He ran the breadth of Ireland in a day
A pint of Guinness in Galway
A pint in Dublin Bay
And someone brought bananas
Others cereal bars
And a jogger ran beside him
To forewarn of motorcars
I have a map of Ireland on the wall
From Galway to Dublin town not much at all
Just inches on a map
But therein lies the trap
The real thing is what we’re living for
Thank God I say we have imagination
And I can go at will where e’er I please
I can sit beside the sea inside Belmullet
I hear its waves come splashing into me
I stand at Aunty Sarah’s in the morning
In bright sunshine I look upon the scene
The waters of the lake are shining for me
And Carrowmore as ever is serene
My old legs won’t carry me like they used to
I’m slowing down in Stirling town I stay
But in my mind I’m everywhere in Ireland
And Erris now is never far away
Brian Fahy
10 August 2022
Erris Poetry 