making magic music in uncle michaels barn.,,,Part One

                                       Me ,age 7 ,Babylon,N.Y. circa 1965-William P.O'Rourke ; Photo

 In summer of 1965, The Beatles were it. we had seen the 2 films, which were a huge influence on us all.
But, to me the real connection came to me by way of my grandparents ancient, dusty, chicken roosting, delapitating barn. Located at the foot of "The Hill", it was at the time, Uncle Michaels Domain". "No Tresspassing-This Means You,!!  Or a fate worse then death awaits you.
   But, we were kids. We were curious. And it took awhile,for Michael to understand this fact.
Until one morning, a very hot,humid upstate New York, day. We were as usual peeking,(spying once again),
to see just what was he doing up there? Well, it was no big deal when we saw him lifting huge and very long metal pipes,as a sort of exercise gym. Can we come in and watch,,?,,,,,,,,,eerrgghhh,,,okay,BUT,NO Talking,messing around ,DO NOT TOUCH-Anything,!!......and NO questions. came a solumn reply.
                                              Alas, from that day on,,,WE were in,!!

  Electric guitars, acoustic guitars, drum sticks,record players,Huge stacks of Lps and a case of 45s, a big radio and myriad things that an average seven year old  would rather have been distracted by and remain to focus on for weeks. Not me,though. I was transfixed on all and everything having to do with music. I think this is what Michael picked up on almost imeadiatly.
As I could not stop humming along with "Tobacco Road" which was playing on the phograph. That and I was shaking his tambourine at the wrong time in the wrong beat to the song. He quietly lowered the volume on the record and borrowed the instrument and began to play it just like the record. Wow,I thought,it was just like magic to me, To see Mike play right along with the phonograph. Just so effortlessly. Almost naturally. This was some serious kool going on here. And my uncle Michael, was "all over it".

Andrea Bertieri;Photo

                                                   " The Blues Party " Torino, Italy 2014

First days in a new country......Ireland

Our new neighbors were the O'Herlihy's. They raised Greyhound racing dogs,and had a small farm too. The mother brought over a fresh home made strawberry,rhubarb pie,,! The momma said it was just like her mother used to make her many years ago in west central Ireland,(where she had lived as a girl.
Of course, we spoiled yankee boys,(more akin to unwrapping a box to get at a cake or pie,from Bohacks or the A and P,etc) could not imagine to eat this alien odd looking thing. Ha ha,,but we were curious....Then Billy took a big bite,,and a smile came to his face. That was all we needed. We all devoured Mrs O'Herlihy's, home made pie too,! It was deliceous,,I can still taste it right now as I recall a room of grown ups and kids all smiling. Not a bad way to start a new life in a new country.

28, November 1967 ,off the coast of Ireland,just outside The Bay of Cobh.

  On this day in 1967, my family disembarked from,the ss franconia,boarded a irish tugboat and wow we saw the beauty of ireland on that bright blue skies sunny day, in the north atlantic ocean,,we sailed into the bay of cobh,,and landed at the port of cork,,eventually we found our house, glencairn, at cross douglas road,,,each house had a name,,and each room had a fireplace as well,,,it was a long cruise,but me and eddie were lucky to not get seasick,,,and we were so happy to finally be  home,!!
the people were all very curious but open and helpful,even our neighbors,especially as we were yanks,but also as there were so many of us,,,10,,along with the "mamma". our Kelly family name for my grandmother,(who was born in Liverpool,England in 1906 and came here to Ireland as a young girl),and mom was expecting a new baby soon,just a wonderful day after a long "keeping an eye out for the youngsters" voyage accross the north atlantic ocean ,,
    I felt a sense of ease upon me, as I realized, it was Billy and I ,who were in charge and responsible for our little brothers and little  baby margaret,,,,
I felt glad  and proud that nothing bad had happened,that we had made it safely,all together.
cheers to all..!!

The "Most Trusted Man in America" tells the world the president is dead,,,,,,

Respectfully,,,most trusted man,but why did he not do his job and ask some questions,,?,,in those 4 days in November,it was already taboo to ask ,"Hey i am WC, what happened here,,?",he was holding back the truth like all the rest imho, good day to all.

Robert O'Rourke

November 23 1967............. eddie,me,billy,steven,,,,,Bermuda

                                      

On this day in 1967 we landed in bermuda,,,it was so warm,all the people were very nice,and they all rode motorcycles,,!!
well it seemed to me they did.
here in italy they all ride vespa scooters,,
well almost everyone,,,
now it is off to the north atlantic,,,for our destination is thousands of miles ahead.
it is to the land of Eire, we sail now.......
cheers all,

JFK Jr.,

JFK Jr.,

  On his 3rd birthday, salutes his father, President John Fitzgerald Kennedy as his coffin passes by his sister Carolyn, mother Jackie, Bobby, Ted and the rest of the Kennedy clan. On a cold and blustery day 25, November 1963 in Washington D.C. It would seem odd to me then and now, that despite the hellish nightmare of those four days in 1963, there were no  hard questions asked of the Dallas Police, The Secret Service, The F.B.I. or the C.I.A. As it seemed a dark cloud of grief had silenced all the people. Perhaps this was expected by the evil, elite, cabal who laid the plans, made the arrangements, executed the man, told the lies,  and stood with the mourners at the grave. Then watched thr ritual of lighting the eternal flame that still burns, signifying to all men, to remember and never ever forget, that no man, not even this great man, will stop them from their plans. Now today, it is still the same quiet. No one is asking any questions. No one is asking for the truth. No one is even standing.                           

                       "JFK Jr., 25,November 1963" Ink on matte board,22 X 20 ©RO'R 1996

"JFK was trying to stop the Cold War,and all Wars,,,,,,"

                         JFK shot to death in broad daylight,,,,,,51 YEARS ago today,                        ,,,, the last man to speak the truth as president of the USA.

                                         JFK was trying to stop the Cold War,and all Wars,,,,
In 1962, during the height of the Cold War with the U.S.S.R., Soviet Premier Nikita Kruschev and
U.S. President, John Kennedy became embroiled in "The Cuban Missle Crisis".
For nearly two weeks, the entire world watched,listened,waited to hear what these two world leaders would do in regards to Kruschevs nuclear missle bases being built in Fidel Castros Cuba,just 89 miles from the United States coast of Florida.
  I can remember, only aged 4 and a half, that this was something big..very, very, big.
It dominated all news media of the day. Television, Radio, Newspapers were reporting updates every hour of every day in those apocolyptic days in October, 1962. 
Kennedy and Kruschev were in contact as were the respective ambassadors,politicians,
senators,religeous leaders and of course we the people of the United States, 
The U.S.S.R. and the entire world.

Some folks bought all the groceries they could carry,,,,while others,,more philosophical,no doubt,,could not decide whether or not to purchase a full week of groceries,,if the whole wide world ,,was going to get blown to bits,,!!