Francis Duggan Poems

The winners write the war history or so it has been said
And though they may have their celebrations they cannot bring back the dead
For the dead are gone forever in eternal rest they lay
And in war winners are losers despite what some do think or say,
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A man from Gneeveguilla the years have left him gray
From Sliabh Luachra in East Kerry he lives so far away
He has been in Australia since nineteen sixty four
Far distant from the byroad to the border Town Rathmore.
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He should be one worthy of literary note
Yet he has become a near forgotten poet
One of those who deserve a greater renown
Thomas Caulfield Irwin from Warrenpoint County Down
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Ben Johnson knew of the glory and Ben Johnson knew of the fame
And he also knew of ridicule and he also knew of shame
Once the World's fastest sprinter now known as a drugs cheat
But it cannot be taken from him that he was a great athlete.
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A wave from Jimmy Sullivan in Millstreet far away
A nice and spontaneous gesture that did help to make my day
From Clara road one must presume in view of Clara hill
It brought back the old memories as if time had stood still.
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Do not tell him of your sorrows of sorrows he has known enough
He was brought up the hard way and he has known it tough
A child of drug addicted parents and a street kid at thirteen
He spend time in reform school and tough times he has seen.
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It will not matter to me when I've lived my last day
If I am burned to ashes or under black earth lay
Or if I'm not remembered and my praises are unsung
The old they die of old age and the good they say die young.
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You sing your Country's anthem and you wave your Country's flag
And of Olympic medals won by your Nation's athletes you like to have your brag
But come tomorrow morning no wealthier you will be
Though you have cheered on strangers to their greatest victory.
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The Ballad of Reading Jail by Oscar Wilde is something worth the read
It is a poem of quality a major poem indeed
It's author was a famous man and he lives on in renown
And he spend some time as we well know in the Jail of Reading Town.
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The great Albert Namatjira a true Aussie great
One of Australian's first people a Nation celebrate
Arguably Australia's greatest artist that would be fair to say
And his legend is very much alive today,
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