Thank You Annabelle For The Good Memories Poem by Francis Duggan

When Annabelle Reen won the All Ireland for singing now that seems a long time ago
It must have been in the late fifties what year offhand can't say I know
But I recall the celebrations the bonfires blazed in Millstreet Town
For the lovely young girl with the sweet voice who had sung her way into renown.

The teenage convent girl from Millstreet her way into glory had sung
And her victory was for Cork County and she was so lovely and young
And by her fame quite unaffected she seemed to take it in her stride
And with the cup she brought to Millstreet a great sense of honour and pride.

I often return to Duhallow whenever I walk memory lane
And the beautiful voice of the songstress I fancy I hear it again
When she brought her trophy to Millstreet we felt that her victory was ours
She was our young Queen of Duhallow the fairest of all the young flowers.

Her win was for Cork and Duhallow and for the Parish of Millstreet
And by fame she was unaffected she did not show signs of conceit
The honey like voice of the songstress still with me from four decades ago
We saw her then as someone special and an aura about her did grow.

Thank you Annabelle for the good memories for good memories to us mean a lot
That you were best songstress in Ireland is something we haven't forgot
You brought with your trophy to Millstreet a great sense of honour and pride
And you by fame were unaffected you just took it all in your stride.