Sunday, August 12, 2007

Galway 5-18 Kilkenny 4-18 John 3-7

The Galway hooker sailed the seas
In search of Liam’s treasure.
Aided by a pleasant breeze,
She ploughed the seas at leisure.
Then, up above, the look-out boy
Exclaimed in horror, “Ship ahoy!”

The clambered to the bow to view
The vessel that was sighted.
Thoughts of plunder gripped the crew
And made them all excited.
But then their Galway hearts did sag
To see the black and amber flag.

The fiercest ship in all the world,
They gazed upon it sickly.
Whene’er that standard was unfurled
Opponents sailed off quickly.
Equipped with modern warfare features,
Armed with vicious feline creatures.

The hooker though refused to flee,
Remaining calm and stoic.
The crew looked on with bravery,
Resilient and heroic.
And as the sun o’er yard-arm shone,
They sailed to meet their foe head on.

The muskets fired, the cannon roared,
The Galway hooker listed.
The Cats prepared to leap aboard,
The Galway crew resisted.
Bombarded by relentless flak,
They pushed the snarling wildcats back.

Head to head and toe to toe,
Each crewman fought with bravery.
Though fearful of a fatal blow,
They would not sink to knavery.
Then with the hooker gaining heart,
The tide pulled these two ships apart.

And as the ships engaged again,
The Tribesmen gave no quarter.
Many haughty cats were slain
And pushed into the water.
But though the vict’ry seemed complete,
The Cats would not admit defeat.

Back they came from certain death
And now the fur was flying.
They cursed their foes with every breath,
Afraid that they were dying.
Staring down into the drink,
They clawed themselves back from the brink.

The Tribesmen though fought tooth and nail
With steadfastness unblinking,
And then a whisper did prevail –
The Black and Gold was sinking!
Suddenly that ship of braves
Descended ‘neath the rolling waves.

The Tribesmen sank down to their knees
With thanks for their salvation,
So grateful they’d this chance to seize
Eternal approbation.
This fight would be relived by some
For many, many years to come.

And then the look-out boy declared
He’d seen a red sail risin’,
And everybody grimly stared
Out at the far horizon.
They knew full well they would not baulk
At battling with the men from Cork.

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