A Drink With Shane Macgowan Poem by Daniel McDonagh

I found myself in Bairds Bar
with a Guinness in my hand
I love the taste of the Irish stout,
as did my old man
Out on the streets of the Gallowgate,
the rain forever fell
As it washed away the lonely days
and the sins of all the world.

The pictures that hung on Bairds Bar wall
were of the bhoys in emerald green
Banners hung of Celtic brake clubs
and memories of Jock Stein
And sitting in the corner
singing the ‘Broad Majestic Shannon’
Was a man wearing a Celtic scarf
by the name of Shane MacGowan.

I went to the bar and bought him a pint
and sat down by his side
He was smoking Embassy Regal
and drinking a flagon of cheap red wine,
He was up in dear old Glasgow
to pay a visit to Paradise
And to one day write a song about
the bhoys in green & white.

And Pádraig Mór strapped on his guitar
and stood there on the stage
Sang a song about Raymond McCreesh
and Irish heroes of bygone days,
Shane MacGowan, he stamped his feet
to the tunes that Pádraig played
Wrapped in his Celtic scarf and Celtic flag
shouting for the ‘Boys of the Old Brigade.’

The pints were flowing and the whiskey was flowing
plus a bottle or two of wine
Shane MacGowan sat in his corner,
were Joyce, Heaney and Yeats he rhymed,
Into the pub walked Bertie Auld,
and he sang us the ‘Celtic Song’
Were MacGowan, he finished a pint of ale,
and he gladly sang along.

And as midnight came, and outside it still rained,
it was time for me to go,
I finished my pint of Guinness
and the Bairds Bar crowd, they did roar,
As Shane MacGowan, he took to the stage
with microphone in hand,
Cursing the devil in hell, he let out a yell,
and sang to us, ‘God Save Ireland’.


Sept 8th 2005