SpecialPerson©2024TonyFallon627

 SpecialPerson©2024TonyFallon627

Time goes by so quickly when you meet a special person

You know they are meant for you but you are still not certain

It's first a day and then a week and soon it's ninety days

You have enjoyed the ninety days so much you are amazed

How could this happen so fast you are now going steady

How can you feel doubt and fear and why do you feel edgy

Is it because you don't feel worthy or you don't feel blessed

If luck has fallen in your lap why can you not accept

For many years you played the green fields and spread your wild oats

You know the parents like you you already met the folks

They are well off with a big house and love the only child

There is no doubt in my mind now you two should be combined

TheLonelyTrees©2024TonyFallon620

 TheLonelyTrees©2024TonyFallon620

Living overseas for my home village I have yearned

The memories started popping up since I'd returned

As we drove roads of my youth to temptation I couldn't yield

Without a word I parked the car and walked into the field

As I crossed the ten acres towards the lonely trees

I felt the warm sunshine and the promise of a breeze

They were five fine big shade oak trees planted in a line

On hot close summer days the stock would gladly recline

I wondered why they were planted if it was for shade

The one in the middle hit by lightning was decayed

The flash of lightning in a storm split the tree in halves

And took the lives of the farmers two fine young calves

In the warm days of summer in the mid day sun blaze

Often young lambs played in the shade while their mothers grazed

I wonder if they were commissioned by an English squire

Who wound up with some Irish land far away from Yorkshire

Did he ride around on a horse in fine English tweeds

Or was he conscious of his poor Irish tenants needs

I wonder during the famine were there cabins of sods

Which were torn down for rent money by the eviction squads

The field was part of an estate long before partition

That had been divided up by the Land Commission

In the spreading branches how many birds have nested

Beneath the shadow of leaves how many men have rested

A few feet up all of the trees had some shiny bark

I wonder how many cows had scratched there in the dark

Who were the lovers initials inscribed within a heart

Were they happy forever or did they sadly fall apart

Through the field to school and church there was right of way

On our way home from school we children often stopped to play

It would take a lot of plowing to have a grain crop

The five trees looked like ghosts in winter with no leaves on top.

The farmers son loved Gaelic football and his name was James

So we were allowed to use the field for our football games

Living overseas for my home village I have yearned

The memories started popping up since I've returned

As we drove roads of my youth to temptation I couldn't yield

Without a word I parked the car and walked into the field

The half hour in that lovely field for me was so good

My wife sat silent in the car I don't think she understood

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TheRossies2024©Tony Fallon622

 TheRossies2024©Tony Fallon622

The Rossies minors in 2006 brought us great cheer

And won the Connaught Championship easily that year

We drew the game in Dublin and won the replay in Clare

And sent the Kerry minor team back home in despair

We thought this was the foundation of greater things to come

And we celebrated in Castlerea Athlone and Drum

There was hope of a great team anchored by Donie Shine

He could score with either boot he could score from any line

I was in New York the day of that awful tackle

When Donnie was laid out by an illegal knee or knuckle

We have had some great attackers we've had great defense

We've had some easy wins at home and on the road suspense

That was almost twenty years yet Sam has not appeared

Yet from the Suck to the Shammon the fans have persevered

Now they have come back from a trip to Tyrone with a scoop

But this was not the All Ireland they have to regroup

We have won two games and we are in the final eight

There's no easy game ahead the big guns lie in wait

Win five in a row it'll be a Summer to remember

And bring back memories of a long ago September

Betty'sPoem 2024TonyFallon615

 My name is Tony Fallon and Betty and I grew up about 8 miles apart.

I've been in New York for almost 60 years.I've written for many 

newspapers in Ireland and America  and have been on the radio 

for 47 years and I owned a DiscJockey businss in NYC area.

I write poetry and have one book published. 

I am the Poet Laureate of Cairo New York. I inherited the 

Fallon and Groarke brains as I left school when I was 16.

Betty'sPoem 2024TonyFallon615

The saddest day of Betty's life was leaving her home place

With everything she owned that day in a little suit case

Her last week was sad and lonesome her mind full of gloom

As she thought back to her mother now buried in Kiltoom

She remembered  her childhood and friends with whom she'd grown

It wouuld be months before she'd  again see the lights of Athlone

To the emigrant boat like many before she was assigned

Sadly leaving her young siblings and relatives  behind

I'm sure like many others she had a lonesome attack

With few prospects in Ireland  there was no going back

Alas she and Davey were not the first or last transplants

There were more to follow the generation before lost aunts

Over there already she had first cousins named Coyne

Maybe with the help of God within days they would rejoin

The sun may have shone that day but all were sad and sullen

The day Betty Fallon left her first home in Ardmullen

The scenery was unbeaten even in cold winter chill

You could see to Rahara walking down that big hill

Coming home you would have to be healthy and physical

Because no one ever rode to the top on their bicycle

One side was the Shannon the other a disappearing Lake

In summer it had pike in winter wild geese, duck and drake

The farm was very productive with its rich Roscommon lome

But so sloped up and hilly the cows would rarely come home

We now realize her staying power and endurance skills

Were learned at an early age walking those Ardmullen hills

We are double first cousins two sisters married two brothers

We had the same grandfathers and the same grandmothers

She walked to Curraghboy school daily in clothes of wollen

Returning every day at four to the hill of Ardmullen

The train went to Dublin and the old boat to Hollyhead

From Hollyhead to Eustace station the train quickly sped

To get a decent job fast was now her great ambition

While reading ads in Double 3 she secured a position

Either God was smiling on her or they loved her Irish cheer

How many girl's on their very first day start a new career

At that job and others she served food on many tables

And for three generations she rocked a lot of cradles

All the jobs and work she did she was just like a machine

You would not believe her story on a big movie screen

As the children came along and the family grew in size

She moved to Caledonia Road and later Hornsey Rise

Though she has conquered London for about six decades

The memory of Carrowkeel and Ardmullen never fades

The sweet memories of Betty's lifetime we can not replace

Now there  are four genetations from Betty down to Grace

Since I mentioned Grace there is Oscar Jude Harry and Hayden

There's Elliot Archie and Amelia a teenage maiden

As the children enjoy the food around this big buffet

We would love  food like that when we were saving hay

Living far from home the birth of her children she took in stride

With Elizabeth and Michael first she showed them off with pride

When Angela and James came later they each had three sibs

She said I'm finished with cradles there will be no more cribs

Since she and Angela share a birthday they yearly dine

Talk about the old days and share a bottle of red wine

I said I'd include all grandchildren that was a promise

There is Dean Leah Rebecca Rosie and Thomas

Also Jamie Michael Keith Ashley and Louise

I almost forgot Melissa and that wouldn't please

When God invented Betty Fallon he threw away the code

And set down before her a long narrow and winding road

Yet after all those tough years we know she has succeeded

She was there with help for her family when she was needed

I'm sure all look up to her she is experienced and wise

But I'm still fifty days older than her that is no surprise

I live in New York now far from Rahara and Barnacullen

A Happy Birthday to my cousin Betty from Ardmullen