It started as a newsletter and it’s readership was small
And when the Clara News was born to life offhand I can’t recall
Perhaps in the mid sixties but what year I do not know
The babe back then now past his prime it seems so long ago.
The Clara News has come of age and it’s now read far and wide
And it’s editor Denis Reardon on his achievement can take pride
The newsletter he helped to launch to a magazine has grown
And in every corner of the globe the Clara News is known.
The Dromtarriffe mother sends it to her son in the U S of A
At the arrival of each issue he even know the day
He will return home next Spring perhaps this time to stay
When the fields of old Duhallow bloom beautiful in May.
And the Cullen mother sends it to her daughter in Australia far away
She lives in northern New South Wales in sunny Byron Bay
And though her children are Australian and Australia her new home
The old feelings of nostalgia she has not fully outgrown.
John O Brien from Ballydaly wrote for the Clara News
And his neighbour John O Regan also published his views
And the main news from Cullen supplied by Noreen Meade
Duhallow’s leading magazine is always good to read.
Of the happenings in Cloghoula Mrs Eily Buckley wrote
And amongst her great achievements she is a well known poet
And news from Aubane by Noreen Kelleher to so many bring joy
Her home from home is by Mushera hill ten miles from Lisnaboy.
Sean Radley for years the backbone of the Millstreet Museum Society
As a historical preserver there is none so great as he
A well respected person in that Town by Clara hill
He used to write for The Clara News I wonder does he still?
Willie Neenan wrote on athletics he was a great athlete
When in his prime four decades back he was the one to beat
A world silver medallist he still competes today
It’s true old soldiers never die they merely fade away.
John Tarrant wrote on soccer as well as the G A A
Though Millstreet teams are not as good as Millstreet in by gone day
But it’s the likes of John who keep alive what is a flickering flame
And for his effort he deserve perhaps a better fame.
Anne Casey wrote on greyhounds how the Millstreet speedsters fared
With the people of the Parish local successes she shared
She was born into greyhounds Paddy Casey was her dad
And her love of the fastest canines far more than a passing fad.
The late Maurice Murray O Callaghan of the Corkman and of Millstreet Items fame
And Colman Culhane and Jerry Doody have news columns to their name
And for Dromtariffe Donie Lucey give of his time unselfishly
And the news from old Kilcorney from the pen of K C C.
Christy Fitz and Bobby Evans for Clara News did write
And Michael Dennehy and Sean O Riordan if memory serves me right
And there were many others who offhand I can’t recall
For my memory at times doesn’t seem to serve me well at all.
I last received a copy of the Clara News in nineteen eighty nine
It was sent to me from Millstreet Town from an old friend of mine
And that copy which came all of the way from land beyond the sea
Is still in my possession as a treasured memory.
It started as a newsletter and it’s readership was small
And when the Clara News was born to life offhand I can’t recall
Perhaps back in the mid sixties that tiny seed was sown
And the simple two page newsletter to a magazine has grown.
