used to help young musicians develop their talent. I was given two dates on which the Civic was available, the 15th or the 27th of March and I asked Annette to help me decide on the best date for the concert.
On Thursday, 22nd October 2009, I was telling Annette about the concert as I stood at her grave. I was asking for her help and guidance in organising it and deciding on the best date when a man I used to work with in HB ice cream approached me. I had not seen Liam since leaving HB in 2002. We spoke for a while and Liam told me his wife had died the previous year. She was buried just up beyond Annette.
When Liam went on his way I got a notion to go and visit his wife’s grave. I went in search of it and after a while I found it. When I looked at the headstone the first thing I noticed was the date of the lady’s death, 27th March, 2008. Was Annette telling me the date for her concert?
The concert was a great success, we filled the Civic and 3000 euro was raised which went to help two young violinists take master classes in France and a local rock band complete a C.D of their music. It could not have been done without the help and encouragement of many of Annette’s friends who rowed in behind me and agreed to perform her music on the night. I owe a great debt of gratitude to Fr. Derek Farrell and the Traveller Choir, The Priory Prayer Group Choir, St Marks Parish Choir, John Carpenter, Shirley Whelan, Ray Flanagan, Pat Good, Liam Kennedy, Tony Lawless, Glenn Bainton, Alan Fitzpatrick and Indi Band, Junah who all gave their time and talents. I took advantage of the occasion to stage an abridged version of Annette’s “Patrick” musical as the second half of the show with Shane O’ Fearghail as Patrick and Sheila Canavan as the high kings daughter. Annette would have been so happy and proud that her music was at last being recognised and helping others to start a career in music. Incidentally that same week my own show “Sinatra, A Man And His Life” was staged for three nights in The Sugar Club.
Annette’s music is the one big consolation I have in this lonely life I now lead. Some years ago she went into a small studio and recorded some of her compositions. Every day, as soon as I get up, I play that CD so that Annette’s voice is still heard about the house. I have promised Annette that as long as I am alive and in the house, her voice will be heard in it every day.
Two years ago one of the things Joan Glennon said to me in the Plaza Hotel, and one of the things I laughed about with my friends, was that I would write a book about the past. Little did I know then that before a year was out Annette would be gone from my earthly life and that the book I would write with Annette’s help would be this book, a memoir of our past.
I try to visit Annette’s grave every day. I keep a candle lighting at all times as I want her to know that my love for her will burn as bright as the flame of the candle, and, until I am placed beside her in that grave on the hillside in Bohernabreena Cemetery, I will keep our love symbolised in that lighted candle, a light that will never go out as long as I am alive.
THE END
The first photo we ever had taken together August 1965
The early days of our courtship, Phoenix Park
Outside Annette’s house in Ballyfermot
Our first dress dance, 1965
Our wedding day 24th September 1968
On the roof of the Santa Rosa Hotel on our honeymoon
As nomads in Donegal / After the caravan crash
The babies, David, Gina and Robert
President Robinson presents Annette with the Tallaght Person of the year award watched by Patricia Bryan 1991
Annette celebrating winning with some of her friends
Hosting the British Ambassador and his wife
With friends in Porto Colom
Annette in Dingle
Our mobile home in Dingle
With Carol and Tim Green and Ann and Tony Leggit in France 2004
Gina in France 2004
Annette hard at work cleaning chalets in Le Littoral
Annette carrying the cross on the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem
Our second “marriage” in Cana of Galilee October 2000
Report of our trip to Israel
Annette takes a nap in a hammock in Brazil
At Iguazu Falls
At the statue of Christ the Redeemer Rio de Janeiro
Alaska 2008
The last night of “Nighthawks” Annette with Shirley Whelan and Peter Morrissey
With our grandchildren, Senan, Ella-May and Mina
Annette with Mina
Annette with Senan and Ella-May at the spot we first met in 1965 on Bray Head
The last picture of Annette taken two weeks before she passed away
Article published in The Traveller Magazine
When I set out on the train to Bray on a warm August Sunday in 1965 I had no idea of the journey I was embarking on. Waiting to accompany me at the foot of Bray Head and be my soul mate on that journey was a beautiful young girl, Annette Kennedy. I’m convinced now with all that has happened that our meeting that sunny Sunday was no random chance meeting, it was meant to be, it was fate, we were I believe destined to meet and share a life together. I have endeavoured in this book to give the reader an honest insight into that life. Annette has been a huge help to me in writing this memoir, on numerous occasions when I was having difficulty in remembering things I could hear her prompts, she was always by my side whispering in my ear, and I have no doubt that as time goes by until we meet again she always will be. As I’ve often said to Annette since her passing, it will take more than death to keep us apart, and it is death that will bring us together again, we’ll always be together,
“FROM BRAY TO ETERNITY”