Lafcadio

The years tick themselves off. Nine years ago, every Monday morning, I accompanied Pat the Salt, then 92y.o., to the Tramore Community Centre and Wheels-on-Wheels hub for sessions of The Heritage Club. The Big Room at the TCC looked out over a steep fall of trees and shrubs between Pond Road and Upper Branch Road. That woodland was making its +10-year transformation into the Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens.On 8th June this year, we were down among The Great and The Good [aka The Olds] of Waterford to witness the official opening of the Kokoro Centre - an all-weather venue with a sweeping view over the rooftops of Tramore Bay and Brownstown Head.Underneath the street-level room with terrace [seen above] is another auditorium which may comfortably seat 100 guests. That was where the dignitaries [minister, mayor, local TDs, senior trustee, ambassador] made their speeches.Then it was outside [L] into the almost drizzle, for more [shorter] speeches and unveiling of plaque. Astutely, the…