Our Village

Gone is our little village of yesteryear.
The people walked to it from far and near,
To get your needs you didn't go to town,
You got what you wanted up the hill or down.
In Mahon’s you could dress from head to toe,
You could get 'Dithane' or calf-nuts or seed to sow.
In John’s you could mix your business with pleasure,
You could do your shopping then have a drink at your leisure.
All this has changed because of the car,
We don't use the local – fields look greener afar.
We now go to town for bargains at the sale,
But we must pay up front – we can't put it on the nail.
Then the children in droves to school did walk,
We drive them today; we are afraid with all the talk.
The size of the family is nowhere near the same,
I wonder if it's on the telly we should lay the blame?
Today the average is three and maybe four,
Years ago, it was eight and sometimes more.
In ruins a lot of our old houses now stand,
That once were all lovely and painted and grand.
It's a pity more people wouldn’t take good example,
Surely the old school is a perfect sample.
How splendid it looks, a job well done,
Congrats and all credit to Peter Kelly and son.
We are definitely improving our ways every year,
But for the old village one might shed a tear.

Freda Forde.