A Boyhood Journey Poem by Douglas McClarty

I set a upon a journey,
along the river path
Following the winding waters,
past Mountsandel Rath
Walking between the bridges
the Coleraine clock struck one
I was getting terribly hot,
walking in the summer sun.
So I sat on the river verge
beside the old grove shore
And thought about the ships,
that alas are there no more
The Overton, The Silverthorn,
Maythorn to name a few
Now probably scraps of metal
made into something new.
Further down the river
the railway bridge coming into sight
I remember steam trains crossing over,
during day and night.
Sometimes the centre bridge
would lift to let ships sail on through
But now the years have past
these ships a very few.
Cul Rathain port has only ghosts
along its old dockside
The busy trade that brought ships
here slowly, slowly died.
Beyond the bridge above a ridge
Ballycairn mount in view
I stood on top many days
admiring the Coleraine sights I knew.
St Patrick's church with its majestic spires
reaching to the sky
Then I looked down on the little boats
at Seatons as I passed by
Just one more place I wanted to go
before the end of this fine day
A journey's end to a childhood haunt
that place was Dougan's bay.