Tom Kettle Poem by Francis Duggan

Tom Kettle was a poet and a soldier he fell in Ginchy in nineteen sixteen
In his mid thirties he was quite a hero and though not big in the Irish literary scene
He is one who will ever be remembered the history of his life is living on
His poem to his young daughter is a beauty and he is not forgotten though long gone.

Tom Kettle was a very witty fellow and he was one who refused to be put down
For any derogatory comments towards him he had a quick answer and for that alone he did know some renown
Yet a fondness for strong liquor was his weakness some people on themselves do make life tough
But in the battle of Ginchy in France he was the fighting hero and where the guns boomed loudly he proved good enough.

Tom Kettle was a fellow worth admiring and his was a very colourful career
He laughed at life, he drunk and he made merry and he was fearless in the gap of fear
One of the great characters of the Dublin of his era so many stories of him have been told
The man from Artane in France fought his last battle he was one who was not left to grow old.

Tom Kettle was a very witty fellow a war hero and a gifted man of rhyme
He died quite young the death of a true soldier and he did not live on to bow to father time
About the man there are so many stories he laughed at life and lived it the hard way
And he died in France in nineteen sixteen in September far from where he first saw the light of day.