Louisburgh in County Mayo-Poem by Sean T. Morahan

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An Coinneal - Number Three Summer 1963

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1963 An Coinneal

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1963 An Coinneal

Sean T. Morahan

‘Mid sadness of fond recollections tonight,

      A yearning possess my soul

To end the hard struggle and thirty years’ flight

      For fame on Los Angeles’ roll.

In exile I pine for my loved native Isle,

      And my thoughts get full rein as they go

To scenes that were dearest when Heaven did smile

      On Louisburgh in County Mayo.

I see the dear faces I loved as a lad,

      And long to be with them once more:

A sweet, gentle mother, a kind loving dad:

      May God bless them both o’er and o’er.

And oh! For the friends that I knew long ago,

      The truest and dearest on earth!

I’d love to be with them tonight in Mayo,

      In Louisburgh, the place of my birth.

Dear home of my childhood, I see you again,

      In fancy I visit once more

Your four crossed-shaped streets and the square with its crane,

      Close hugging Clew Bay’s genial shore.

At eve I gaze down from the heights round the town,

      While smoke wisps from chimneys below,

Wave toilers back homeward to tea golden-brown,

      In Louisburgh in County Mayo.

I cherish the memories of days so long fled,

      Recalling again ‘mid my woes,

In grandeur and glory majestic Old Head-

      It’s beauty a heaven’s repose,

Bunowen, too, a picture from Nature’s own hand,

       I fondly salute Fairy Hill;

Then, over the river to Carramore Strand,

       And here fancy travels at will.

As mem’ries crowd on me, I pause to recall

       The ever-unfading joys here-

The great parish races I loved above all;

       For each one I now shed a tear.

O day of all days for the young and the old,

       Who knew neither gentle nor low!

When sport was the glory and honour the gold

       In Louisburgh in County Mayo.

Through Askelane, Emlagh, Roonagh and Polgloss,

       By Accony’s clustered array:

The Dooaghs, Carrowniskey, by Roonith and Cross,

       By Devlin, Bunlach and its bay:

I hail Thallabawn, famed in story and song,

       Then Gowlan, and rest in Aillemore,

And whisper a prayer for the great buried throng

       In Killeen, Gods own sacred store.

To Feenone and Cloonty I give a fond nod,

       To Crickeen and Altore a bow,

And smile on the Creggans where oft times I trod-

       Ah, would I were really there now!

Through Tully, Falduff, Ballyhip and the Shraughs,

       By Moneen to gaze on the Reek:

Then over to the hallowed Kilgeever where lies

       God’s acre, deserted and bleak,

I enter the graveyard and bend at the Well:

       It boils, bringing joy to my soul;

I pray for the dead lying each in his cell;

       Awaiting the Great Judge’s roll.

In spirit I offer a station alone,

       To Heaven my earnest prayers flow

For life once again ‘mid the friends I have known

       In Louisburgh in County Mayo.

‘Mid sadness of fond recollections tonight,

       A yearning possess my soul,

To end the hard struggle and thirty years’ fight

       For fame on Los Angeles’ roll.

No longer I’ll pine for my loved native Isle-

       Tomorrow I’ll leave here and go

To Ireland, my sireland, and Heaven will smile

       On Louisburgh in County Mayo!