Memories Of Pad The Master Poem by Francis Duggan

He could tell the weather by the sky he was a wise old fellow
And he'd say tomorrow it will rain the sun has gone down yellow
And sure enough next day 'twould rain and we'd laud our forecaster
Who needed radio forecasts in those days when we had 'Pad the Master'.

A wise old man with silver hair he told us heaps of stories
Of Millstreet in his school going days old Millstreet and her glories
He told of Ireland's history the Land League and Moonlighting
The Black and Tans and civil war and days of freedom fighting.

He was a kind and honest man born with the gift of sharing
And he always kept a civil tongue we never heard him swearing
An easy going quiet spoken man and always inoffensive
And we youngsters felt at ease with him and never on defensive.

In my boyhood days in Claraghatlea he was my next door neighbour
Before I grew to be a man and earned my bread by labour
And though I live far from Claraghatlea and Pad long since departed
I still remember wise old man so honest and kind hearted.