{"id":2683,"date":"2016-04-18T04:11:34","date_gmt":"2016-04-18T04:11:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/?p=2683"},"modified":"2016-04-18T04:18:19","modified_gmt":"2016-04-18T04:18:19","slug":"fidel-castro-meets-a-country-girl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/fidel-castro-meets-a-country-girl\/","title":{"rendered":"Fidel Castro Meets a Country Girl"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Fidel<\/a>
Fidel Castro after the Cuban Revolution and before he crossed my mother<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The dust was only settling
\nThe blood bare dry on the Cuban streets
\nAmerica gauging the new regime
\nBrought him over their folk to meet.<\/p>\n

As they came into the building
\nThey were greeted at the door
\nThe butler answered, a girl took their coats
\nWho brought them away to store.<\/p>\n

\"Fidel<\/a>
Fidel Castro speaking with Richard Nixon in Washington around the time of the incident – the venue is unknown<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

They greeted her “Briggita”
\nFor on her nameplate was her name
\nBasic manners between customer and staff
\nUnderstood by all from where they came.<\/p>\n

But entered our working class hero
\nHe threw my mother his coat
\nNever said\u00a0thank you or gave a nod
\nThat got the Longford girls goat!<\/p>\n

I as a child talked of Guervara
\nHow Che and Castro were heros in my eyes
\nIn typical blunt speech “He was only a bollix”
\nMy mother replied to my surprise.<\/p>\n

Not surprised that she opposed him
\nHer background and politics was quite right wing
\nBut she told me the story of when she worked
\nThe 1925 F street club and everything!<\/p>\n

I was amused and amazed as a child at the story
\nAs I am as I tell it in verse today
\nNorth Longford girls dont forgive or forget easy
\nSo dont cross them, as that I warned you I can say!<\/p>\n

\"Mother<\/a>
Mother in her workplace with her colleagues at the 1925 F Street Club, on 1925 F Street, Washington, USA.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The dust was only settling The blood bare dry on the Cuban streets America gauging the new regime Brought him over their folk to meet. As they came into the building They were greeted at the door The butler answered, a girl took their coats Who brought them away 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":[22,23],"tags":[2769,2774,2768,2772,2342,2770,2773],"class_list":["post-2683","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-family-stories","category-north-longford","tag-1925-f-street-club","tag-dwight-eisenhower","tag-fidel-castro","tag-george-washington-university","tag-north-longford","tag-washington-dc","tag-wichard-nixon","column","twocol"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7EI4f-Hh","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3285,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/elegy-for-fidel-castro\/","url_meta":{"origin":2683,"position":0},"title":"Elegy for Fidel Castro","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"28th November 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Condemn me. It does not matter. History will absolve me. ~ Fidel Castro Source M.I.A. If not by man, who so often condemned: For all his flaws: let he by God absolved be - For sins committed in life and rule - As you for yours, and for mine, me.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Obituaries"","block_context":{"text":"Obituaries","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/obituaries\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Fidel Castro was a champion of the poor, and a charmer of the ladies... however his lack of basic manners left my mother cold when she met him in Washington","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Fidel-Castro-champion-of-the-poor-and-charmer-of-the-ladies-229x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4067,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/good-food-good-meat\/","url_meta":{"origin":2683,"position":1},"title":"Good Food, Good Meat","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"16th October 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"My mother worked in the 1925 F Street Club in Washington, where she met Fidel Castro who left little positive impression on her. At a meal among the Irish community, with Catholics and Protestants present, she told how one friend thwarted a potential row with some excellent diplomacy! An old\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Family Stories"","block_context":{"text":"Family Stories","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/family-stories\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Mother in her workplace with her colleagues at the 1925 F Street Club, on 1925 F Street, Washington, USA.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Ma-in-America.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Ma-in-America.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Ma-in-America.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Ma-in-America.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3677,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/long-walk-in-edenmore-bog\/","url_meta":{"origin":2683,"position":2},"title":"Long Walk in Edenmore Bog","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"21st April 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Walking the bog in Longford brought this reflection on life to mind - a rare nonrhyming poem from me! Walking the long way home Brought me to a beauty That I had not seen for years... Having not walked this path Meaning to do so later When weathers better... or\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Environment"","block_context":{"text":"Environment","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/environment\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Stack of turf in Edenmore Bog with Cairn Hill in background in North Longford","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Stack-of-turf-in-Edenmore-Bog-with-Cairn-Hill-in-background-in-North-Longford.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4040,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/flickering-candles-foretell-death\/","url_meta":{"origin":2683,"position":3},"title":"Flickering Candles Foretell Death","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"6th October 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"A tradition of foretelling a death from North Longford... From the Irish Folklore Commission In days gone by a tradition old Of which the Church condemns though what they are told By clergy the folk pay little heed For superstition and tradition they had a need And so together on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Death"","block_context":{"text":"Death","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/death\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Dozen candles set un a dungpile - the first that went out said its owner would die within a year according to old Longford tradition","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Dozen-candles-set-un-a-dungpile-the-first-that-went-out-said-its-owner-would-die-within-a-year-according-to-old-Longford-tradition.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Dozen-candles-set-un-a-dungpile-the-first-that-went-out-said-its-owner-would-die-within-a-year-according-to-old-Longford-tradition.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Dozen-candles-set-un-a-dungpile-the-first-that-went-out-said-its-owner-would-die-within-a-year-according-to-old-Longford-tradition.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Dozen-candles-set-un-a-dungpile-the-first-that-went-out-said-its-owner-would-die-within-a-year-according-to-old-Longford-tradition.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Dozen-candles-set-un-a-dungpile-the-first-that-went-out-said-its-owner-would-die-within-a-year-according-to-old-Longford-tradition.jpg?resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4857,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/sitting-shoreside-by-nabelwy-lake\/","url_meta":{"origin":2683,"position":4},"title":"Sitting Shoreside by Nabelwy Lake","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"30th November 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Looking back through photos, a shot of Lough Nabelwy reminded me of one of my favourite walks in North Longford, and of other travels. No matter how exotic where we travel to, there truly is nowhere like home, especially in these concerning times. Shoreside by a Longford lake, Towards Leitrim\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":"Lough Nabelwy looking towards the Leitrim bank from the Longford Bank","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.celtichosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Lough-Nabelwy-looking-towards-the-Leitrim-bank-from-the-Longford-Bank-e1606699018677.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.celtichosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Lough-Nabelwy-looking-towards-the-Leitrim-bank-from-the-Longford-Bank-e1606699018677.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.celtichosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Lough-Nabelwy-looking-towards-the-Leitrim-bank-from-the-Longford-Bank-e1606699018677.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.celtichosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Lough-Nabelwy-looking-towards-the-Leitrim-bank-from-the-Longford-Bank-e1606699018677.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3253,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/busker-of-longford-town\/","url_meta":{"origin":2683,"position":5},"title":"Busker of Longford Town","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"21st February 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"There he sits as folk pass by His music fills the air around Some walk past fast lost in their own world More smile and slow to enjoy the sound. Some give a little, some none, it matters not Its as much for the love of the music as anything\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ireland"","block_context":{"text":"Ireland","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/ireland\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"This busker plays on the streets of Longford. Photo by Lalin Swaris.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Busker-on-a-Longford-street-photo-by-Lalin-Swaris-274x300.jpg?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\/2683","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=2683"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2683\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2686,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2683\/revisions\/2686"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2683"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2683"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2683"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}