Cogadh na gCarad ó Bhéal mo Mháthar

by Mike Mac Domhnaill

(i gcuimhne Dennis Quaid, col ceathrar)

I

An seanstaighre i nDrom Collachair

ag cúl an tsiopa dúnta –

an t-ábhar culaithe sciobtha

ó chlann seo an tSaorstáit

le linn Chogadh searbh na gCarad

(is dúirt sí gur deineadh cuid acu

ó chrógaíocht dá shórt):

taobh amháin, eachtra amháin

nár lig mo mháthair i ndearmad

fad is a dhruid an siopa suas…

 

II

An Carnabhal amuigh – nach cuimhin leat, Dennis!

ag súgradh le gunnaí-uisce

is nuair glaodh orainn isteach

bí spórt againn sa siopa

áit a raibh boladh fós den seanshaol –

cuimhnigh na coirníní dorais

a bhog le siosarnach ár sinsear.

D’ordaigh Uncle Will bheith socair 

fad is a scaoil taibhsí Dev is Collins

corr-urchar trín aer.

Reproduced with kind permission of the author. This poem featured on the Poetry as Commemoration jukebox installations in Limerick and Derry from May to July 2023.

Mike Mac Domhnaill is a bilingual poet and short story writer based in Newcastle West, Co. Limerick. was the winner of RTÉ’s Francis MacManus Short Story Award in 2013. He has had numerous poetry and short stories published in NuaAois, An Cloigean is a Luach, The Stony Thursday Book, Microphone On, Dal gCais, LÁ, Weekly Observer, Limerick Leader, and Feasta. His poetry books include Mac Baintrí/Widow’s Son (2009), Macalla Maidu (2013), and Forgiving Moon (2020).

Cover Image: UCD Digital Library. UCD Archives. Desmond FitzGerald Photographs. P80/PH/111