A Summer Vacation © Tony Fallon.061917

A Summer Vacation © Tony Fallon.061917

I wish I was in Ireland three thousand miles away

I think I’d go to Salthill and feel the Atlantic spray

After a few days in Galway I’d probably hire a van

And head off to Cong where they filmed The Quite Man

I’d take pictures for posterity of the fields so green

Once threaded on by John Wayne and our own Maureen

I’d surely stop in Knock for Holy water and a prayer

Before heading down to the Burren, in the County Clare.

I’d love to meet with Sharon Shannon or maybe Steve Earl

But Sharon lives in Galway now she is the Galway Girl

Down in County Kerry I’d have to visit Maharees

Where Tommy Goodwin learned his music under the trees

When I get into Cork I must go and visit old Kinsale

And check out the Desmond house which was once a jail.

Then next to Tipperary whose dairy products are acclaimed

And for dairy farms whose cleanliness is world famed

Over in Kilkenny I’d watch the young men drill and train

As they continue the latest All Ireland hurling campaign

Every night I’d be going to sessions to hear the sounds

And I’m sure with all the food I’d have put on a few pounds

The time would be fast approaching to go back across the waves

And I still hadn’t gone to Roscommon to visit family graves

I’d never hear the end of it if I didn’t visit Sharon and Joan

As I headed westward again towards the bridge of Athlone

At graves in Kiltoom and Rahara I’d probably shed sad tears

As I prayed at graves of relatives going back a thousand years

And then once again I’d leave a land that surely is a jewel

As I look fondly towards Barnacullen in front of my old school.