Daddy never used a map when driving
He knew where he was going in the west
But one day in Charlestown arriving
He turned for Tubercurry as he guessed
Realising that the road was not familiar
He followed signs that led for Ballina
And passing out Lough Talt and the Ox Mountains
He thought his destination wasn’t be far
And coming into houses and a street
He saw a woman standing in the road
As easy as you please and glad to meet
She held a bucket not a heavy load
‘Is this now Ballina?’ my father asked her
She answered him in a voice of local pride
‘No, this is BONNICONLAN,’ she told him
Ballina is seven miles distant as you ride
I watched her as we slowly left her standing
A woman who knew her place so well
Happy to be living in her village
Bonniconlan to her the place to dwell!
Brian Fahy
8 May
Erris Poetry 