Kanturk In Late January Poem by Francis Duggan

In the depths of Winter far north in Duhallow old Allow River in flood waters of brown
In the bare fields it rushes on bank high towards the Blackwater and through Kanturk Town
Late January cold and wet in Duhallow when the old Boggeraghs wear their hats of snow
In the bare trees the winter gales howling down from the northern mountains they do blow
Late January in Kanturk often far from pleasant only the memories i have to retain
Of the fields from the overnight frost gray and hardened the frost that always does bring heavy rain
On the bare hedgerows the migratory redwings are chirping they will fly home for to breed in the Spring
The northern Countries they come from in Winter far colder than Duhallow weather too can be a relative thing
Winter in Kanturk like in all parts of Ireland is far from a beautiful time of year
The cold gray dawning is bereft of bird song the cattle bellowing for feed in farm sheds is all one does hear
I only tell you of what happens to be true of Winter in Duhallow windy, wet and cold
To write of such i just happen to be one of many similar stories by others are told
Where the Allow from heavy rain swollen bank high in the old fields in flood waters of brown
In a great hurry to join the Blackwater roaring it's way on through old Kanturk Town.