Kanturk Dan Poem by Francis Duggan

From Melbourne to Heathrow by plane more than a day
And from there to Duhallow still quite a long way
And though at heart he remains a true Kanturk man
He won't be going back there ageing Kanturk Dan.

On saturday night at the local when he has drunk his fill
He sings Duhallow's anthem the Bold Thady Quill
And the other pub patrons with him sing along
The Celt in the man who loves music and song.

The past it has followed him from far away
He sings the old songs of his boyhood today
His hair that was brown is now silver gray
Though young at heart he is one who has managed to stay.

He does not have children or he does not have a wife
Yet he is one who is happy in his life
And though o'er Duhallow he may never again see the sun rise
Of the beauty he once knew he does visualize.

On his birthday in August he turned fifty three
And many more Seasons he expects to see
Yes many a Summer, Fall, Winter And Spring
And many more songs of Duhallow he'll sing.