The Elders Of My Childhood Years Poem by Francis Duggan

Some of them may be dead for years their bones in black earth lay
But the elders of my childhood years with me still seem to stay
I fancy they are living still I see them every day
And from the homes they once lived in they never went away.

Den Looney sitting on wheelchair beside the cottage gate
His wife Peg working in the porch I've seen them both of late
And Denis Kelleher out walking his hounds lights up a cigarette
And talks about his young fawn dog his fastest greyhound yet.

On the pathways of the memory you will never find much moss
Johnny Hickey and John Joe Daly on the small bridge at the cross
Mrs Neenan, Mrs Daly, Bina Taylor. Finbarr O
And Jack Sullivan and Jack the Master come to me from long ago.

Lizzie Hickey, Johnny Mcarthy and the Breens Mary and Dan
And Betsy and Willie Murphy he was the loud speaker man
And that fine lady Mary Annie mum of Matt and Denny Owen
Seems I saw her only yesterday how quick the years have flown.

Pad the Master, Con and Dotie, Dan and Nora Sullivan
And Ned Twohig is still living he's had such a lengthy span
Pad Fitz and Hanora Moynihan and Julia Duggan wife of Dan
Live forever in the places where I grew to be a man.

Jack and Tim Dennehy and Nora and Molly some may say forever
gone
But I see them fairly often and they still keep living on
Elly Twohig, Connie Dennehy, Jimmy Twohig and Kathy his wife
Every time the past come to me all of these people come to life.

Padraig Croning and Lil Mulcahy I was young when she was old
She once gave me half a crown on Stephen's Day when half a crown was gold,
Andy Dennehy and Ellen and Jer and Mary Long
Had I bardic intuition I would pen for them a song.

Jack Looney and Johnny Connell, the Sullivans Julia and John
They are living in the memory and their names keep living on
Thade Sullivan and his wife Kathleen she was so human and nice
She would melt you with her greeting if your heart were made of ice.

Denny Murphy his wife Elly, Maud and Denis Corcoran
Paddy Neilus and Connie Hickey he was such a well read man
John and Lily Moore, Jack Tarrant, Con C and Mick Connie O
All these people I remember from my childhood years ago.

Mick Jannick and Mick the Donal live on in my memory
And Mrs Hickey and Denny Connors these are people I still see
Laurence Kelleher and Maurice Connors all those people of Liscreagh
It's not been long since I've seen them seems like only yesterday.

John Pat and Peggy Riordan and Den Corkery and his wife
And Con Murphy and his wife Kate they were larger far than life
And Johnny Mac and Lizzy and John D Murphy living still
In his farm house in Claramore in view of Clara hill.

Con Duggan and Mary Agnes with great fondness I recall
And Margaret Kelleher wife of Denis a fine person overall
And that very likeable person the humorous Mary O
The great mirth in her laughter comes to me from long ago.

Though most of them now with the dead their bones in black earth lay
The elders of my childhood years are living still today
They will only die when I die they live in my memory
And not a day goes by of late that them I do not see.