Sunshine Gesture

(Photo by Ronan Courell)

There’s this gesture that Castlebar people use to each other when it’s been sunny for a few days in a row. It may be universal. I can’t say because I haven’t circumnavigated the world recently to check it out. So, let’s assume that this thing that people do in my County Mayo corner of the world is particular to here, even if it's not.

It’s just a tiny mime, really. One person meets another person on the street. They say hello and then one or other of the people extend both their forearms out to the side, keeping their elbows tight to their waist. Then they turn their hands palm upwards and look briefly skyward. The other person will generally contribute something like, ‘I know’ or ‘Isn’t it great?’ or ‘Long may it last.’ It’s a little pantomime that says, ‘Look at me, I’m holding out my hands and there is actually no rain falling on them. Can you believe it?’

Other countries get sunshine, obviously, but there aren’t many places where it’s arrival and persistence is celebrated quite so universally as it is here.

Here in the West of Ireland, we don’t usually get weeks of continuous sunshiny days. We do okay, the weather is generally mild and not too brutal, except in the very depths of winter. But summers can be drizzly and cloudy and a bit dull sometimes, so the arrival and persistence of some sunshine is an event worth remarking on and even performing a little skit about.

We’ve just had a few weeks of straight sunshine and there’s no question it raises the spirits. People sit out on the grass on the Mall (which is like a village square, unusual in Ireland) and stretch their white legs out. One prominent shopkeeper runs her store from the seat of her moped on the street outside the shop. She goes in when someone wants to buy something and chats to everyone that passes when her wares are not required. Outer layers of clothing are abandoned by everyone throughout the town and, of course, the weather is celebrated in practically every single discussion that is held.

For my part, I give up the umbrella that I nearly always carry. People remark on it. “We must be in for a long spell; you haven’t got your brolly with you.”

This past few weeks have seen a lovely spell of sunshine and warmth. The trees and birds have responded in admirable fashion.

This morning? Well, it’s drizzling once again. I hold up my palm and droplets fall onto it. My phone says there’s a 40% chance of precipitation, at least that is what I think it says. I’m never entirely sure. Whatever the phone app is saying, there’s a dark cloud looming out behind the clothesline and I think that 40%, whatever it means, may be a little bit optimistic.

Never mind. We had joy, we had fun, as the old song goes. And the sunshine will come back again one day soon.

In this we hope and trust.