WHEN I got my first full-time job in media over 20 years ago, someone said to me, "that’s you sorted for life". At the time, I believed that it might indeed have been.
Fast forward and I am still working in the same industry, but I work differently, and with different people. I have worked on many different shows and projects which demanded learning new skills, new creativity and endeavour. I thank my lucky stars that I am not still doing the same job, because I know that I would be miserable.
Knowing when to move on or do something different, something new, is a sign of strength. There is no such thing as a ‘job for life’ anymore, and I think that is beneficial. I have lost count of the number of times I have heard people moan about their job, clearly not enjoying what they do, but staying there just to claim the good pension that comes with it. Is any pension worth making your working life miserable?
I admire people who know when to quit while they are ahead, to me it’s the sign of someone who is competent and self-aware. The former Dublin football manager Jim Gavin is the epitome of the best kind of leader there is: he knew when to walk away. He achieved at the highest level, made history and left the stage.
There has been much debate about SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon’s ‘shock’ resignation last week. Sturgeon had doubts about her ability to take her job forward and continue to make a real difference. Only a few weeks ago, Jacinda Ardern cited burnout as the reason she was stepping down as Prime Minister of New Zealand. Both women have a salubrious pension already in the bag, and will no doubt be in demand in the future.
While these competent women admit they are - shock horror - only human, it’s interesting to watch others who are much less competent and accomplished still craving the power that comes with high public office, happy to do what it takes to get back in there.
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IT FEELS like each week of this year we have had a big announcement about a ‘big gig’ – Bruuuuce is coming to Dublin in May, The Chicks are coming in June and U2 have announced what will be the Achtung Baby 30th anniversary shows in Las Vegas towards the end of the year.
This was the album which made made me a U2 fan. This was the news I had been waiting for – and then I learned that Larry Mullen will not be part of this show. Achtung Baby without my Larry? I might hold off on re-mortgaging the house to pay for the trip.
The idea of heading off to a different country to see a great band in concert is something I dreamt of during the dark days of the pandemic, and promised myself that I would do that more often, but the cost of travel and accommodation puts me off. Big trips like this will be few and far between. A re-mortgage would be useful when planning a trip to Dublin, never mind anywhere else.
Thankfully, we have plenty of local festivals to look forward to over the next few months. Belsonic is bringing us the glorious Lizzo, The Frames will be in Botanic Gardens and this coming weekend, Belfast Tradfest will finally host its Winter Weekender in its full form. There will be no restrictions in place and there will be tunes, songs and banter a-plenty. The free session trail boasts more venues than ever, there are CD launches and brilliant gigs.
One of the concerts which could have sold out 10 times over is a celebration of Dungiven bodhrán maker and innovater Séamus O’Kane. It is a wonderful idea to celebrate a quiet stalwart of the tradition like this and the idea has gone down extremely well. It is also heart warming to see Fermanagh man Gabriel McArdle launch his first album during the festival.
Since Tradfest was founded in 2018 - and in spite of the pandemic - its work has continued to promote Belfast as a hub of traditional music amongst those who call the city home and to entice others from outside its boundaries into the city to learn, share and experience the tradition.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of Derry hosting Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann – wouldn’t it be great to entice the biggest festival on this island north of the border once more? It has been too long…
