Thirty-Two
mighty Finn MacCool, fierce Antrim lad
slung sling-shot Samson right off his pad
shattered mindsets, tilted clocks
swiped Goliath in the docks
gargantuan giants going mad
Armagh apple girl, any topic
she star-gazed past the misanthropic
vantage point, two cathedrals
Gullion top, polyhedrals
planetarium, telescopic
she came from Carlow, wee caitlin girl
one of three sisters, gave you a twirl
ancient bridge, river Barrow
she was long, very narrow
still glimpse her glance where wild waters swirl
clever Cavan man miles from the sea
found the Shannon source down on one knee
tiny trickle, goodness sake
then a torrent, then a lake
in Breffni county coarse fish are free
daft colleen from precipitous Clare
bold like the Burren, grey bedrock stare
turloughs flowing, born and bred
banner county, father Ted
Cliffs of Moher she jumped for a dare
floaty accent, county man of Cork
culinary city, knife and fork
horizon dreams he was fed
Cobh harbour past Mizen head
around Kinsale then off to New York
one from London, the other, Derry
these two wee men were very hairy
bendy bridge across the Foyle
peaceful city soon to spoil
their Sperrin looks were very scary
there was an eejit from Donegal
climbed up Muckish, had a great fall
the scree slopes of Errigal
still alive, it's a miracle
his Malin head had no sense at all
surly curly kid from County Down
lost in the drumlins wearing a frown
city edge, mountains of Mourne
disappeared where he was born
by Strangford narrows acting the clown
legend of Dublin lived all alone
yes, you guessed, it's our Molly Malone
Howth to Dun Laoghaire
she hobbled home weary
heaving her wheel-barrow, skin and bone
wily Fermanagh wench kept two men
each was called Ernie from way back when
overhead in their flying-boats
spied her flashing petticoats
ocean in sight, they fell short again
seductive Galway gal would not stay
such savage beauty she went astray
whether Corrib, whether Mask
Connemara man to ask
to Inishbofin she played away
bad-tempered Kerryman lost his ring
by the Killarney lakes he did fling
butt of jokes, very cruel
Dingle berries, Carrantouhill
his MacGillycuddys reek and sing
bareback beauty from Kildare of course
the equine county, she rode a horse
the Curragh and Church of Oak
Hill of Allen, found a bloke
fell from her mount far into the gorse
wee ossory cat from Kilkenny
he lived in a castle with many
his marbles were off the grid
on festival floors they slid
lost them all, he couldn't find any
sad lad from Laois, brains short of an ounce
escaped from prison hard to pronounce
nailed tight down inside a crate
trickling blood betrayed his fate
men with batons were ready to pounce
Leitrim lout took drink by the flagon
very short coast, very short wagon
went inland to buy a boat
all-aboard, beer for his goat
so raised a glass, Carrick-on-Shannon
Limerick poetess made you think
five lines she wrote then ran out of ink
first, second and fifth must rhyme
shorter third and fourth are fine
but must keep their rhythm all in sync
canny Longford Lil made you quiver
banjo playing by Camlin River
laid-back lady, bluegrass hair
her fortress town, country fair
tinkled and plucked she did deliver
this talkative halyon hailed from Louth
he robbed two banks then headed down south
stopped at Dundalk to have a drink
garda grabbed him in a blink
that Drogheda gaol did shut his mouth
wild west playboy from county Mayo
did for his dad, very own say so
holy mountain, dreaming star
left the pub at Castlebar
shoe hanging out his Ford Mondeo
Meath mini minx so curious and slim
from Navan or Kells or was it Trim?
crawled into a passage-grave
all by herself, very brave
one leg out, you can still see her limb!
most mysterious Monaghan boy
sibling Virginia, she was his joy
dressed up in his sister's clothes
sexy Clones, no one knows
'cept over the border, Auchnacloy
tall Tullamore youth from Offaly
he played around so awfully
he zoomed right in on Zara
next kissed his cousin Clara
then cuddled Brosna unlawfully
Roscommon culchie, gangly and rare
hung out near Boyle with spindly long hair
web below her knobbly knee
bank to bank across lough Ree
wrapped up her men, eight legs in the air
our Sligo boy, no good at countin'
he spied some girls down by the fountain
one, two, three, how many more?
his favourite to adore
he chased her up Benbulben mountain
Tipperary jockey rode with pace
sure she won the Grand National race
cheered from lough Derg to Cashel
from Nenagh down to Clonmel
loud bells were rung for her steeplechase
Tyrone joker a champion be
chalk in pocket he could hardly see
bendy cue whipped their asses
fifteen balls, such big glasses
all for his ma and a tidy fee
Waterford witch, many followers
her crystal glass, many swallowers
toast to the oldest city
viking girl, very pretty
velvet voice and plenty polymers
Westmeath chancer in boot of his car
some hooch for the folk of Mullingar
for Athlone, fancier grog
illegal still from the bog
smooth smiling man who smoked a cigar
wretched banshee on the Wexford beach
collecting pebbles within her reach
the sea then stole her ardour
he left from Rosslare harbour
lifting her eyes she started to screech!
wild Wicklow wag went out to play
the Arklow shoreline and on to Bray
Sugarloaf, Lugnaquilla
Glendalough, wee tequila
back to Greystones, he's had a good day
Post Comments
Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.
Please
Login
to post a comment