I HAVE held the hand of many of my friends who have gone through it. I have gone through it myself and have had my hand held, and, more importantly, have been given a good kick up the rear end, told to dust myself down and get on with it.
Deciding that a relationship is over is a difficult decision. Sometimes it takes effect immediately but we all know someone who said it was over at a particular point, only for the break-up to go on and on – and on – and make Eastenders look like a comedy.
For just over three years, the whole population of the UK has been experiencing what might go down in history as the longest break-up of all time, the break-up of the UK and the EU. Despite the majority having voted to walk away from this relationship, the break-up has not been definitive and a toxic relationship has developed. I have had enough of this particular drama.
Break-ups are never easy. Emotions and tensions are high when the decision is made. The news can be related in many ways – via text, a phone call, face to face, by ghosting a partner or, possibly worst of all, unfriending them on social media.
Last Friday afternoon, I was scrolling through Twitter when I saw the shock headline – GREG AND AMBER have split! I refer to the Love Island winners Greg O’Shea and Amber Gill. Social media went into meltdown at the news that their relationship, which was only weeks old, was over. I would question whether it was a relationship at all.
The most shocking revelation of all, however, was that Greg split up with Amber via text. As is usually the case, there are two sides to the story. Speaking on The Late Late Show on Friday night, Greg claimed that they had both decided to be friends. Speaking on Loose Women on ITV on Monday, Amber confirmed that the split had been finalised via text. The horror!
Anyone who has been on the dating scene since mobile phones came into our lives has either sent or received a break-up text at least once. The Love Island experience was just like watching people using dating apps. You meet up, you hit it off, you get bored, you break up.
Some people deal with break-ups better than others, that’s for sure. Was it my imagination, or did Greg and Maura look very cosy on The Late Late couch before her beau Curtis joined them? Hmmm, watch that space…
Public break-ups must be terrible. In the past, I have had some excruciatingly painful conversations with colleagues/friends after a relationship I was in had ended. I eventually learned not to say much about anything in order to spare myself some of this pain.
Nothing Compares To You is one of the most powerful songs ever written. It was composed by the late genius Prince and famously recorded by Sinéad O’Connor in 1990 and released on her second album I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got.
Although I have listened to and loved that song since its release, when she performed it live on The Late Late with the RTÉ Chamber Orchestra, not only did I hear the lyrics differently. I felt them through her performance.
This woman has lived the song since she recorded it. Through her blistering performance, the audience felt her experience – the break-ups, the mourning period after a relationship ends, the saying sorry, the re-evaluation of things, the wanting to try again and ultimately the final acceptance that what was once great, what was once good and strong, is gone.
Aside from the subject matter, this performance reaffirmed Sinéad O’Connor as one of the best singers Ireland has ever produced, and personally, I’m delighted to see her back doing what she does best, singing great songs with conviction She has the rare ability and talent to reach into our souls and connect with audiences.
Connecting with the public is certainly not a trait or talent possessed by British politicians in the House of Commons at present. This is the break-up of all break-ups.
While I’m waiting on a conclusion to the ‘gripping’ saga, I thought a Brexit playlist might help the mood. I’ll start with Paul Brady’s The Long Goodbye:
'I spend each day here waiting for a miracle / But it's just you and me going through the mill, climbing up a hill'
