Sir, – I would like to congratulate The Irish Times for reporting on the recent visit to Ireland of a descendant of Japanese literary icon, Lafcadio Hearn – his great grandson, and curator of the Lafcadio Hearn Museum in Matsue, Japan, Prof Bon Koizumi (Home News, September 18th). The record of this visit would not be complete without a mention of the warm welcome accorded to Bon and his wife, Shoko, when they reached Tramore, in their emotional pilgrimage to sites central to the childhood and character formation of the revered chronicler of 19th-century Japan.
This gracious young couple were given a tour of Lafcadio Hearn’s Tramore, starting with the strand where, in 1857, at the age of seven, he last saw his father; and visiting the grave of Sarah Brenane, his grand aunt and guardian, at Holy Cross Church. They were entertained by the current owners of two private houses: Sweetbriar Lodge, the last residence of Mrs Brenane, and Belair, a former home to the Hearne and Molyneux families, which Lafcadio visited during his boyhood summers in Tramore.
The Koizumis called to the Tramore public library where a bronze bust of Lafcadio holds a place of honour in the main foyer. They visited the old Coastguard Station on the Doneraile Walk and viewed the bay where Lafcadio first developed his lifelong passion for swimming. There, Bon Koizumi told the story of how Lafcadio loved to swim at night in Yaizu, floating on his back smoking a cigar. People would spot the firefly light and say “There is Koizumi Yakumo” (Lafcadio’s adopted Japanese name).
In a memorable day, two further events stood out: the warm welcome by members of the Ten O’Clock swimmers’ club at Newtown Cove, where the visitors were greeted in Japanese; and the moment when Bon Koizumi moved to the piano at Belair to render a masterful performance of a brace of Moore’s Melodies – so much loved by Lafcadio. – Yours, etc,