Achill Island, February 4th, 2001

Dear Mom!

After a frist glimpse an the lovely surrounding (unfortunately it is raining) and a lot of people, who have come to Achill Island becaise of the paintings of Bran O'Donnell from all over Europe. I'm sitting in my warm and cosy cottage. I just had a strong room, but at the moment it is impossible for me to share a bedroom, you know me, Mom! I'm so excited after all what happened in the last two days, that I have to be alone at least in the night. Heiner Maier is still searching (I would even say fighting) for a single bedroom (he is going to contact the vicar, I pressume), while Georg Müller and Tom seem to be quite happy with their cottage and the twin bed.

As I told you via mobile I missed the train in Cologne, but met some of the Kassel-people in my Dublin hotel, called Harding, next morning, first Heiner Maier, polite, gentlemanlike, dressed as usual with a yellow scarf. He told me that unfortunately Lily Krause had to fly back from Dublin airport at once because of bad news from her family. What a pitty, as I did hope to get further information from her about the mysterious coin.

Now "in medias res", into the centre of my news: Mom, I have found the man of my life! How this happened? As you know, I had an appointment with Peter O'Connor, director of the Dublin Art Gallery because of an exhibition with paintings from Seamus Redmond (the Irish "Dubuffet). As I studied the catalogue I found a photo of Remond as a young man. It's the same guy I saw on a photo in your bedside table in Zwickau many, many years ago (the forbidden drawer - sorry Mom!). And I read that Remond was born near Liffey Castle. Mother, please tell me is Seamus Redmond my father? You wrote in your letter that I gotthe day before I left Kassel for Ireland that you met my father 35 years ago at Liffey Castle. I have visited Liffey Castle with Heiner Maier yesterday. It's a home for the aged today, and we met an old man called B.O'Donnell, a painter. In his purse I noticed an old coin. That's also confusing! I hope you will tell me soon.

Anyway, I just realised that I am no more interested that much in these questions, as my life has changed since Dublin, since I met Joshua Nash in the museum, an art dealer from New York. I was struck at once when I saw him: Big, athletic, elegant, brown eyes and a ligt brown skin. (Yes Mom, that's it , sorry for the shock) Peter O'Connor itroduced him to me, and after three minutes we tlked about our reasons to visit Ireland. It was a shock for me, when Joshua told me that all the paintings of O'Donnell on Achill Island are fakes. Josh is a collector of Brian O'Donnell and has got three genuine O'Donnell's in his art gallery in New York.

Three hours later we were a couple and I proised Josh two things: to come to New York soon and to go to Achill Island, let's say as a "spy" and to write about the art event. It's a good journal story anyway.

By the way: Joshua knows Kassel, as he visited the "documentas" nine and ten, where he met Catharine David which he adores - and Eva and Adele that funny couple from Berlin. They had lunch toghether in "Gleis 1". I must phone Lilly when I'll be back in Kassel. Before Joshua left Dublin he gave me a beautiful ring, a "Claddigh": two hands holding a heart (even Queen Victoria had a "Claddigh")

Next morning (which means today) I left Dublin by train via Athlan to Westport. The train was terribly crowded with people for Achill Island. The journey took aboutsix hours and I tried to work on my book about "Irish painters of the 20th century". Luckily, I met Tom on the train, which I had not seen for two days, and he told me some confusing stories about his rat.

After the big art event I will not go. back to Kassel immediately. I'll fly from Shannon to New York, you know why, dearest mom I have found the man of my life. You will certainly like him.

Kisses - your's very,very happy

Jenny-Marion