Carrowkeel, (C) Tony Fallon

Carrowkeel By Tony Fallon.

Goldsmith had a way with words

Whether writing of the sky or birds

His village was deserted or so he said

I cannot quarrel with him he is dead.

I once knew a village just like that

It teemed with fowl dog and cat

Houses with thatch it had only three

But they had special meaning for me

In one was born Maimie Groarke, my mother

And Pat Groarke the runner lived in another.20

In the third were the Daly’s with four lovely nieces

Who broke the local boy’s hearts in pieces

Through this village we all had to pass

When walking to the post office school or mass

It had a holy well the water was always cool,

We drank it often on our way from school

The grownups drank it too when they were sick

The one who brought it couldn’t talk even for a tick

It had a font and on it water we did place

They said the image on it was St Brigid’s face.20

We were told not to remove it not to even try

‘Cause if it was stolen the well would soon go dry.

The first week of August was a rare occasion

We went to this village on vacation

My uncle and aunt had a big white horse

I always wanted to ride him of course.

Long summer days we helped save the hay

Or helped with the thrasher on an autumn day

What you did at night was not a major decision

There was no electricity so there was no television30

The men went hunting rabbits with a carbide lamp

Whether the weather was warm or damp

While the women squeezed butter from the churn

And made sure the currant cake didn’t burn

Later stories were told around the fire all night

For those were the days before electric light

We learned checkers or cards from our hosts,

And were badly frightened by tales of ghosts.

Often if enough ramblers did arrive,

The adults might play poker or twenty-five,40

We children weren’t allowed to make a sound

As the pot might often be more than a pound.

‘Twas many a poor farmer lost a fiver or tenner

Another might win a goose for Sunday dinner.

Risky playing meant you went home broke

Without the price of a drink or a Woodbine smoke

The next morning we might be wishing,

We wouldn’t have to work but instead go fishing

We didn’t look forward to the shovel or spade

But we never refused Cidona or Lucozade.50

A little bit of work gave us an awful thirst

And we’d drink Cidona ‘til we nearly burst.

The shop was near oh what a dream

We were sometimes treated to ice cream

I didn’t even have a bicycle but they had a car

They took me for drives near and far

Then I don’t know if they used the word groovy

But that’s how I felt when in town for a movie.

When I grew up I went over the foam

And every so often I’d go back home60

The houses are all down not a sign of a shed

And all who lived there are now dead

Cattle graze where once there was tillage.

It’s just a town land now its no longer a village

No more I heard the curlews cry

Or watched the pigeons feed or fly.

Never more we’ll hunt the wren

Or see the cows come home again.

No more I’ll see a goose or duck

And in the field no tractor or truck70

There’s no sign of a plow

A pig bonham or sow.

There’s no hen to lay eggs

There’s no clothesline with pegs.

No potatoes are sowed

No meadows are mowed

No vegetables could I see

Where is the old apple tree?

There no meow and no bark

And I didn’t hear the lark.

And since there is no house,

What happened to the mouse?

I couldn’t hear the sound of a cricket,

Or hear rabbits run through a thicket.

There was no sign or a ewe or a ram

No more roasting the tail of the lamb.

No bullocks or calves in the rusty old pen

I didn’t see one gosling or a guinea hen

The well is fenced in by barbed wire

There’s no turf in the garden for a fire.90

I couldn’t hear the bleat of a lamb

Or see fruit for strawberry jam.

I had no interest in counting the stock

I didn’t have to hide from a turkey cock.

There’s was no sign of a donkey or horse

And there are no people and that’s even worse.

There’s was no sign at all of the customs of yore

There’s no friendly face no welcome door.

There’s been a lot of changes over the years,

And it won’t be changed back by my tears.100

Yes when I leave there I always feel so sad

Cause of all it meant to me as a lad.

I can’t help it that’s just how I feel.

Whenever I visit Carrowkeel.