Category Archives: Uncategorized

Afghanistan – what do I know? Not a lot I credit you But I know a man who tells it true An article I direct you to A Guardian writer Jonathon Steele his name   80 years – an elder now A wise man of the world He gives us simple history If you wantContinue reading “The Mountains of Tora Bora”

Stooks of hay assembled In a field that we called ‘Yard’ My mother’s place in Erris long ago They look like little pyramids In Egypt’s desert sand Or then again The Reek beside Clew Bay   I wonder what year it was What sunny day back then When saving hay preoccupied the mind I rememberContinue reading “Making Hay”

  A sense of satisfaction In making soda bread Flour and soda milk and butter mix Salt and sugar in the bowl And then the great surprise Drop of cold tea Mammy’s recipe   My nephew John A baker now Down in the Isle of Wight Used to serve this soda to the Queen OurContinue reading “Soda Bread”

The written word upon the page Comes from a human voice That draws us in authentically It speaks we have no choice   The power the spirit invites us in Their inner world now mine And so at home we settle down And follow line by line   I have just discovered Philip Kerr HisContinue reading “Philip Kerr”

God is good so we are told And his love lasts forever But life in this world can be cold So cold our faith to sever   The Railway Killers I watched last night Cruel attacks on women Young girls pounced on fearsome sight Calculated vicious sinning   So many lives are brutalised So manyContinue reading “The Cruel And The Kind”

My father took me for a drink When I was newly priest Holy Family Catholic club A few miles to the east Dressed in black and sensitive To what people then might say We drove those miles to Boothstown To be out of the way   My mother had suggested it She knew I likedContinue reading “A Quiet Pint”

  I now have a window on the world My study once a junk room I have cleared A seat beside the window I see and can be seen No longer a recluse – that’s to be feared   Windows to my right and to my left Rejuvenated room a joy to see Computer deskContinue reading “Plymouth”

11.37 my faithful bus arrives Two stops along the road it sets me down Into Waitrose provisions to provide Half an hour and bus to take me home   I have my list of messages wrote down I know my route around those ordered aisles Chocolate buttons for when my grandsons come Occasional wine toContinue reading “Daily Life”

Where the river runs Is where they made their home The river is running still Though all of them have gone   A world was living there Farm and food all found A school was in the glen Education sound   My mother’s dress was sackcloth First Communion Day Her mammy made it for herContinue reading “Glencullen River”

The body is brought in the night before And lies before the altar of the Lord Life’s journey over a confrere hardly known But what I knew I liked and would gladly own   They spoke of his warmth and sense of humour A man who took a house and made it home Toiled hisContinue reading “Remembering Martin Gay C.Ss.R.”

Why was the man not satisfied? He was observant of the Law Why did he come to Jesus? What was he looking for?   Why so restless in his soul? How come he is not at peace? He has great wealth so we are told Why not be at ease?   Jesus did not demandContinue reading “Satisfaction”

  I like to watch Tom Selleck as Jesse Stone A man of sorrows living life alone A lawman in a place called Paradise Where sins are just as naughty and as nice As anywhere you care to call your home   A thoughtful man thinking all the time Where’s the reason how to makeContinue reading “Jesse Stone”

Pope Francis gives us words every day Today he tells us simply how to be I am tossed about by mood often grey Up and down where is the steady me?   Francis speaks of Mary and her life How she listened when the angel came Her days were filled with worry and with strifeContinue reading “Mary Of Nazareth”

  A photo shows my father holding me A baby newly born a few months old His smile would lighten up the darkest den How he loved me! What the picture told   Another shows my mammy – Myrna Loy – So daddy called her glamorous to see Her loveliness more than just skin deepContinue reading “Captured Moments”

A gunman kills a child out in the street Her life had just begun Three years old Shot by a lonely lost and screwed up man Leaves a family grieving Loss untold   Let the little children come to me This the invitation of the Lord A child is not a lesser person Just aContinue reading “Dear Child”