Archive | Poems

by Kevin Christopher Higgins  (courtesy of Una Higgins O’Malley)   I never was greatly a friend to John MacBride But he caught my heart in the end by the death he died,    Rich be his sleep and deep By Kilmainham side!   For when they called him out, the cold last tryst to abide, The […]

Hurrah for Major John MacBride, For him we give three cheers, For Ireland’s grand old cause he died, With the Dublin Volunteers. He fought the English ten to one, And tamed their Saxon pride, But now our gallant chief is gone, Brave Major MacBride. With Kruger and the fearless Boers, He fought for liberty, And […]

Great lads may own great mansions with stately castles tall, Or enjoy great social functions; an many a spacious hall. But with all their pleasure, pomp or wealth I wouldn’t swap, machree, For life in Derrykillew is good enough for me. I can’t indulge in sparkling wines; Jamacia’s rum or gin. Though I am told […]

Published in the Mayo News, April 13, 1929. To perpetuate the Memory of the late Miss Margaret Malone, Westport, who died February, 1929. She was an estimable young lady of many qualities. Her premature demise will be mourned most by those who knew her best. R.I.P. The silent tomb enshrouds thy heart, Thy spirit, true, […]

HM Prison Wandsworth is a Category B men’s prison at Wandsworth in South West London, England. It was opened in 1851 and is the largest prison in the United Kingdom. It was designed for 700 prisoners in individual cells, each with toilet facilities. From 1870, conditions at Wandsworth deteriorated and the toilets were removed from […]

This poem was written while an inmate in Frongoch internment camp at Frongoch, Merionethshire, Wales. In the fourth verse we read that “I am pining, ever pining,Pining ‘mongst the hills of Wales”. Frongoch was an abandoned distillery with crude wooden huts surrounded by barbed wire. In each of the camps, prisoners elected their own commandants […]

Miss Margaret (Peg) Malone is the same person as # 70 Margaret Malone Published in the Mayo News, February 7, 1931. Elegiac lines written on the second anniversary of the demise of the mourned Miss Margaret (Peg) Malone, Westport, who died February, 1929. By her death Ireland lost a worthy friend and Irish freedom lost […]

Written while a prisoner in Wandsworth Jail. 1916 Published in the Mayo News, February 1, 1947 The sun was just peeping, one fine Summer’s morning, Tho’ dungeons of Wandsworth lay dormant and still. When out of the gloaming ,without any warning, A little bird came to my lone window-sill. And brought me a message, as […]

I dreamt last night I was in mace In the midst of revelations – That Ireland had won her place, Amongst the world’s nations. I thought I heard a stern command Saying “Go! Clear out invader. We’ve burst your chains in Ireland, No more will you degrade her”, All Banba’s sons had rallied forth Undaunted […]

Flora McDonald, Rosbeg was born in 1905. Life leapt for joy when I was -a boy in the golden long ago, ‘Twas then I sighed for the light of Right – for freedom’s reddening glow – I hunted Ireland up and down, ahiding here and there Till Cupid’s dart enchanted my heart for Flora from […]