|

The Dhun na nGall Man

Daniel McDonagh

Thursday, February 28th, 2008

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 Ramelton, Donegal, in the north west of Ireland,
Felt the hardship and the pain of the potato famine.
As the poor and the wretched fled to foreign shores
On the coffin ships they boarded, their pride, they stored.

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 In 1891, through the poverty and depression,
In the old Milford Workhouse, Patsy Gallacher was born,
After the death of Lord Leitrim on the shores of Mulroy Bay,
Clydebank became the new home for the Gallacher family.

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 To number 32 John Knox Street, the family did settle,
Gallacher became Gallagher; the doorplate did spell,
The shipyards in Glasgow found work for Patsy’s father,
As he was enrolled in the school of the Holy Redeemer.

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 Young Patsy’s talent for the growing football game
Had him playing for a juvenile team called Renfrew St.James.
However, it was Clydebank Juniors, who gave him a stage on which to play,
And his skills came to the attention of Celtic’s Willie Maley.

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 On a Dumfries Bank holiday, on Rood Fair Day,
Celtic agreed to play, a traditional friendly,
Maley asked Patsy to travel with the squad,
And by the end of the game, twice, he had scored.

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 When the Titanic was making its maiden voyage,
And when Scott’s expedition was lost in the South Pole,
Celtic faced Clyde in the Scottish Cup Final
As Patsy claimed glory with a cup-winning goal.

7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 And thus became the legacy of Patsy Gallagher’s fame,
With fifteen years at Parkhead, and 569 games.
But in June of 1953, at 62 years of age,
The Celtic fans lost their most influential & most loved player.

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/the-dhun-na-ngall-man/