Read Noreen O'Donovan's amazing epic Limerick about the setting up of the People's Ferry
The Swansea-Cork Saga – in Limerick form
by Noreen O’Donovan
The good folk of West Cork and Kerry
Mourned the death of the Swansea-Cork ferry.
Scarce a car could you see
With GB, I or D
Round Killarney, Dunquin, Courtmacsherry …
Business was suffering badly,
And many were thinking of gladly
Closing down their B&B
Or hotel in Tralee -
But most viewed the future quite sadly.
The reason was obvious (very!)
For the absence of Brits from west Kerry:
They’d arrive in Rosslare,
Then stay around there,
Or at most, head for Dublin or Derry …
(All this from a lady from Limerick,
And ne’er will you meet with a dimmer hick,
What with wasting her time
Seeking words that might rhyme
With that other affected place, Limerick!)
The good folk at Gaeltacht in Moers
Were equally worried, of course.
Their Kundschaft from Karlsruhe,
From Aachen to Zwickau
Were all going elsewhere – or worse!
Now a craftsman from Ballydehob
Thought it not an impossible job
To find a good boat,
Get it back on the route,,
If only they raised a few bob!
“You’re crazy!” our Adrian was told,
“The campaign won’t take off - it’ll fold!
The banks aren’t lending,
And nobody’s spending …”
But fortune does favour the bold!
Now John’s Garden Centre so fine
Got neglected a bit for a time,
While they both set up shop
As a proper co-op,
Led by Tourist Board pro, Paul O’Brien.
Now people from Cork to Tipperary
(Plus a few with addresses more varied)
Started thinking that they might
With stickers and website
Really bringbacktheswanseacorkferry!
Things were now moving faster and furious
When Paul did announce to the curious:
“There’s this ship called the Julia,
And I don’t wanna fool ya,
She’ll only cost three million Eurios!”
“No problem!”, said Adrian and John,
“We’re half the way there, so keep on
Contributing, please,
Ten thousand apiece -
It’s in your own interests, come on!”
No, it certainly wasn’t plain sailing,
Before eventually prevailing:
There were stumbles at ditches
And last-minute hitches,
But never a fear of them failing!
Well, to cut a long story short,
The Julia now waits at the port:
She takes four hundred cars,
She’s got two lovely bars,
Plus a disco where kids can cavort.
Now all can rejoice and be merry,
We investors, and travellers to Kerry.
So tourists, don’t waver,
Just do us a favour:
Book a ride on the People’s Own Ferry!
Copyright 2010 Noreen O’Donovan Hage, Pforzheim, Limerick, and Ballydehob
