[caption id="attachment_68849" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Elaine and Dean."]
The end of the year is upon is and as I think back over the last 12 months I realize that it was quite a tough year for me although good things happened also.
The first major thing that happened was the big celebration of the 250th anniversary of the St Patrick's Day parade in New York. It was such a momentous occasion and the parade was watched all over the world. I thoroughly enjoyed the day and the events that surrounded this special month. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else for March 17.
I am finally approaching the end of my PhD. I am in my final year and my work was going to plan for the first six months of the year. I was looking forward to going to Ireland for most of the summer to work on my doctorate and to spend time with family but this of course all changed when we found out that my guy Dean had cancer. After spending the past 6 months in and out of hospitals, operations, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, he is doing okay but we are worried as no one knows what life holds for him. It has been such a difficult time for us both but I must admit that I have learned so much about myself as a person while I looked after him, that you can overcome anything if you set your mind to it. I spent so much time sitting in the hospital surrounded by very sick people but who still seem upbeat and positive. It was as if they had accepted that they had cancer and were going to do everything in their power to beat it. Dean has one more round of chemo left. He will be finished before the end of the year and, fingers crossed, we will get good news in the New Year that he is now cancer free.
My own aunt Eileen wasn't so lucky: cancer took her at the beginning of November. We got on so well with one another; she was so much fun and visited me often in New York. I was absolutely heartbroken when I heard the news that she lost her battle with cancer. Life certainly has its rough times but I realize that it is all part of the circle of life.
One of the best things that happened during 2011 was Dublin winning the football All-Ireland Final last September. I was in Croke Park that day and it is a day I will never ever forget. They deserved to win after 16 long years of waiting. It was unbelievable when the referee blew his whistle at the end of the game, people couldn't believe their eyes that the Dubs were the Champions. I was ecstatic and so proud to be a Dub.
The following week something major happened in my life: my brother Cóilín married his girlfriend Fionnuala. I couldn't have been happier. They are an amazing couple. They understand each other completely and are willing to compromise (something I think is vital in a relationship). I am thrilled to have such a special sister-in-law.
Welcome to the family, Fionnuala. We will all be together for Christmas this year, which I am really looking forward to. My aunt Eileen will, of course, be in our minds and our hearts but I know she will be looking down on us smiling, as she always loved a good party. The last thing I will be doing this year is attending the wedding of my fried Barry (who I have known since I was a young child) and his lovely partner Aoife on New Year's Eve. I wish them all the best.
Here's to a great 2012. Elaine x
Tá deireadh na bliana anseo agus táim ag smaoineamh siar ar an 12 mí atá thart. Ba bhliain fíor-dheacair é ach tharla rudaí maithe freisin. Is é a chéad rud mór a tharla i 2011 ná comóradh mór den 250 paráid Lá le Pádraig anseo i Nua Eabhrac. B'ócáid fíor-thabhachtach é agus fuair an paráid aitheantas thar fud an domhain. Bhain mé sult as an lá mór é féin agus na himeachtaí ar fad a bhí ar siúl le linn mí na Márta. Is ceiliúradh faoi leith é sa saol Gael-Mheiriceánch agus níor mhaith liom bheith in áit ar bith eile ar domhain do 17 Márta.
Táim tagtha chomh fada le mo bhliain deireanach de mo dhochtúireacht agus bhí m'obair Ph D ag dul ar aghaidh go breá don chéad 6 mhí de 2011. Bhíos ag tnúth go mór le neart ama a chaitheamh sa bhaile in Éirinn le linn an tSamhraidh le mo mhuintir agus ag obair ar mo thráchtas ach d'athraigh sé seo ar fad nuair a bhfuair muid amach go raibh ailse ag mo bhuachaill. Tá sé tar éis 6 mhí a chaitheamh isteach agus amach d'ospidéal, obráidí, radiotherapy agus chemotherapy, tá sé ag déanamh go maith ach ní fios cad atá i ndán dó. B'am fíor-dheacair é dom agus do Dean ár ndóigh ach caithfidh mé admháil gur fhoghlaim mé an t-uafás fum féin agus mé ag tabhairt aire dhó, gur féidir aon rud a bhaint amach má dhíríonn tú d'aigne air. Chaith mé an méid sin ama i mo shuí sa ospidéal timpeall ar dhaoine a raibh iontach tinn ach a raibh fós gealgáireach. Ghlac said leis go raibh ailse orthu ach bhí siad ag déanamh a shéacht mhíle dhícheall an bua a fháil air. Tá babhta amháin eile de chemo fágtha ag Dean, beidh sé críochnaithe roimh deireadh na bliana agus le cúnamh Dé gheobhaidh muid dea-scéal i 2012 ag rá gur oibrigh an leigheas ar fad agus go bhfuil Dean saor ó ailse.
Ní raibh an t-ádh céanna ar m'aintín Eileen. Cailleadh í ag tús mí na Samhna de bharr ailse. Réitigh muid go han mhaith lena chéile, tháinig sí ar cuairt agam go Nua Eabhrach go minic. Bhí mé croí bhriste nuair a chuala mé gur cailleadh í. Uaireanta caitheannn an saol go dona leat ach caithfidh tú iarracht a dhéanamh leanúint ar aghaidh le rudaí. Is dócha gur cuid den rotha mór an tsaoil é.
Ba cheann de bhuachphointe na bliana ná nuair a bhuaigh Baile Átha Cliath cluiche ceannas na hÉireann sa pheil. Bhíos i bPáirc an Chrocaigh an lá úd agus ní dhéanfaidh mé dearmad go deo air. Bhí an bua tuillte go maith acu tar éis 16 bliain. Níor creid aon duine é nuair a shéid an réiteoir a fheadóg. Bhíos chomh sona agus chomh brodúil bheith i mo Dub.
An tseachtain ina dhiaidh sin, tharla rud iontacht tabhachtach dom. Phós mo dheartháir Cóilín a bhean Fionnuala. Ní fhéadfainn a bheith níos sástaí. Is lanúin den scoth iad. Tuigeann said a chéile agus tá siad lánsáta comhoibriú lena chéile. Tá an grá le braith eadarthu an-láidir go deo. Táim chomh sásta go bhfuil deirfiúr chéile nua agam.
Fáilte chuig ár gclann a Fhionnuala. Beidh muid uilig le chéile don Nollaig agus táim ag tnúth go mór leis, beidh mé ag cuimhniú ar m'aintín ach lán-fhios agam go mbeidh sí ag breathnú aníos orainn le meangadh gáire ar a haghaidh mar b'aoibhinn léi cóisir mhaith. An rud deireanach atá á dhéanamh agam i mbliana ná go bhfuilim ag feastail ar bhainis mo chara Barry le a bhean Aoife don Oíche Chinn Bhliana. Go n-éirí libh.
Tá ag tnúth go mór le le 2012. Elaine x
