Millstreet.ie

He was a man we used to celebrate
A Millstreet and a Cork footballing great
A fearless fellow in his younger years
His passing would have been a source for tears.
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Born on the Cork and Kerry border near Rathmore
The green of Millstreet and the red Of Cork he wore
And memories of him remain evergreen
In Millstreet only one Cormac Dineen.
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As a person for his integrity respect to him was shown
A Millstreet vet one admired and well known
One in the flesh we never more will see
He will be missed by friends and family.
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In Matty Owen’s bog going back decades ago
With Pudsy I hunted near where Finnow waters flow
Old Pudsy our faithful old brown cattle dog
She chased many a hare through the length of the bog.
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But nothing in life ever does seem to last
The days of my boyhood they seemed to go fast
And more than four decades have passed since Pudsy passed away
She was a tough dog but she too had her day.
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Dan Leary was a legend of old Millstreet but he’ll never more be seen in Millstreet Town
Or in the Town Park on a Summer’s evening With a pair of greyhounds walking up and down
He was a sterling corner back in his prime a stalwart of Millstreet Gaelic Football
Fearless and hard but fair he never shirked a challenge as those who played against him do recall.
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For many years he was a Millstreet butcher the Learys of the West End were well known
And Dan the Millstreet schoolboys of the fifties did look up to we were so proud he was one of our own
In Cork County Championship Games in Coachford and in Macroom Dan Leary at his best was often seen
One of his Club’s greatest defensive players it was with pride he wore the Millstreet green.
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It was with sadness I read of his passing in the flesh one that we never more will see
But for as long as I have the power to remember he surely will live in my memory
He was so down to earth and unassuming and to his friends he always remained true
‘Tis not because he’s dead I sing his praises in words I only give the man his due.
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Dan Leary a legend of Duhallow Gaelic Football now with the dead of Millstreet Parish lay
‘Tis sad to think we never more will see him but good memories of him with us bound to stay
The best forwards in Cork Gaelic Football against him always found it hard to score
It was with pride he wore the green of Millstreet and may he rest in peace forever more.

by Francis Duggan

A note of interest is that Dan was in the 1930s the first child baptised in St Patricks Church following its opening after two years of restoration.

Long before she wrote for the Clara News
And years before I even knew the taste of booze
For her love of people she became well known
And the fame of Eily Buckley has since grown.
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For years she drove the school bus up and down
The roads of Millstreet to and from the Town
And perhaps many of the kids she drove to and from the school today
From Millstreet Parish now live far away.
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Miles from Cloghoula her own countryside
Her Cloghoula notes in Clara News read far and wide
In big cities far from Millstreet County Cork
In Sydney, Melbourne, London and New York.
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Can’t say that I knew her that well at all
Though she is one I readily can recall
For her’s is such a well known and loved face
In Millstreet Parish still my favourite place.
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A friendly person untouched by conceit
And one of the best loved people in Millstreet
She’d never ignore you as she drove by
She’d always smile and wave a friendly hi

by Francis Duggan

When the Cork teams are playing
your heart would fill with pride
what a shame to be a plastic
and support the other side
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From dear old Ballydaly
back to the county bounds
a strange little creature
in some places can be found
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So, if you can’t support your own county
we don’t need you anymore
go ahead and pack your bags
and buzz off to Rathmore
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They’ll send you to Killorglin
a lovely town of note
you’ll be very welcome
they always need a GOAT!

by Jerry Lehane

Transcript recited by Chloe Collins on RTE last Saturday night. Of course there’s lots of them Plastics appearing out since the match last Sunday. “C” reg cars with their kerry flags out the window. To be avoided

The news has spread far beyond Duhallow’s borders that Dee Dineen has passed away
In St Mary’s cemetery in Millstreet Town his last remains now lay
He was a marvellous character likeable in every way
But the journey through life for us all must end one night or day.
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Characters like Dee Dineen was are glorified in song and rhyme
He wore the Ballydaly colours when he was in his prime
He was far from an old man in his late fifties or early sixties maybe
And sad to think that in the flesh him we never more will see.
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In Duhallow he enjoyed the status of a character of renown
He will be missed in Ballydaly, in Cullen and Millstreet Town
And all through Duhallow and Sliabh Luachra where he was known quite well
A biography of his life in book form thousands of copies would sell.
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He will be missed by his many friends as well as by his family
And sad to think that in the flesh him we never more will see
So likeable and kind hearted fond memories of him will remain
The likes of him in Ballydaly may not be seen again.

by Francis Duggan

RTE have posted video of “Up for the Match” that was shown last night on RTE1 and included a segment from the Town Park, and the Presentation Convent School.

Follow this link to get to the video: http://www.rte.ie/player/#v=1055791

Move the video forward to 41:30 and the part from Millstreet is shown, featuring the poem “Plastic Kerryman” written by Jerry Lehane and read by Chloe Collins. The segment ends at 43:45.

The video is only available until October 10th.

Owing to the huge interest in the pictures from a few days ago, her are lots of more photos:

Chloé Collins superbly recited Jerry Lehane's Cork/Kerry poem

Magnificent Cork colours in evidence at Presentation N.S., Millstreet on Friday, 11th September for the excitng visit of the RTÉ crew filming for “Up for the Match” scheduled to be broadcast on RTÉ 1 television after the 9pm News this Saturday night   The focus for the sequence was on Chloé Collins who superbly recited Jerry Lehane’s Cork/Kerry poem in front of the many enthusiastic pupils in the school playground …

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He and Neily Lehane in the late sixties they formed a Club and a Gaelic Football team
And the Football Club they christened Slanan Rovers and Cloghoula people back then had a dream
That they might one day be Duhallow Champions but to win in any grade quite hard to do
And though out of dreams great ideas have been born dreams are dreams and they don’t always come true.

Frank Riordan was the President of Slanan Rovers and of the honour he felt very proud
And of the footballers who wore the Slanan jersey he spoke in glowing terms and sang their praises loud
And with help from the likes of Joe and Noel Buckley, Danny Healy and Dave Sheehan as well as many others who rallied around
A football club was thriving in Cloghoula and many willing helpers to be found.

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For me ’tis a sad thing for to have to say
That I would feel a stranger in Millstreet today
A stranger to those even I once did know
Apart in my ways from them I seem to grow
Though with great fondness memories of them I do recall
In my physical prime with them I played football
And though absence makes the heart grow fonder some are known to say
To them I might seem like a stranger today
Even in Claraghatlea and the Town of Millstreet
A stranger to most people that I would meet
The praises of Millstreet I often do sing
And memories of old friendships joy to me does bring
But I’ve not been there for years and from there live far away
And I would feel a stranger in Millstreet today.

by Francis Duggan at poemhunter.com