Life at Dun an Óir - Part II

Un tavolo in pietra lavica ceramizzata di Sicilia

It is really difficult to pick out one or two memories from such an extended period of having fun, as being better than the rest but, since the real purpose of this Blog is to highlight my interests in teaching English – and learning other languages – this one stands out in my mind.

A few of the Italians stayed in Dun an Óir for a couple of months and one of these, Giovanni, shared a kitchen with me. We struck up an instant friendship, based on our respective passions for stone – Giovanni owns a business in Florence, manufacturing a variety of stone products and I am a geologist – but our conversations soon diversified into a very wide range of other topics.

My Italian cafetiere and coffee cups

Having visited Italy several times and made many attempts to learn Italian, I was particularly able to help Giovanni with both his general and business English during many long discussions over dinner, coffee or sharing a glass or two of fine Italian red wine.

However, all good things come to an end and, now that the new autumn term was approaching fast, everyone had to go home and I had to find a new place to live.

Although life sharing a house with two crazy Irishmen had its own highlights, things quietened down considerably and I threw myself into my work to prepare the Geological Survey of Ireland trade exhibition stand, for the inaugural Dublin Stone Show.

Rapasarda basalt at the Dublin Stone Show

Ireland is a major producer of good quality “blue limestone”, which takes a deep polish and is a good decorative stone. Having spent time back in Italy, Giovanni came back to meet the suppliers at the Dublin Stone Show. 

Having visited many of these whilst undertaking geological survey work in Co. Kilkenny and Co. Carlow, I introduced Giovanni and his son to companies who could help with his business and establish some further Irish-Italian trade links.

On the last afternoon of the Dublin Stone Show, I was told that a Sicilian supplier of stone products - made of Mt Etna basalt – was leaving everything behind and that I could take anything that I wanted.

Il mio tavolo in pietra lavica ceramizzata

After a phone call, a friend at the GSI arrived in one of their vans to collect a load of basalt slabs that were perfect for his back garden and I went home with a marvellous “tavolo in pietra lavica ceramizzata” - now one of my most prized possessions.

 

For me, that was the 'icing on the cake' on what I thought was a great public event, where everything went smoothly as planned and there was a good response to our exhibition. 

The best surprise was at my last meeting with Giovanni, when he gave me a small basket with which I could celebrate an Italian Christmas: panetone, torrone, a couple of bottles of DOC reserve red wine  and his caffeteria and two cups. He often told me that he could never find a good cup of coffee in Dublin, and so I am very proud to have these little pieces of Italy in my house.