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Notes About The Poem

written on 6th March 2025

Image credit - visit Baltimore For St Patrick's Day Poetry Contest -Sponsored By Oliver McKeithan.

 

Saint Patrick’s Day Parade

During the great hunger many were forced to roam
They settled in far off lands, that they now call home
But they missed Eire and to connect they found a way
With fellow Irishmen and women on St Patrick’s day.

All over the wide world you’ll find an Irish diaspora
Mainly in the USA , England, Scotland, and Canada
They start off with a colourful parade on the big day
Usually led by a pipe band and they lead the way.

Many will wear shamrocks and something bright green
They're so proud of their heritage and love to be seen
Many will wear leprechaun hats and a false red beard
They look quite menacing, but they are not to be feared.

Many march behind the banners of their home county
Emblazoned with their county crest it's wonderful to see
But the Irish are welcoming and anyone can join in the fun
Colour and religion matter not and it's open to everyone.

After the parade has ended there's music and song
And even if you're not Irish you'll feel that you belong
The Guinness will be flowing along with Irish whisky too
The Irish know how to celebrate, and they'll welcome you.

I urge you to join in the celebrations and enjoy the craic
Once you've had a taste of it next year you'll be back
Everyone becomes honorary Irish on Saint Patrick's day
So, pray for a bit of sunshine and for the rain to keep away.

But the next morning you might wake up with a fuzzy head
And it might be a great effort to get out of your warm bed
A full Irish breakfast the next morn is the cure and that is so
You'll be up and running in no time because I’ve tried it I know.

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Marikate Kingston Date: 5/6/2025 11:10:00 AM What a fun poem. You describe Saint Patrick's Day so well with such joy and so accurately. Our daughter lives in the heart of Boston. She can watch it from her window, & I have a brother named Sean Patrick, and a sister named Erin Colleen. On this day I think the music and song is the best too. Just watch out for leprechauns! Congrads' What a fun terrific read ! Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 5/6/2025 11:35:00 AM Thank you very much for your return visit Marikate, I'm happy you enjoyed it again. . My parents came from county clare and settled in the uk where I was born, have visited Ireland many times over the years. Hope your week is going well. Tom

Mary Murphy Date: 3/27/2025 7:20:00 PM Congrats on the win. What a wonderful poem! The description made me feel like I was in the parade, too. So immersive, my friend. Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 3/27/2025 10:25:00 PM Thank you very much Mary, I'm happy you enjoyed it. My parents are from County Clare in the west of Ireland, I've been over many times. Hope your week is going well. Tom

thriveni c mysore Date: 3/27/2025 12:18:00 AM Congratulations on your win dear poet. Joy catches up. Cheers!!! Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 3/27/2025 12:21:00 AM Thank you very much Thriveni, I'm happy you enjoyed it. Hope your week is going well. Tom

Sam Kauffman Date: 3/26/2025 10:25:00 AM Tom, this poem is filled with the delight, the pain and the history of the Irish! Love your admonishment in the last stanza and your wise perception that even though we may suffer with a "fuzzy head" we will wear the green and celebrate all over again singing "Danny Boy" as we go! Congratulations on your win! Blessings! Over Fork Over! Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 3/26/2025 11:43:00 AM Thank you very much for your congrats Sam, I'm happy that you enjoyed it. My goal is to march in the New York parade one day. My daughter went a few years ago and I lent her my Clare shirt,, when the Clare marchers passed they all waved at her, she felt like royalty, over fork over.. Tom

David Crandall Date: 3/26/2025 9:07:00 AM Back with congrats Tom! Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 3/26/2025 9:30:00 AM Thank you very much for your congrats and return visit David. Much appreciated. Tom

Karen Jones Date: 3/26/2025 9:02:00 AM Congratulations on your win Tom!!! Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 3/26/2025 9:30:00 AM Thank you very much Karen, I'm happy you enjoyed it. Tom

Oliver Mckeithan Date: 3/26/2025 6:09:00 AM Congrats Tom on your placement in my contest. I enjoyed the writing on the diaspora and how it has influenced other cultures. The last stanza is great. Time to eat some blood pudding. Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 3/26/2025 8:01:00 AM PS, went to see the Dublin legends a few nights ago, foot tapped all through the performance. Tom Cunningham Date: 3/26/2025 7:52:00 AM Thank you very much Oliver, I'm happy you enjoyed it. Blood pudding and white too, with a dash of chef sauce and you're in heaven. Thanks too for hosting the contest. Tom

Marikate Kingston Date: 3/15/2025 9:25:00 PM I just loved your third stanza. My name being Mary Catherine (the long version) my sister Erin Colleen and my brother, Sean Patrick, means we are quite Irish of course. I married to an italian ! My day will be filled with pasta and green beer. Tee hee. :0) Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 3/15/2025 9:34:00 PM Thank you very much Marikate, I'm happy you enjoyed it. My parents were Irish but I was born in the UK, I've been to Ireland many times, have lots of family over there, I wish you and your family a very happy St Patrick's day. Tom

CayCay Jennings Date: 3/13/2025 8:20:00 AM How informative and engaging your St. Paddy poem is. I thoroughly enjoyed every line. You done good, Tom! Poetry hugs ... CayCay (Cunningham is most English, right?) Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 3/13/2025 8:46:00 AM Thank you very much Cay Cay, I'm happy you enjoyed it. Cunningham is a Scottish name originating from Ayrshire in Scotland and many of them emigrated to Ireland. My parents were from the west of Ireland but I was born in the UK. Tom

Duke Beaufort Date: 3/10/2025 5:22:00 PM Tom, I am actually laughing after reading this. Thanks for the lovely description of pride and taking it in as a bit of fun! Smiles!!! Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 3/11/2025 12:08:00 AM Thank you very much Duke, have attended many parades over the years, it's a great day out. Last year myself and my brother carried the Clare banner, a proud moment. Tom

Andrea Dietrich Date: 3/10/2025 3:24:00 PM It would sure be nice to visit Ireland and be a part of this. Very well done, Tom. Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 3/11/2025 12:06:00 AM Thank you very much Andrea, Ireland is a beautiful country. During the great famine many Irish emigrated to the US and took a bit of Ireland with them. One of the biggest parades is in NYC and my daughter went a few years ago, she borrowed my Clare shirt and everyone waved at her, she felt like royalty lol. Its a great celebration and everyone is made welcome. Tom

Gershon Wolf Date: 3/8/2025 7:58:00 PM Love a parade... As for the next morning, Cornflakes and beer for me. lol. ~ gw Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 3/9/2025 5:49:00 AM Thank you very much Gershon, I. Know you have a big one in Chicago, isn't that where they put green dye in the river. Cornflakes and beer sounds good to me lol. Tom

Bj Legros Kelley Date: 3/8/2025 2:53:00 PM I LOVE the Irish and St Patrick's Day, almost always hosting a little gathering for fun and food! My husband's family still bears the Irish name, though they are truly an American mix of so many other genes on his dad's side of things. Still, we love to watch the River Dance online. I have wanted to go to Ireland for so long, and we are getting older and probably will never make it there, except for in our dreams! May the luck of the Irish be with ye Tom, and thank you for this wonderful poem. Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 3/16/2025 2:45:00 PM I bet they had a lovely time BJ. I like bees but wouldn't fancy them moving in lol Bj Legros Kelley Date: 3/10/2025 9:30:00 AM Three of my children have gone to Cork, my lucky lil' darlings! Then after their return with photos, we had a man come over to remove a bee hive set up in the roof near our front entrance to our home (that was not a fun experience, those bees!!). Well, he had that lovely, LOVELY accent and the kids and he got into quite a conversarion, he was from Ireland! Even the darkest moments can have such a sweet surprise! Tom Cunningham Date: 3/9/2025 5:47:00 AM Thank you very much BJ, my parents came from the west of Ireland but I was born in the UK. Have been over many times and still have many relatives over there. My cousin organises a reunion and it's great to meet up with them. Have a lovely weekend. Tom

Michael Tor Date: 3/8/2025 1:23:00 PM Tom love this Poem of yours. I love all the information you shared and how the Irish are so accepting of others enjoying their heartwarming tradition. The way you wrote this brought so much enjoyment. I looked up the Spancil Hill song or maybe a Ballad and so much enjoy the lyrics and music of this Gentleman, being in California, missing the place he lived in Ireland he wrote about, in his song Sadly he died at a very young age. In my younger years I enjoyed celebrating St Patricks day and... Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 3/9/2025 5:38:00 AM Thank you very much Michael, I'm happy you enjoyed it. Its a colourful celebration and the irish welcome everyone. They really know how to celebrate. Have a great weekend. Tom Michael Tor Date: 3/8/2025 1:27:00 PM experienced what you eloquently stated in your last versus lol. Waking up just like you described, afterwards I would say to myself never again, but this would be repeated by myself and friends for many years to come lol. Love Ireland and the Irish. Thank you Tom for writing this lovely piece and sharing with us this Special tradition...

Joe Maverick Date: 3/8/2025 6:19:00 AM Just Login to Reply

Joe Maverick Date: 3/8/2025 6:13:00 AM Sure tis a great day for the Irish, such a great day as all should know. And for one I raise a Glass and wish them blessings and cheers.' Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 3/9/2025 5:51:00 AM Thank you very much Joe, it is indeed and everyone is made welcome regardless of colour or religion, Shame the whole world can't be like that. Tom

Maria Williams Date: 3/8/2025 4:34:00 AM Dear Tom,this is a wonderfully heartfelt and uplifting poem that beautifully captures the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day and the enduring connection of the Irish diaspora to their homeland. We have a pub down the road from us, always know when its St Patrick's Day. The Irish are a noisy lot. lol...Hugs Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 3/8/2025 4:51:00 AM Thank you very much Maria, I'm happy you enjoyed it. When the Guinness is flowing they get louder lol, as they say in Ireland, they're having the craic. Hope you have a lovely weekend. Tom

Anne-Lise Andresen Date: 3/8/2025 1:44:00 AM - Yes, I'm sure they'll wake up with a green fuzzy head :) - A celebration you won't forget, Tom :) - hugs Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 3/8/2025 1:48:00 AM Lol, thank you Anne Lise, have attended many over the years. It's a great day, would love to go to New York, my daughter went a few years ago. Have a lovely weekend. Tom

David Crandall Date: 3/7/2025 3:24:00 PM Great feeling of celebration and pride in your poem. I just listened to a nice song called Spancil Hill about dreaming of returning to Ireland. Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 3/7/2025 7:30:00 PM Thank you very much David, heard that one many times, it's in County Clare, it's where my parents came from. I was born in the UK. Have a great weekend. Tom

Deb M Date: 3/7/2025 8:32:00 AM I really enjoyed this wonderful poem/tale about St Patrick's Day and the parade Tom.Your descriptions and imagery are great. You seriously should write a travel book about your travels...it would be so interesting!! Debx Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 3/7/2025 10:25:00 AM Thank you very much Deb, have been on many parades so this was an easy write. Tom

Beryl Edmonds Date: 3/6/2025 5:17:00 PM A great tribute poem for Saint Patrick’s Day Tom. Have been on holiday to Ireland and loved the music and songs. The people are so friendly too, they go out of their way to help you, any way they can… Beryl Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 3/6/2025 9:35:00 PM Thank you very much Beryl, my parents were from Clare in the west, have been many times. I'm happy you enjoyed it, Bham city Council pulled the plug on this years parade, apparently they're on the edge of bankruptcy. I'll have to go to New York lol, my daughter went a few years ago. Hope you and Alan are well. Tom

Darlene De Beaulieu Date: 3/6/2025 2:46:00 PM Hello tom, I just rather go to the parade. go to a pub and have a green beer to celebrate the st. Patrick's Day. enjoy your evening my friend. /Darlene/ Login to Reply Darlene De Beaulieu Date: 3/7/2025 9:41:00 AM Hello tom, Your welcome. Yes this is celebrated by everyone. they are a lot of fun. Enjoy your day my friend. /Darlene/ Tom Cunningham Date: 3/6/2025 2:58:00 PM Thank you very much Darlene, it's a great day not just for the irish but for everyone. I've been to many St Patrick's day parades and had a great time. Tom