1st July, 1922: Re-imagined by Úna Crowe

by Úna Crowe

                                                                                                        

Some twilights,

Chronicles wind 

my mind

into footage, 

reeling the ‘epic’:

smash-hitting

the screen –

“BLESSINGTON  PARADE”

 

This day, whistles

call the step

pulse-steady

as the bolt-action

from the 303.

150 rounds of ammo a man:

150 rounds of the street

“forming fours!”

 

Marching: Father Dominic 

in Capuchin robes

flanked by leaders

Gerry and Harry Boland

intent on claiming as base  –  Blessington  

established over 250 years before  – 

10 doctors awaiting engagement,

7 nurses in starched aprons.

 

Somewhere close

a field hospital

is equipped.

One machine gun – 

hoisted

onto the church tower –  

poised to dominate all sound;

like a bursting dam.  

 

Deep evening

‘Irregulars’

breaking

the pageantry,

take breath in sleep

before charge

on Dublin town.

Scorching city! 

 

Towards Crooksling:

Traynor

Order!

Retreat!

Re – group!

Action!

Escape!

Incarcerate !

                                               Curtain

In memory of my father, Rody Crowe, who was one of 110 men who left Clonmel Military Barracks, Headquarters of both the 3rd Tipperary Brigade and the 2nd Southern Division, on 1st July, 1922 for Blessington, under Comdt. Michael Sheehan for the intended relief of the Four Courts, Dublin.

Reproduced with kind permission of the author. This poem was composed in Poetry as Commemoration workshops held at Tipperary Studies in March 2023. The workshops were led by writer David McLoghlin.