{"id":1859,"date":"2014-06-10T21:01:49","date_gmt":"2014-06-10T21:01:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/?p=1859"},"modified":"2015-06-10T21:08:30","modified_gmt":"2015-06-10T21:08:30","slug":"no-room-at-the-inn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/no-room-at-the-inn\/","title":{"rendered":"No Room at the Inn"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Grotto
Grotto at Granard where Ann Lovett had her baby son that died after whom she passed away<\/figcaption><\/figure>She died alone, like a cow in a field, the papers wrote
\nNothing new there, comment passed as true as it was wry
\nNo cows to breath on her newborn in a manger
\nNo Joseph to stand by and hold her hand, world wonders how: why…<\/p>\n

No shepherds came to this child with myrrh to give
\nThe wise men called the priest
\nThe priest called for the doctor
\nThe babys breathing already had ceased.<\/p>\n

They brought her to her parents house
\nToo late when the ambulance arrived: no fault, no blame
\nNo one knew anything, that Longford phrase
\nIssued as standard reply when the media came.<\/p>\n

No one could tell a child was heavy with child
\nWho cattle reared, horses and sheep
\nIn a village where everyone knows everyones business more than their own
\nKnow how a secret from outsiders to keep.<\/p>\n

A man of the cloth, though not of Christ
\nSaid of the death of she of Marys years who died
\nIt was not Christian charity lacking from the community…
\nIt was not, I think, but more the mortal sin of pride…<\/p>\n

The pride that looks down on a girl who gives life
\nWhen the union by a clergyman in sacrament is not blessed
\nShe was not the first to feel the wrath of the community of that town
\nThat fled from neighbours bosom at communities behest.<\/p>\n

To Dublin, and on to Liverpool they fled
\nNew start, new life for parents for the sin of creating new life that distant day
\nMy fathers people, ostracized for taking in those youths by their own cast out…
\n“A fool who’d take in any old stray” I heard my own mother say…<\/p>\n

I stood at that grotto, I quiet prayer I said for that girl and her kine
\nWho today to hide the shame and take the childs life to keep their name
\nNot like they who took the boat to England for a new start for them and their child…
\n“Going to England” has such a different meaning now to hide the shame…<\/p>\n

Neath that grotto, on the streets below
\nWhen men faced the Tans so all Irish born would equal be
\nI met the grandson of those who from frowns of folks fled
\nI spoke of the tales my father of his grandfather told to me.<\/p>\n

Today, we argue over abortion, so pro choice, more like me pro life:
\nI always listen to the other side though may not agree
\nThe hard cases easy answered by looking theo ther way:
\nDogma of bigots like Whelehan caused the X-Case, easy avoided, easy for all to see.<\/p>\n

Such like him would talk of “Early Yorks,”, “Saturday night jobs” and “ready got families”
\nSeeing as cuckodled a man who marry a woman who has a child by another:
\nWhy should any man look down on a womans life and love:
\nIs she not as Christian and as human as any other mother?<\/p>\n

If not more so, her love as loyal to her current man
\nWho more often than not has slept with more women than she:
\nHe a hero, casanova, a proper chap, respectable:
\nAt least today its a boit more equal that a woman so too can be.<\/p>\n

Wild women, dawsies, call them what we will:
\nMy folk called on men to be as honourable as we expected women to be
\nThat time has passed: revolution has come, all now are the same
\nLets enjoy life and love and let our hearts be free.<\/p>\n

Let us not open clinics so the children of the poor
\nCan die to hide the families shame without to England going:
\nLet us end the true mortal sin of pride and condemnation
\nThat leads to such shame for giving life in such a town ignorant and knowing.<\/p>\n

Let us encourage lovers to be of their love open to be
\nSo all know who is with who should a child be born:
\nLets celebrate, support, not berate in Gods name
\nNo we never again see such a Granard morn.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

She died alone, like a cow in a field, the papers wrote Nothing new there, comment passed as true as it was wry No cows to breath on her newborn in a manger No Joseph to stand by and hold her hand, world wonders how: why… No shepherds came to …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[136,53,55,54,308,130],"tags":[141,210,2033,116,2345,42,2032,143],"class_list":["post-1859","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-catholic-church-scandals","category-civil-rights","category-current-affairs-in-ireland","category-ireland","category-obituaries","category-politics","tag-catholic-church","tag-civil-rights-2","tag-gay-byrne","tag-granard","tag-ireland","tag-longford","tag-newspapers","tag-single-mothers","column","twocol"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7EI4f-tZ","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4000,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/the-famine-cross\/","url_meta":{"origin":1859,"position":0},"title":"The Famine Cross","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"28th September 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"At the back of St Josephs Hospital in Longford, there is the local famine graveyard. This poem is dedicated to those interred there during the famine, and until the home closed, those folks were the poorest of the poor. They died while in the workhouse, of which the father of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Art Inspired Poetry"","block_context":{"text":"Art Inspired Poetry","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/art-inspired-poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The Famine Cross in Longford - Photo by Lalin Swaris","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/The-Famine-Cross-in-Longford-Photo-by-Lalin-Swaris-1024x683.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/The-Famine-Cross-in-Longford-Photo-by-Lalin-Swaris-1024x683.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/The-Famine-Cross-in-Longford-Photo-by-Lalin-Swaris-1024x683.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":213,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/stone-angels-stone-hearts\/","url_meta":{"origin":1859,"position":1},"title":"Stone Angels, Stone Hearts","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"11th June 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Pennies of the poor gathered, one by one, counted Thousands, and hundreds of thousands, from the faithful amounted... Destroyed one cold morning, the temple took years to rebuild from the earth Nearby once upon a time, in a grotto, a child of Marys years died in a grotto giving birth\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "North Longford"","block_context":{"text":"North Longford","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/north-longford\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Stone Angels at St Mels Cathedral in Longford","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Stone-Angels-at-St-Mels-Cathederal-in-Longford.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Stone-Angels-at-St-Mels-Cathederal-in-Longford.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Stone-Angels-at-St-Mels-Cathederal-in-Longford.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Stone-Angels-at-St-Mels-Cathederal-in-Longford.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Stone-Angels-at-St-Mels-Cathederal-in-Longford.jpg?resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3744,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/horsemen-awaited-at-bunlahy\/","url_meta":{"origin":1859,"position":2},"title":"Horsemen Awaited at Bunlahy","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"29th May 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Background - Sean Mac Eoin told of a Tracey family related to him that had two brothers in the fight at Granard, and this tale which I have recorded in verse of their people. These probably would also be the Treacys of my great grandmothers people. The French are beyond\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "1798 Rebellion"","block_context":{"text":"1798 Rebellion","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/irelands-wars\/1798-rebellion\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Jack B Yeats illustration from Big Tree of Bunlahy - it was a focal point of the village, some say it blew down on the Night of the Big Wind","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Jack-B-Yeats-illustration-from-Big-Tree-of-Bunlahy-1024x862.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Jack-B-Yeats-illustration-from-Big-Tree-of-Bunlahy-1024x862.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Jack-B-Yeats-illustration-from-Big-Tree-of-Bunlahy-1024x862.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4917,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/harps-of-granard-had-an-echo-far-away\/","url_meta":{"origin":1859,"position":3},"title":"Harps of Granard Had an Echo Far Away","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"10th January 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Airs that filled the Granard air Echo to us this day Fingers danced on the taut strings Of the harps that the harpists play We talk in wonder of the time When our music was nearly lost Yet saved at that festival at that time Yet few know the true\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Lesser Known Ireland"","block_context":{"text":"Lesser Known Ireland","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/lesser-known-ireland\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.celtichosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/The-Hapr-of-Erin-Engraving-19th-century.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2053,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/ill-go-where-im-sent\/","url_meta":{"origin":1859,"position":4},"title":"Ill Go Where Im Sent","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"30th July 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Invitation received: all were excited Again their friends where they are twinned they would meet Its not a junket: this, this is essential - How many to send to see them name a street? They will name it after the battle site We need to send two anyway someone said\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "1798 Rebellion"","block_context":{"text":"1798 Rebellion","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/irelands-wars\/1798-rebellion\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The sense of self sacrifice is palpable in Granrd Munciple District. \"I'll go where I'm sent\" says he. All opposition to the junket thwarted... the Celtic Tiger is still roaring in North Longford. #longforddeservesbetter","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Newspaper-Article.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Newspaper-Article.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Newspaper-Article.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2239,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/bitter-sugar\/","url_meta":{"origin":1859,"position":5},"title":"Bitter Sugar","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"31st August 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"The island of St. Croix has a Granard, Annally, Longford, Corn Hill, Cartys, Cartys Point, and Madame Cartys placenames. All very quant and interesting until we realise these were some of the slave owners... A distant isle, where it rarely rains Families in a Granard that never burned Bar neath\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Moral"","block_context":{"text":"Moral","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/moral\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"\"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writerscafe.org\/images\/quote_start.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1859","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1859"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1859\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1861,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1859\/revisions\/1861"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1859"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1859"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1859"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}