Poem

WJ Cooper series
No 9 Clare Sonnet

Away I must fly to sweet county Clare
Where cliffs form a wall ‘gainst thunderous seas
Old suns red as blood pastelling the air
With Dromoland’s birds all singing for me
Oh bold Killaloe where halliards clink
Whilst giant oaks muse by great Béal Ború
One gallant Armada destined to sink
Mermaids were shedding their tears in the blue
Fresh fruits from the brine entice Ballyvaughan
As Burren’s fine jewels colour the scene
Notes from the piper at Milltown at dawn
Songs of old Ireland and wearing of green
Memories like clouds o’er Doolin pass by
Thoughts of the Banner bring tears to my eyes.

Tom Clancy.

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Poem

WJ Cooper series
No 8 Leitrim Sonnet

Oh Leitrim my love with snippet of sea
Where Yeats’ Glencar fills pools of romance
Sheebeg and Sheemore a wonder to see
And Lough Allen’s slopes where old fairies dance
Stone Coracloona the late prince’s grave
Foxgloves at morning at sweet Dromahair
Birdsong at twilight laments Fionn the brave
At Carrick on Shannon warmth fills the air
Such heavenly views surround Eagle Rock
One sculpted with care by hands from above
Great canal journeys and treats at each lock
Then off to sheer bliss with one little shove
Dromod so grand and Mohill just fancy
Melvin sky blue the home of MacClancy.

Tom Clancy.

Getting there (around Ireland with a pencil)

Some final editing to be done but getting there slowly but surely.
Thanks for watching.

poem

No 7. Co Down Sonnet.
WJ Cooper series

The Mountains of Mourne a treasure for me
As thrushes greet kings from each holly bush
The farrier’s anvil sends melodies
As galaxies roll in maritime lush
Such sights can be seen from wondrous Donard
Strangford so blue and pure in it’s bounty
White horses of snow by beautiful Ards
Down of my dreams oh magical county
Oh deep in your heart the grave of our saint
Neath rock of granite no giant could move
Rosie from Banbridge on boreens so quaint
Those scenes in my soul no man can reprove
Hillsborough fair by dear Lagan Valley
Boats at Ardglas fresh fish in each galley.

Tom Clancy.

No 6 WJ Cooper series.

WJ Cooper series

No 6 Sligo Sonnet

Oh mighty Ben Bulben peeps through the mist
As notes from Killavil send a sweet riff
Beautiful Sligo where angels exist
And softly our poet sleeps at Drumcliff
From luscious Lough Arrow to Knocknashee
To the mound where Maeve looks out at Slieve League
At Highwood the woodbine calls to the bee
Chimney-like falls pouring streams of intrigue
Penned laws of Brehon on Dartry stones bare
Fishing boats anchored beside Mullaghmore
Pretty maids dancing like waifs in the air
Geevagh’s wild primrose and daisies galore
Black Jack’s Rosses Point and old wishing wells
Rowan trees blooming in grand Lissadell.

Tom Clancy.

WJ Cooper series

No 5. Galway Sonnet.

To sail on the breeze above Galway Bay
And watch the shoals waltz in heavenly blue
As sweet Connemara basks neath the rays
Soft rain on the Claddagh’s nets to renew
Wonderful Woodford..Ahascragh of tunes
Aughrim slope fiddles delight as they play
Fresh from the Corrib along the pontoons
Birds bringing news to the whins in Loughrea
Old place of the Tribes of fable and song
Where lyrics of poets float in Eyre Square
O’Conaire sang as he went along
Whispers from Aran all filling the air
Gulls follow boats at eve in Kinvara
And God brought you home dear Dan O’Hara.

Tom Clancy.

WJ Cooper series No 4

No 4. Cavan Sonnet.

Frost on the grass by silky Lough Sheelin
And chromed by the moon as vibrant trout breach
Breifne’s brethren at turf fires are kneeling
From Cuilcaghs a brook the ocean shall reach
Perched on a crannog Oughter’s own castle
And Burren so pure the angels rejoice
Cabra on high with drape and gold tassle
As Cavan’s ghosts chant, together in voice
Hawthorns adorning the road to Cootehill
While lake waters lap on each golden shore
Each God given bird makes music so shrill
‘Tis there I shall rest and sleep evermore
Oh smooth Cavan hills my home and my love
And meadows so soft, yes soft as a dove.

Tom Clancy

W J Cooper series. No 3 Sonnet

Kerry Sonnet

Now I must off to the Kingdom of Kerry
Where sea eagles soar surveying the brine
Where foxglove and sloe cress and black berry
Amass neath the Reeks forever entwined
A poet once spoke of Cahersiveen
And Derrynane’s king did naught but good
One playwright and Sive and mighty Tom Crean
St Brendan his craft of leather and wood
Home grown Setanta’s to grace every field
As beautiful roses dance in the rain
From Currow to Dingle not ones to yield
E’en when each valley was once racked with pain
Glorious Kenmare and blossoms in Sneem
Skelligs near heaven are only supreme.

WJ Cooper Series

WJ Cooper Series

No.2 Offaly Sonnet

The twittering dunnock of Boora Bog
Heralds the day as joys recommence
Offaly’s heroes sail through the fog
Lord let me see this ten thousand years hence
Oh beautiful Birr and heathered Slieve Blooms
And Geashill’s soft fields where skippeth the hare
Grand Canal daffodils join in great plume
Clonmacnoise watching this Gaelic affair
Yet when a great hunger fell on this land
As Faithful kin passed to heaven above
Kinnitty sighed as they left on command
And waters of silver sprayed them with love
Halcyon days at bold Edenderry
Banagher sweet by Shannon so merry.

Tom Clancy.

WJ Cooper series

For my great friend Bill Cooper who passed away last month RIP. A sonnet for every beautiful county, here goes.
The W.J. Cooper series.

No 1. Dublin Sonnet.

The sun over Howth a wonder to see
Oh countless the years each morning on point
A heavenly glaze on river and sea
The Kish and the Wall all hills to anoint
When fire haired ones left the land of the fjord
And sailed to the land of scholar and saint
Such beauty on view no man could afford
With vistas so pure no artist could paint
My own Dublin bay star-struck the Viking
As fish from the Dodder sated all pangs
The backdrop of mountains oh so striking
And still that magical baldachin hangs
Dublin’s fair city the place of my birth
Of dreamers and poets, lovers and mirth.

Tom Clancy.