Billy's Ode to Kilcullen 700

This seems to be a day for poetry, writes Brian Byrne. Hot on the couplets from Lily Crawford earlier today, here's a poem from Billy Redmond, longtime Bridge Magazine columnist, about the year that's in it for Kilcullen.


KILCULLEN 700

My Hometown Kilcullen
In The County of Kildare
A Year to Celebrate
Its Tale I will Relate

Once We Were a Hamlet
Now Quite a Town
Millennia of Progress
A Place to Settle Down

A Bridge to span The Liffey
Just inside The Pale
Its Builder Canon Jakis
He did not Forsake Us

1319 Being the Year
Our Bridge it did Appear
Underneath our River
Its Waters Cool and Clear

The Spout across the Way
Never has Run Dry
Sparkling Spring Water
Daily it does Spray

Kilcullen is a Smashing Place
As All of us Agree
Well Known Far and Wide
A Grand Place to Reside

Had its Share of Characters
Just like Anywhere
Far too many to Mention
Tho' T'Was my Intention

The Valley Quite a Place
To Walk, Sit or Meditate
Or Gaze upon our Bridge
And to it Relate

For Drama Clubs and Groups
No Other can Compare
Praise to All our Leaders
Well it's only Fair

700 Tulip Bulbs
Planted in November
To Help us Celebrate
Our Bridge to Remember

Our Local Suas Knitters
They did Plain and Purl
The Bridge to Bombard
And their Banner Unfurl

Our Lantern Walk
From Old Kilcullen Tower
Hundreds of Participants
From there They did Power

Lights Adorn our Bridge
Posters and Stickers all Over
History Talks and Heritage
Sure We are All in Clover

700 Years have come and Gone
Now Heading for 701
Our Thriving Little Town
Will Continue to Move On

(Billy Redmond, January 2019.)



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