Sir, – Rosita Boland’s “An Irishwoman’s Diary” (April 1st) brought me on a very personal journey down memory lane. My husband (RIP) and I discovered Renvyle House Hotel in 1963, during a tour of the area. We were, at that time, engaged and we were so taken with the place that we decided to spend our honeymoon there the following year.
The hotel was full of British anglers who were such early risers that they gave us the name of being late for meals, even though we were, just about, on time. This latter fact did not seem to register with our waitress, Sadie. However, there was one occasion on which we were late. We had travelled to Loughrea to meet some relatives from overseas who had been guests at our wedding.
Knowing that we were going to be late for the evening meal (7.30-9pm, as Rosita Boland said) we rang ahead and reported that fact and were assured it was okay. When we arrived the head waiter, William, announced to us in sepulchral tones, “Sadie is waiting for you”. As we got seated Sadie arrived and, looking none too pleased, ignored the menu and announced to us “There’s only soup and duck left!”.
Forever after that, any time one or other of us needed to be hurried up, as we were preparing to go out, we would say “There’ll be only soup and duck left”.
God bless Sadie. She gave us many a laugh afterwards. Also, we met William a couple of years later in a hotel in a different part of the country on our anniversary – and he remembered us! – Yours, etc,
KAY HEGARTY,
Monaloe Avenue,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin.