CULLYBACKEY COLEENS

In huntin’ up some fibre freen’s
Anither yarn tae spin
That readers o’ this paper great
Micht hae anither grin.
But naethin’ wud warp through mae brain
Midst al’ these rural scenes,
Fur first an’ last before me past
Cullybackey colleens
Fu’ fair this day.

Keep min’ a dae nae juist refer
Tae Cullybackey toon,
But also A imbrace the yins
Fur miles an’ miles al’ roon.
A cud nae state which ir the best,
They’re al’ sae very guid,
In toon u oot, wae oot a doot,
They truly hae the lead
Fu’ fast this day.

The yins wha hae time efter time
Left this thir native sod
Ir sure tae Kerry aff the laurels
Whun they go oot abroad.
An’ they ir juist a sample o’
The stock that sties at hame,
Although, fur sure, much mair obscure
An’ minis sich a name
Fu’ heich this day.

A sid the yins wha did nae roam
But stied wae us at hame
Had nae in al’ thir lifetime here
Achieved sae muckle fame.
This statement might mislead some yins,
So let me be mair plain;
Tae be sincere, the coleens here
Stan’ second noo tae nane
Fu’ great this day.

Thir beauty nae yin cud describe
Al’ perfit in that line
An’ need nae simple wurds o’ mine
Tae mak’ thim  brichter shine.
Thir niceness is nae juist skin deep
As they ir guid richt through;
Ithers may think they hae the pink,
We hae the better blue
Fu’ bricht this day.

Those wha hae noo got tae thir rest,
An’ changed thir name frae miss
A’m sure we wish thim, yin an’ al’
Sweet mettermonial bliss;
True wives, that so the single yins
May follow in thir train,
Lettin’ al’ see tae merit be
Aye brings the greatest gain
Fu’ blithe this day.

A.L.F., Cullybackey
29th November 1915