Ambrose O Donovan Poem by Francis Duggan

In Gaelic football he reached a height of which some can only dream
And he played at centrefield with Jack O Shea in Kerry's greatest team
And with pride and distinction the green and gold he wore
Ambrose from Gneeveguilla in Sliabh Luachra near Rathmore.

He won All Ireland medals though how many I cannot say
And against the best in Ireland Ambrose lined up to play
And though he is in his forties now he can look back with pride
Of when he played for Kerry and his fame known far and wide.

Like the mighty D J Crowley from Rathmore before him D J knew widespread fame
Ambrose from Gneeveguilla too was one who knew acclaim
But time goes by so quickly and each man has his day
And the years slow down the quickest and the years turn hair to gray.

Since Ambrose O Donovan last played for Kerry near two decades have gone by
And on looking back it seems like only yesterday those years just seemed to fly
But since when in Mikey Peter O's pub in Gneeveguilla they toasted one of their own
Through Sliabh Luachra and east Kerry the winds of change have blown

The prime years of a Gaelic footballer have but a fleeting span
And Ambrose from Gneeveguilla now a middle aged man
And another generation of young men in their prime
For a decade in a human life is quite a long long time.

A member of Kerry's greatest team and one of the chosen few
In the game of Gaelic Football he saw his dreams come true
And Ambrose from Gneeveguilla he can look back with pride
To when he wore the green and gold and his fame known far and wide.