Jackie Clarke

by Alan O'Malley

With boundless energy and dreams so vast,
Jackie’s youth was a chapter meant to last,
A tale of courage, and of endless grace,
A story of a young heart finding its place.
Though youth may fade, and years may sadly roll,
The spirit of Jackie remains in his soul.
A timeless spark, a memory ever bright,
In the heart of youth he found his guiding light.

But time, relentless, marched along,
Jackie Clarke grew stronger and stronger.
In his heart, a passion did reside, for knowledge,
adventure, and the world so wide.
From a student’s desk to a scholar’s chair,
He sought to learn and to always care,
With books and questions, he’d navigate,
The ever-changing, challenging fate.

Reproduced with kind permission of the author. This poem was composed in a Poetry as Commemoration workshops held at The Jackie Clarke Collection, Mayo, with students from St. Murdach’s College, Ballina, in October 2023.  The workshop was led by writer Martin Dyer.