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Celtic Weather Alert


By Pat Gallinagh

If you're going back to Ireland but have not been there for many years
There have been many changes, some will bring smiles and some will bring tears
The Spire of Dublin now stands where Nelson's Pillar once stood
And for those who crave nostalgia might want to change this, only if they could

There are condominiums, fast food shops and round-abouts that weren't there before
And some of these do not blend in gently with the ancient artifacts of yore
The St James's Gate Brewery has been swallowed by Guinness Storehouse new
But traditionalists needn't worry they still serve their world-class brew

The "Celtic Tiger" has come and gone and left financial carnage in its wake
The North and South have reached agreement and "The Troubles" have taken a break
There's a new ruling party and in pubs a lot less cigarette smoke
But the weather is just as contrary as when the Spanish Armada's luck went broke

Weather is the one thing you can count on that hasn't changed much at all
And once you touch the ground you'd be wise to have an umbrella and a shawl
Its maritime climate assures the Emerald Isle will never lack for rain
Drought has not been a problem there but too much moisture can cause some strain

Surrounded by salt water and at the mercy of the Atlantic's wayward winds
That can bring rain and snow and hail and much worse when Mother Nature sins
And when they are not blowing sometimes they'll leave fog and drizzle in their place
Which can make life seem quite dreary and if driving, it can make your heart start to race

Indeed, the fog at times can be so thick that even a bat couldn't find its way
And the drizzle so continuous that it can put a damper on your day
But there is a bright spot from all this precipitation from above
It helps to keep this island emerald green, a site the tourists love

This is not to say that the sun there never shines
Indeed when it does it can seem like heaven there resides
So it probably wasn't the weather that brought St Patrick back
But the beauty of its landscape and the love for the people he did track

To show them the path to salvation and help to civilize the tribes
Who ruled the hills and valleys and the fertile plains besides
For the Irish are a hearty race who've survived some of Nature's deadly wrath
And the swords of conquerors and invaders who dared to cross their path

So if you plan to visit Ireland or maybe even settle there
Be prepared for all types of weather, sometimes foul but sometimes fair
But it's the people not the climate that makes this island grand
And when those Irish eyes are smiling, it makes for an enchanted land

More of Pat's Poetry