Written After A Visit To Ballinspittle Poem by Francis Duggan

I have been to Ballinspittle and my eyes felt strained and sore
From gazing upwards towards a statue for an hour or maybe more
A statue of the Lady whose son walked on the waves of Galilee
And died nailed to a timber cross on the hill of Calvary.

Thousands had seen the statue moving and though it did not move for me
Four young women standing nearby cried 'tis moving can't you see
And they chuckled like excited children seeing it move to them a thrill
Oh but I could have stayed my life time and for me 'twould remain still.

There were at least five thousand people gathered on the hillside there
And o'er the public address system rang a female voice in prayer
And though most of the congregation answered in a public show of faith
The tongue in me kept silent as I'd seen nothing to celebrate.

Then a cautionary announcement warning people to watch out
Keep a tight hold on your purse strings 'there are pick pockets about'
There were bad boys in the audience who would steal your final pound
And Satan had his pupils working on sanctimonious ground.

I have been to Ballinspittle and the memory I'll long recall
Of four awe struck females saying 'the statue's going to fall'
A statue set in concrete that for them moved to and fro
But it didn't move for my eyes and the thought just galls me so.