School: Cill Fhínghín (roll number 16222)

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1. A Poem

   

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   I
   What means this crowd of people?
   What means this beat of drum?
   Why go they to the grave yard?
   From whenceforth have the come?
   While gather here the rich and poor.
   From North, South, East and West
   There is someone speaking to the throng
   And ringing cheers go forth.
   II
   I put these different questions
   To an old and feeble man,
   His hair as white as the drimbling snow
   His face was thin and wan
   But though old age has done its work,
   Yet still his merry eye went up
   With kindness gladly (now o) smile and then he made reply.

   Its now three score and five long years since I was but a boy.
   There passed away our gaelic bard to the land of peace and joy.
   His soul is with God, and his body in Killeeneens grave yard
   Sure every Irish man has heard of Raftery the bard.
   'Tis he could tell the story" 'Tis he could sing the song,
   In our old Irish language he hated the Saxon tongue.
   And in Sunday evening the boys and girls would come
   And listen here with willing ear to Rafterys latest poems
   Or dance the Irish jig or reel while Raftery would play

   (continues on next page)

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. genre
      1. poetry
         1. folk poetry (~9,504)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Brian Rabbit

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Killeeneen More, Co. Galway

   Informant

   Mr Feeney

   Gender

   Male