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Glancing Backwards

By Pat Gallinagh

Five grand Dames from Ballyshannon in County Donegal
Were asked by a reporter to see what each could recall
From those halcyon days when they were young and life seemed so much slower
When bread was baked, not microwaved, and hemlines were much lower

Back then most people walked or sometimes took the train
Cars and buses were still quite new and went against the grain
Of self-sufficiency and independence and the will to tough things out
When times were hard or sickness came, they didn't rant or shout

Glancing backwards thru the mists of time, their memories did reveal
Both good and bad and yes, some sad events from which there was no appeal
Back then there were no televisions or video games to paralyze your mind
Nor ubiquitous computers or compact discs to numb the brain in kind

Those that survived and prospered have a right to stand tall and proud
And reminisce of their yesterdays in voices calm, not loud
They told of times without electricity and when running water was still rare
When things were made to last and even poor folks would always share

Teresa Patton recalled that "we had no washing machine,
But a tub and a wash board still served to get our clothing clean"
Mary Kerrigan recollected sledding down Tirconnail street
But falling off her sleigh at the bottom was not a special treat

Kathleen Maguire's family learned to make due with what they had
And from her frugal father not to buy on credit which made money lenders sad.
Mae Gallinagh lived and played on Slate Street while listening for the Donegal train
The screeching whistle meant her father, the driver, would soon be home again

Enda Hannigan remembered walking to Bundoran to dance the night away
And walking home when it was over, her legs still ready for another day
The memories of these grand matriarchs could fill a treasure chest
Of times when things seemed better as their generation would attest.

For each generation feels that their's is but the best
And all the others front and back are simply not up to the test
For it's been this way from time eternal that for those who lead the way
Look back upon all the others as less worthy of their day

Although we can't turn back the hands of time, not even should we try
Our memories allow to see things as we'd like without needing a reply
As time marches on we know that some things change and some stay the same
But from the vista of advancing years, memories make for a marvelous game

Our memories are like pages from the album in our mind
They link the past and present and glimpse a future we'd yet to find
They can comfort us in loneliness and let the twilight linger on
And give our family, friends and neighbors new hope to face the dawn.

©Pat Gallinagh, 2007

Author's Note

The inspiration for this effort came from a newspaper article in one of the Donegal papers written Ann McGowan. Of the five women mentioned, two are relatives of the author, Mae Gallinagh and Enda Hannigan and the his father, Patrick Joseph was born in Ballyshannon. While the author has tried to remain faithful to the gist of the story, there is a certain amount of poetic license within the text that he hopes whoever reads this will forgive.

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