Followers of our blog may recall that we try very hard to be flexible with our daily plans. This was quite evident today as we were heading towards the Imperial War Museum for a visit. Distracted by the siren call of bagpipes and drums , earlier plans went quickly out the window so we could explore what was happening. At the War Cenotaph( an "empty tomb" erected in honor of an individual or group whose remains are elsewhere) in Whitehall, the "Annual Remembrance Service for all the Irish Regiments of the Crown" was taking place. Approximately, 100 members of the Combined Irish Regiments Association representing the 27 disbanded Irish Regiments (including the those of the Prince of Wales' Leinster Regiment) plus three existing ones , formed around the Cenotaph in order to lay rememberance wreaths and say prayers. The pipes and drums of the London Irish Rifles provided the music. The Lord Mayor of London and the Bishop of Westminster Cathedral led the services, following which Major General Denaro (retired), former commanding officer of the Queen's Royal Irish Hussars, "inspected the troops". The following Old Gaelic Blessing was the final piece of the service:
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
May the rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hands.
All-in-all, this was a quite pleasant change of plans because the sounds of bagpipes always call to us.