Denny Murray Poem by Francis Duggan

Denny Murray



He clipped horses and sprayed gardens and he earnt his every pound
And he worked all around Duhallow and he was known for miles around
And he drank gallons of porter after short spells on the dry
And we all knew Denny Murray and his jokes we did enjoy.

He owned stud boars and he owned stallions 'Rambling Boy and Rising Light'
And he used to say in barrooms, I'm the man to kill the blight
And in his old style horse drawn side car he'd speed out of Millstreet Town
In the darkness of the night time when the barrooms had closed down.

And the people in their bedrooms heard his horse go trotting by
And Denny Murray's 'on the session' was the familiar catch cry
As he sped towards Ballydaly stars were twinkling in the sky
And I still can hear the hoofbeats of his stallion Rambling Boy.

He was known around the Cork and Kerry border from Rathmore to Knocknagree
From Cullen to Rockchapel and Millstreet to Boherbue,
From Carriganimma to Ballydesmond from Newmarket to Kiskeam
Everyone knew Denny Murray his was a familiar name.

If a book were written on him a million copies would be sold
And his life was one great story and his story ought be told
Of how he sprayed gardens in day time and clipped horses till midnight
In cold and draughty stables with the aid of candle light.

Of how he saved up for the session and for weeks went on the dry
And some may think his life a hard one but his life he did enjoy
Of how he drank all day till closing time and went home in the dark
And at the coming of his sidecar the old farm dog did bark.

He was Ballydaly's greatest character he owned stallions and a boar
And he was known all around Duhallow from Newmarket to Rathmore
Everyone knew Denny Murray his was a familiar face
And though he lived life rough and ready his heart was in the right place.

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