Donal Hickey's Fox Terriers Poem by Francis Duggan

With a likeable master they won their renown
As great little earth dogs west of Millstreet Town
For fox or for badger they fearlessly went to ground
And that type of dog is quite hard to be found.

Though no heaven for animals theologians say
Donal Hickey's fox terriers in their long rest lay
When the moon it is shining on the mountain rill
Their ghosts hunt in the old fields by old Clara Hill.

They worried the badgers and foxes they did kill
And till the day I die the memory I will
Retain of Donal with his dogs and a fox on his back
Walking through the fields to his home by the old greyhound track.

The best little earth dogs I ever have known
One might say they were in a class of their own
It is not of fiction that I write of here
They went to ground without hesitation or fear.

Courageous when their courage was put to the test
Donal Hickey's fox terriers up there with the best
Little earth dogs that ever see the light of day
May they rest in peace now where-ever they lay.