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For a Lady with an Irish soul!

I recalls Old Shamus

Some folks fill a pub with laughter, ‘n Shamus did ‘is share,
a sing’n songs o’ Erin, ‘n playing ‘is squeezebox ‘alf ta night.
‘E’d larf ‘n sing it louder still once aga’n if’n ‘e didn’t get hit right,
swap’n jokes ‘n laffs with all aboot, drink’n beer without ta care!

‘E were a man of fair size, ‘e ducked coming through the door,
shoulders as wide near as tall, ‘n he were strong nuff to toss a keg.
‘Ands like a catcher’s mitt, and gnarly tree trunks fer ‘is legs,
‘n a smile ta light the room, a good man, ‘n hin a need h’ven more!

By day ‘e were a fisherman, take’n a catch fer market day,
‘n by night, ha pub singer ‘n music man wid out compare.
Knew the old songs ‘e did, my favorite ‘Tara Hill of Kings’ so fair,
‘is gravelly voice could make ya weep, aye, ‘e ‘ad ‘is way!

Twas da night before da Easter day, a storm come to Athenray,
‘alf ta fleet were trapped within da bay, not da place amid da waves.
Many’d ave died, hif not fer Shamus, an ‘is small boat, those ‘e’d save,
Dar’n da storm, hin da rocks, pull’n men from sink’n boats da day!

Rage hit did, but Shamus cared not ha lick, there was work ta do,
‘n ‘e set aboot it wit a smile, ‘n ‘is voice a sing’n thru dat storm then.
Da Saints must abeen wid ‘im as ‘e crossed da bay aga’n ‘n aga’n,
bring’n men back to ‘earth ‘n ‘ome ‘n families a fretting, da night flew.

By dawn’s cold light, da bay were a mess of battered men ‘n boats, my son,
but not a sign of Shamus was ta be found, nor, ‘is little cockleshell boat so small.
Da Vicar led us in a prayer fer a man who set ‘is cap, ‘n dared death ta call,
we hung hour ‘eads and remembered ‘im what saved us each one by one.

Ta da pub we went and tipped a cup ta ‘im in silent respect, a sailing man,
‘n we knew ‘e would a done ta same fer us hif we’d not come back.
Tears there were, and voices soft we recalled ‘is rowdy ways wid out lack,
fer a better man then I ‘ad given all fer one and all, until ‘is time were ban.

Da pub door crashed open ‘n in walked a mountain of a man,
wid a fella slung hov’r a shoulder, ‘n a mile wide grin.
‘It were old Shamus ha bit tattered ‘n wore a mite hamid da din,
‘n Kathy took one look, and to the big man she yell’n, ran.

Kiss’n ‘er with a lusty grin, ‘e sit old Erin down ‘n yell’n true n’ loud
“Now be giv’n old Shamus ‘ere a brim’n glass, ‘n one for Erin too.
We’ve swum ha pretty piece n’ need to chase haway da chill we do!”
‘n Kathy pulled them both a pint, look’n hat ‘er man so proud.

Took all night ta get da story of Erin’s boat a go’n down outside da bay, its hull tore,
‘n how Shamus had brought ‘im ta shore a sing’n a song and laf’n their fears away,
We toasted ‘im until the break aday, ‘n he sung us da old songs is all I can say,
fer we’d lost much, ‘n’ad so much given back ‘cause one man safe didn’t stay a