Sicilian Diary

Last week I was invited to play at an event in a school for the Elimination of Violence against Women Day. Students aged 11 to 14 performed pieces of music and short dramatic pieces highlighting the issue which moved from examples of violence towards a focus on what women can achieve when given the space and freedom to follow their dreams. At the centre of this debate was a beautiful old pianoforte, donated to the school by the family of the owner, Ernestina Giordana. She was born in 1895 in Castroreale, but was orphaned in her teenage years and was raised by two aunts. They saw her musical potential and sent her to the Conservatorio di Santa Cecilia in Rome to complete her studies. After graduation she came down with the virulent Spanish Influenza and returned to Sicily to recover, where she met her husband. They had ten children but Ernesta continued to give piano lessons in the town and all those who studied piano at the time passed through Ernestina’s hands...  Everyone com...

Out and about on the daily adventures of my life, the two questions I get asked the most these days are: What brought you to Sicily? (Well, we all know the answer to that) followed swiftly by, So do you think you'll stay? Of course, the answer depends on whom I'm talking to, and always brings What's Best for My Kids into it. Sicilians unanimously agree that my kids would have better opportunities and a better future if we go back to Ireland. They think my family would rally round and be on hand at all times, unaware that in Ireland we are raised to be independent by 18 and get on with our lives elsewhere (unlike Sicily where it is common to live with parents well into your thirties). We have just come back from a month in Ireland and my children are missing their cousins, reliving the glorious summer memories, sunset by pierjump by Whipped 99 ice cream. They know school would be better and would even don a uniform if it meant jumping on the trampoline and playing hide and s...