Ireland - The Hill of Tara
by Elizabeth Oakes

I want to let you know that the little bit of Danny entrusted to me has been released on the Hill of Tara, the ancient crowning place of Irish kings. Danny came with us everywhere we went in Ireland, including to a silly medieval banquet re-enactment at Bunratty Castle, horseback riding in the Connemara mountains, the Grand National Steeplechase on Easter Monday, into the Neolithic Solstice Burial Chamber at Newgrange, the harp and fiddle competitions at the Pan-Celtic Festival, all around the Ring of Kerry and Ring of Beara, on a hike around Clare Island and Grace O'Malley's castle (The Pirate Queen, currently on Broadway!) and to many, many big meals with music at real Irish pubs. I hope he had fun.

I thought it was a special omen that, as we approached the Hill on our last day of travel with a certain reverence for Danny in mind, a raven took a crap on Samuel's head (he has just interjected, "You should say, 'unceremoniously shat, and then mocked'") and I know how that would have just made Danny laugh and laugh. It made me laugh a lot, to Samuel's chagrin.

This is a photo of me releasing Danny's ashes on The Hill of Tara.