Thursday, August 22, 2019

From the pages of my novel,  "The Saints Lost Their Way"

Finbar, the patriarch of the fictional O'Doole family reads this poem to his grandchildren as they row across Lough Gill in Leitrim.  As they approach the Parke's castle on the shore of the lough, notes that the castle once belonged to the  O'Ruaraic family.  The tale speaks of the family in the distant past.            

Dermott MacMurchad of Leinster, with heart of wood,
Ruled stolen land with cruel blood
Chieftains of Eire who stood to fight,
If they kept their life, they lost their light
Insulted the Abbess of St. Bridgit's Church grand,
Closed her in a cell in the bed of a man.
Lusted beyond the fjords of Wex and Water
E'en to the walls of Dublin's fine quarter
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In MacLoughlin of Ulster Dermott found a friend
Thought his conquests then would know no end
Set his greedy eyes on Connacht and Meath
O'Connor and O'Ruaraic vowed to stand to the death
The King and the Prince together stood tall
With honor and sword 'neath Breffni's stout wall
Ere the kerns of MacMurchad heard the clarion's call
Had neither stomach nor heart for naught but withdraw

O'Ruaraic's confessor in piety's name
Bade the Prince make a pilgrimage away from war's game
Prince Tiernan, the pilgrim left with the first crow of the cock
Trusting husband saw not the need for a chastity lock
He believed the Bride of Breffni would wait
But the fair Derbforgaill did not lock the gate
MacMurchad came under cover of night
Abducted O'Ruaraic's wife and took flight

T’was a dastardly act, or so it would seem
Yet heard within Breffni's walls, nary a scream
When Tiernan's horse boy gave his account
He swore Derbforgaill was astride the Prince's best mount
And several housemaids reported before the gates closed
She was leading four pack horses carrying all of her clothes
Prince Tiernan returned to find a cold bed
With the fire of vengeance burning his head 

Mustered his army and moved with great haste
Toward a fortress in Leinster with intent to lay waste
Dermott's walls breached, the villain escaped in the end
But in all Erin's Isle he found not a friend
But there were those that owed Dermott an old debt
With his daughter Eva sailed o'er to England without regret
 King Henry had once borrowed Dermott's ships under sails
To suppress a pesky revolution out there in Wales

Finding Henry in England was sure of little chance
Because the King of England spent most of his time in France
But once found, old Henry would not lend a hand
Unless MacMurchad promised fealty and, of course Irish land
Now Henry avowed he could not an English soldier loan
Gave a letter permitting Dermott raise an army on his own
He looked, but could not hire an army anywhere
Until he met a red-haired Earl, Richard de Clare

Now Dermott could not understand, nor would he ever know
How this femme-faced Norman ever earned the title of, 'Strongbow'
 He was far from manly, never mistaken for a swain
Some say of him was written, "His blood is better than his brain"
But 'twas falsely accused, Strongbow had a clever plan
His price for aid, an Irish estate and the daughter Eva's hand
The pact agreed for Irish land and Eva as his bride
Strongbow set out to hire some men to fight for Dermott's side

Dermott for Éireann sailed with Norman knights and gallowglasses
O'Ruaraic and O'Connor greeted him and kicked some Norman asses
 To buy some time and for his kidnap crime Dermott offered Tiernan gold
Tiernan took the bribe and set the stage for history yet untold
Irish troops fell back, laid down their arms hoping to fight no more
But now Strongbow and his Norman knights stormed onto Éireann's shore
With a thousand men at arms to recapture Dermott's land
His promise kept, Strongbow could now claim fair Eva's hand

The wedding assured Strongbow became Dermott's heir

A Norman on the Leinster throne was a curse on all of Eire

Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Excited to announce a book signing and discussion on March 16 from 11 to 1 at St. Inie's Coffee House, 46915 S. Shangri La Drive in Lexington Park Maryland