Here on the Jersey Shore, “it’s a grand soft day” as my Irish Eyes heroine, Rose O’Neill would say, a lovely turn-of-phrase and an elegant alternative to the more American “pouring buckets.” Which it is. Big time. We are quite literally being pummeled with precipitation. But then one of the many things that continues to enchant me about Irish culture is the ironic understatement prevalent in its idioms.
Recently, I caught up with reporter Shane O’Brien at IrishCentral to chat about my inspo for Irish Eyes. Inspiration that was sparked on another “grand soft day” in Ireland’s West Country, the Burren region of County Clare. Soaked to the skin on the first day of a twelve-day hiking vacation, I climbed up to the lookout for the famed Cliffs of Moher and peered out to Galway Bay. Peeking out from the thick shrouding of mist were three dots of bright green. The trio of tiny islands known as The Arans. And just like that, Rose O’Neill’s story was born.
Read my short interview here.
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I enjoyed the interview.