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You Can’t Spell Blogosphere Without “Go Here” (IV)
OK, why is it The West Clare Railway? I mean, I’m pretty sure we’ve all figured out these blogs are related to Ireland, but why use that particular one?
Well, the line in question was the inspiration for Percy French’s song, “The Lay of the West Clare Railway”, written after said line caused him to be late for a performance in Kilkee. We’ll let Wikipedia pick up the story…
The song parodies the state of the rail system in rural County Clare. The song caused embarrassment for the rail company and lead to an unsuccessful libel action against French.
It is said that French arrived late for the libel hearing at the court, and when questioned by the judge on his lateness, he responded “Your honour, I travelled by the West Clare Railway”, resulting in the case being thrown out.
Across the Atlantical sea,
But he never tried to go railing
From Ennis as far as Kilkee.
You run for the train in the morning,
The excursion train starting at eight.
You’re there when the clock gives the warning,
And there for an hour you’ll wait.
And as you’re waiting in the rain,
You’ll hear the guard sing this refrain:
Are ye right there, Michael, are ye right?
Do you think that we’ll be there before the night?
Ye’ve been so long in startin’,
That ye couldn’t say for certain’
Still ye might now, Michael,
So ye might!
They find out where the engine’s been hiding,
And it drags you to sweet Corofin;
Says the guard: Back her down on the siding,
There’s a goods from Kilrush comin’ in.
Perhaps it comes in two hours,
Perhaps it breaks down on the way;
If it does, says the guard, by the Powers,
We’re here for the rest of the day!
And while you sit and curse your luck,
The train backs down into a truck.
Are ye right there, Michael, are ye right?
Have ye got the parcel there for Mrs. White?
Ye haven’t, oh begorra,
Say it’s comin’ down tomorra -
And well it might now, Michael,
So it might!
At Lahinch the sea shines like a jewel,
With joy you are ready to shout,
When the stoker cries out: There’s no fuel,
And the fire has gone totally out.
But hand up that bit of a log there -
I’ll soon have ye out of the fix;
There’s fine clamp of turf in the bog there.
And the rest can go gatherin’ sticks
And while you’re breakin’ bits off trees,
You hear some wise remarks like these:
Are ye right there, Michael? Are ye right?
Do ye think that you can get the fire to light?
Oh, an hour you’ll require,
For the turf it might be drier,
Well it might now, Michael,
So it might!
Kilkee! Oh, ye’ll never get near it,
You’re in luck if the train brings you back.
For the permanent way is so queer, it
Spends most of its time off the track.
Uphill the oul’ engine is climbing,
The passengers push with a will.
You’re in luck when you reach Ennistimon,
For all the way home is downhill.
And as you’re wobbling through the dark,
You’ll hear someone make this remark:
Are ye right there, Michael? Are ye right?
Do you think that we’ll be there before it’s light?
Oh, it’s all depending whether,
The oul’ engine holds together,
But it might now, Michael,
So it might!
-
Slugger O’Toole — THE source for news from the North.
Gone to America — Anthony is an ex-pat now working in the video game industry. Listen to him talk about why he loves New York. See why I hate New York.
Irish Eagle — I guess we had to send IE over in trade for Anthony. A conservative perspective on Irish events? Wow.
DISHONORABLE MENTION: The UVF
DEDICATED TO: A Fine young Irish clergyman who found this site while looking for Irish news.
I… I don’t know how to feel.
No, really, I don’t!
Comment by Anthony — November 17, 2005 @
Thanks for linking Irish Eagle, however I’d like to stake a claim for my other site, the Newshound to being one of THE “sources of news for the North”.
Slugger’s the blog and Newshound is simply the headline news.
Comment by John — November 18, 2005 @
Hmmm … this reminds me of the “Newfie Bullet” — it was anything but — which, in my youth, traversed the Island of Newfoundland (in Canada) railroad line. It went from the capital of St. John’s in the East to the town of Port-Aux-Basques on the western tip, where passengers would detrain for the ferry ride to the Canadian mainland. The train is long gone, alas, but the ferry remains, and unfortunate travellers now cross the island by bus. The “Bullet” ran on a narrow-gauge railroad track, and rather than upgrade the road bed to standard specs, the powers that be demonstrated “benign” neglect and let it deteriorate. In 1968, the trains were replaced by buses and several years ago the tracks were pulled up altogether. I hope the West Clare is still running in some shape or form.
Comment by Patricia Gonzalez — November 21, 2005 @