Blacksod

I have driven from Mulranny

by Bellacragher
Through Ballycroy
And into Bangor town
And out towards Belmullet
And inside her
Down the windy road
To Blacksod Lighthouse crown

A long and windy road
And quite a journey
But standing at the lighthouse
It’s a dream
A boat upon the water
Now would take you
So easily
Back from where you came

The sea we say divides us
But that’s crazy
Only if you think of motor car
The ocean is a highway
Generations have known this truth
And so have travelled far

Blacksod looks gently
Out at Achill
To Blackrock
So lonely out at sea
And inwards to Doolough
And to Doohooma
And Fahy where the castle used to be

The water was the highway
In the old days
A navigation world of mystery
And ships lie buried
All around us
When Spanish sailors
Knew they had to flee

Blacksod feels like
World’s end
When you’ve been driving
The tarmacadam road
It gives out here
But it’s the centre of the universe for sailing
If the ocean we respect
No need to fear

Brian Fahy
15 May 2021