Civil War
by Peter Woods
When the Irish beat the English,
They turned on each other,
Michael Collins signed the Treaty,
Then it was brother against brother.
De Valera left the Dáil,
And many followed him.
Lots were killed,
Tall, small, fat and slim.
Guns were still firing
Though the English were gone,
There was still fighting,
War was still on.
When Collins was killed,
De Valera returned
He became the leader
And everything turned.
De Valera built on the peace,
He made a Republic fast.
After all that fighting,
There was peace in Ireland at last.
Written by Peter Woods as part of Poetry as Commemoration workshops led by Lucinda Jacob in St. Matthew’s National School, Sandymount in May 2022.