Delightful, Riobard. I really enjoy your poems and comments. Reg (O'Regan) Volk-Canada ----- Original Message ----- From: "Riobard O' Dwyer" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]>; <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2012 6:43 AM Subject: [BEARA] Many things. > THE EXILE > ----------------- > 1) > When I was young, all in my youth > I thought I'd like to roam. > Like many another foolish boy > I had no thoughts for home. > The kind old friends around me, > they thought so well of me. > But I left my dear old parents, > and I went away to sea. > 2) > My father, at my parting, said: > "My lad, where'er you roam, > let no one's joys make you forget > the loving ones at home". > My mother, she could hardly speak > that day I went away. > She threw her arms around my neck, > those words to me did say: > "My boy, God bless you, darling son, > wherever you may roam, > my prayers shall be, both night and day, > that God may watch you home. > Goodbye, God bless you darling", > so sadly she did cry. > While I'll have life, I'll ne'er forget > my mother's last goodbye. > 3) > At length I started o'er the sea to a land far far away. > I toiled beneath the burning sun for many a dreary day. > Yet, though I had the wish for gold, > the thoughts ran in my ears > of the last fond words I heard from home > were from my parents dear. > 4) > Then:- my mem'ry fled to Ireland, my home across the sea > where loving hearts were beating, oft filled with thoughts of me. > In home and kindred, I must speak, were many a heartfelt sigh > of father's kind and loving words, and my mother's last goodbye. > 5) > I landed, but, alas, too late. My parents they were dead. > My gold now had no joy for me, for all my joys were fled. > But I hope to hear those loving words in a land beyond the sky. > And:- while lives are lives, I'll ne'er forget > my parents' last goodbye. > > Mistakes I found while researching Parish Records: > About 200 Baptisms were omitted from the Records. > (There was known as Baiste an Urlair, or Floor Baptism. > In olden days, the Priest used often go around on a saddled horse > and Baptise the children in their homes. > By the time he arrived home, he at times had forgotten > some of the names of children he had Baptised. > So those those names were missing from th Records > (--- but, I eventually traced them !!). > Boys were put into the Records were girls' names, > and girls were put down with boys' names. > Grandparents and Godparents were put down > as parents of children --- all mixed up. > Twins were put down as being born 2 months apart. > (There must have been some long pregnancies > in those days). > A boy was born 3 times. A girl in Bere Island > got married on the day she was born. > A man got married to his mother. > A boy was dead for 3 months before he was born. > A woman married 2 men the same day. > (The 1st fellow must have "taken off" > while "the going was good"). > A man from Kilmacowen was buried > 72 years before he got married in New York. > > Then, there was the story of Big Patrick from Castletownbere > who handed the Priest in an envelope > his offering for one child when he should have > given him the offering for 2 --- as he had Baptised twins. > When Big Patrick was then reminded by the Priest > that he had Baptised 2 --- and not 1 --- > Big Patrick replied: "2 arrived, but there was > only 1 ordered > and I am only paying for what I ordered !! > > Another day, Big Patrick, whose job it was to put a body > into the coffin beside a Hospital, > had just put the body in --- with an umbrella over it --- > when Sr. Oliver rushed out on seeing > what was after happening. > "Good God, Patrick", she exclaimed, > "Why are you putting the body into the coffin > with an umbrella over it ?" > "Well, Sr.", said Big Patrick, > "it might be raining when he gets to the other side " !! > > Re. the writings I've, for many years, > sent to the Beara Column, > I have to say that age catches up with me too. > So I've sent you the poem called "The Exile", > and now I must say "Tooraloo". > I hope that I've oft' made you happy. > The tears nearly come to my eyes. > But I can not go on forever, > so, to all of my friends, > 'tis GOODBYE. > > My thanks to Bill Gawne and to all the other people > who have done great work in charge over > the Beara Column for many years. > To them all I express a profound GRATIAS. > > *----- Riobard* > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message