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.
