Utilising the definitions provided: oscillation – waxing and waning; the actions of Elvis – Elvis’s moves; my sibling did not sugarcoat her words – my sibling didn’t mince her words; wandering with her – to traipse with her; eagerly – expectantly; shrine – shrine; sentimental; blows – hits; shouting out in hysteria – screaming hysterically; maistín – a bully; wholesome – wholesome/pure; times of serenity – halcyon days; promises of devotion – sacred vows; an abbess – abbess. Prior to the conclusion of the Cafes, my older sibling, Mary, developed a crush on Elvis Presley. She was a teenager of thirteen years whereas I was on the brink of turning nine. This is how I was introduced to Rock N Roll.
During the evening, my attention was fully on Radio Luxembourg. This station was renowned for broadcasting in average, consequently, the radio signal was stronger in the evening and at night due to technological considerations.
Armagh 1-11 Galway 0-13 (FT): A triumph against Galway guaranteed a second victory in the All-Ireland finals for the Orchard County.
Body discovered in the ocean off Co Clare confirmed as the young boy who disappeared at the Cliffs of Moher.
An individual in Malahide demands the return of his residential property offered to the State for refugee families.
HSE worker received compensation of €700,000 in the previous year for providing treatment to patients outside of regular hours, as stated in the report.
As the tunes echoed and on a shoreline, my sister Mary and her mate Marie would immerse themselves in songs like That’s all right Momma, Hound Dog, and Blue Suede Shoes, by Elvis.
Simultaneously, I was enrolling in lessons at the Nissen shed adjacent to the mulch of Drumnagh Castle. Our new place of learning was still in the process of being established. Guided by the fresh-faced Christian Brother, Liam O’Connell, we were given instructions on playing tin whistle music.
Upon attempting to recreate the tune of Blue Suede Shoes on my own tin whistle at home, Mary quickly discerned that the instrument was hardly the right choice for Rock n Roll beats. Despite my initial disappointment, I gathered the courage to mimic Elvis’s actions before my bedroom mirror by utilising my mother’s tennis racquet.
My sibling was brutally honest: “Ashbourne, your endeavour is just horrendous. It’s almost sacrilegious! Utterly paranoid! Don’t you dare display this before any of my mates, I’d be utterly mortified!” Nevertheless, despite her stark comments, she was quite delighted to have me tag along, traversing the roads of Baltimore and Templeogue as we scouted for Elvis memorabilia for her quaint bedroom.
Locating such a rarity was indeed challenging. However, one day, I was certain that I had stumbled upon a vibrant snapshot of the King himself during his early days in a Drumnagh shop. I couldn’t contain my excitement and enquired about the price of the Elvis photo on display only to be informed, ‘Son, that’s not a photo, rather it’s an album cover’, disappointingly. Undeterred, and with the flames burning brighter, I continued my quest.
Just when things appeared bleak, our dear aunt from Toronto, Canada, intervened by mailing my sister a batch of magazine cut-outs of Elvis, which were inaccessible to us in Ireland. Before long, her petite room was transformed into a mini sanctuary dedicated to the ‘Hillbilly Cat’, with numerous images of the heartthrob adorning the walls.
Our spirits soared when we learnt that ‘Loving You’, Elvis’s third film, was due to be screened at the Apollo, our neighbourhood theatre. Even though this film had released half a year ago, suburban theatres, known for screening feature films, were permitted to show new releases only after they had been played at the larger, inner-city cinemas.
I was thrilled about accompanying my sister Mary to the screening. Most exciting was the Technicolor film, portraying Elvis as a young lad, partially a truck driver who eventually metamorphoses into a rock icon, a narrative with uncanny resemblance to Elvis’s own life trajectory.
In this critically acclaimed movie, he plays Deke Rivers, adopting the name from a toy slab, as he didn’t want his actual name used owing to his orphaned upbringing.
Despite the film being dripping with sentimentality, the highlight was the abundance of thrilling scenes as well as vivid emotive expressions. Although, I was hard-pressed to thoroughly enjoy the music as my sister and a group of other females were constantly in a delirium.
The film sequence that truly astounded me was the platform act where Elvis was compelled to perform ‘Mean Woman Blues’, due to a mash-up, for a food stand’s jockbox. Once he had mesmerised the spectators, he put the instigator in his place. In the film ‘Loving You’, Dolores Hart played opposite Elvis, her performance radiant and warm, frequently drawing comparisons to Grace Kelly.
My birthday gift from my parents was a small guitar emblazoned with the Elvis emblem, after they watched the performance. It was one of the many merchandise, marketed by Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis’s manager. Elvis’s immediate conscription into the US Army left my sister heartbroken. My recollections from this simpler time, along with feelings of ill health remain as vivid as the film ‘Loving You’.
Since her Hollywood career, actress Dolores Hart underwent a dramatic change. She now resides at Connecticut’s Regina Laudis Convent as a Benedictine nun, and can be recognised by the veil she wears over her upper body habit, her distinguishing feature. Interestingly, she may be the only nun who has shared a kiss with Elvis.