The Rose Of Warrnambool

Unmarried in her early twenties without children a teacher in a primary school
Tall, beautiful and charming, down to earth and kindhearted the Rose of Warrnambool
With eyes as blue as ripened sloes and shoulder length hair of chestnut brown
Her mum an Aussie from nearby Dennington her dad from distant Millstreet Town.
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Though ’tis a place she vows to visit in a not too distant day
She has never been to her dad’s Hometown in Duhallow faraway
In view of Clara Mountain photos of it she has seen
She says it looks a scenic place so beautiful and green.
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She says Millstreet by old Clara is a must go to place for me
And meet with dad’s relations my Irish ancestry
Though where the Finnow waters flow from here a distant place
I know I’d be a stranger just another foreign face.
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Dad says the Winter wet and cold there when Clara wears his hat of snow
But in the Town he was born and raised in many people there he does know
Of his young years in Duhallow fond memories with him stay
And his wish is that in view of Cashman’s Hill his last remains will lay.
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A lovely young woman in her early twenties not yet in her life’s prime
She says for marriage and child bearing she does have heaps of time
The beautiful Rose of Warrnambool unshackled by conceit
Her Mum is an Australian and her dad is from Millstreet.

by Francis Duggan