Here's an award I created for all my favorite blogs:
My very dear friend and talented musician/singer/songwriter, Kevin Molloy came to visit us here in The Old Schoolhouse. He was so touched by its atmosphere and history and having read the book it is featured in, Memoir by John McGahern, that he penned this beautiful song...
(John McGahern went to school here and his beloved mother was the teacher)
Aughawillan Walls
Teacher tell me once again
The wonder of your world back when
How it was for you back in
your childhood Leitrim days
The singing of the barrack keys
Still floating the Coothall breeze
I see your face high in the trees
Your ghostly footsteps fall
Down leafy lanes, in Leitrim streams
Your spirit ebbs and spreys
Your heartbeat still - your silent quill
Your whisper in the trees
On down the corridors of time
Your childhood echo calls
Stored here for now, forever
In these Aughawillan walls
I feel your rhythm in the rain
The wind still whistles your refrain
That we may face the rising sun
A new dawn's spirit crawls
From Aughawillan walls
Teacher teach me one more time
The wonder of your every line
Let your astral wisdom shine
Till dusk as darkness falls
on Aughawillan's walls
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I heard Kevin singing this and it truly is beautiful. What amazed me is that he soaked in the atmosphere for a while and sat down and this rolled off his pen, music and all!
A natural Irish poet. Love it Kevin.
Posted by: white o'morn cottage | January 06, 2009 at 04:18 PM
How beautiful! I have goose-bumps just
reading it to myself. I hope one day to visit
your lovely home and those Aughawillan's walls :)
~Kimme
Posted by: kimme | January 06, 2009 at 09:56 PM
How beautiful and what a nice tribute to your home.
Posted by: sharie | January 09, 2009 at 02:20 PM
Oh this is WONDERFUL...I loved it. And what a great gift to you ! Thanks again and again for all the great posts and keep 'em coming!
Posted by: colleen | January 13, 2009 at 09:12 PM
Hi Ed and Angie,
Im flattered with the comments re poem ,I love the site its super ,hope you are forever well!!
Kevin
Posted by: Kevin | February 18, 2009 at 11:39 AM
Hi Angie, just browsing away to myself.
Hope to see you all for a piss up and laughing session in Deans bar.
By the way did you hear that Ken Dodd died? lol.
Ill be over soon but will definetely
be over for the month of Aug 2012 for the festival.
Hope to see you all then.
Good luck.
Stevie and Kate Ward {Aughawillan}
Scottish.............
Posted by: Stephen Ward | January 17, 2012 at 11:23 PM