Galway Advertiser 1985/1985_01_03/GA_03011985_E1_017.pdf 

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Galway Advertiser, 3rd January, 1985

C o m e , Readers and Critics, rejoice and be glad, In this season of mirth not a soul should be sad. Old Galway this year has had honours abounding -- Her old walls -- if they stood -- would yet be resounding To shouts of acclaim and tributes to her glory, From notables worthy -- or certainly hoary ! And now that the whole splendid show's at an end, As the old year fades out, so we'd like to commend, All you tireless townfolk who slaved day and night To make our Quincentennial Year turn out right ! ( j o d bless all the Councillors of this fair town And God bless the Mayor in his/her ermine gown. God bless the professors who compute in their towers, And God help the students who study long hours. God bless the tradesfolk, the Bookies, the Guards, And God spare the lads who work in the dockyards. God bless our Bishop and all of his crew, May God give them the sense to know what they should do. God bless Rev. Forest and all that he's done, To give us the feeling we are indeed one. God bless the Travellers -- nobody's friend ? God give us the grace to bring that to an end. A special blessing we ask for one person, O Lord, And one from your bounty you sure can afford -- God bless Tom O'Neill whose love for our town Should gain him a knighthood, if not a gold crown. A n d now, dear readers, I present here to you With a bow and a blush, our contributing crew -- God bless our Commander who slumps in his throne, His poor ears are worn sore from complaints o'er the 'phone. God bless dear Mary, our own 'Lois Lane', She works awfully hard -- 'tis a wonder she's sane ! God's blessing extends, I feel sure, to the beard, Or else old T.K. of his soul would be sheared ! God bless our Franco-Galwegian polyglot -- For this crime shall Dick burn ? Why, certainly not ! Our hot-blooded writer of leaders, I fear, Shall need more than a blessing when his time draws near ; As Henry had Becket, so he's fought his Friar -- Does he really expect to be snatched from the fire ? God bless Stephen Comerford -- a man of good taste -- That he must make the coffee is such a sad waste. God bless our dear Joyce and her typewriting too -- Without her 'Diary', Lord, what would we do ? Sam Maguire covers sport with a critical eye, That his judgments are accurate, who could deny ? T h e r e are others, alas, far too many to name, But all surely headed for undying fame. And finally, dear God, let your blessing include, The girls on the counters -- they never are rude, But exhibit a graciousness too rare indeed -- May they act as our models and give us a lead ! Drink up whiskey or stout ; let no one go without. Give all the Pioneers lashings of Perrier -- For one day let our citizens cast away doubt And affirm that the future will be merrier -- Down then with gloom ! Let hope arise ! Bid grief a swift adieu -- Our sorrow with the Old Year dies, Joy spring with the New ! Morgan O'Doherty.