Mr MacGowan sadly passed away on November 30th 2023 last, aged 65 years, while being treated in hospital for inflammation of the active tissues of the brain, caused by an infection, (Encephalitis).
His sister, Ms Siobhan McGowan, confirmed the event on her Facebook page, stating that it will be full of “dancing at the crossroads”, with music, refreshments, under a marquee.
At 3:00pm on the day, Ms McGowan will also dedicate “The Broad Majestic Shannon” monument in her brother’s memory.
The Broad Majestic Shannon.
Lyrics: Shane Patrick Lysaght Macgowan.
The last time I saw you was down at the Greeks, There was whiskey on Sunday and tears on our cheeks, You sang me a song that was pure as the breeze, On a road leading up Glenaveigh. I sat for a while at the cross at Finnoe, Where young lovers would meet when the flowers were in bloom, Heard the men coming home from the fair at Shinrone, Their hearts in Tipperary wherever they go, Take my hand and dry your tears, babe, Take my hand, forget your fears, babe, There’s no pain, there’s no more sorrow, They’re all gone, gone in the years, babe. I sat for a while by the gap in the wall, Found a rusty tin can and an old hurley ball, Heard the cards being dealt and the rosary called, And a fiddle playing “Sean Dun Na Ngall”, And the next time I see you we’ll be down at the Greeks, There’ll be whiskey on Sunday and tears on our cheeks, For it’s stupid to laugh and it’s useless to bawl, ‘Bout a rusty tin can and an old hurley ball. Take my hand and dry your tears, babe, Take my hand, forget your fears, babe. There’s no pain, there’s no more sorrow, They’re all gone, gone in the years, babe. So I walked as the day was dawning, Where small birds sang and leaves were falling, Where we once watched the row boats landing, By the broad majestic Shannon.
END.
On the day previous, Saturday August 17th, as part of the Broad Majestic Shannon Festival in Kilbarron Village, there is an afternoon workshop discussing Mr MacGowan lyrics and highlighting the local places featured in his songs.
Lyrics and Vocals: The late, great American country music singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler Merle Haggard(April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016).
Are The Good Times Really Over ?
I wish a buck was still silver. It was back when the country was strong, Back before Elvis, And before the Vietnam war came along. Before The Beatles and ‘Yesterday’, When a man could still work, still would. The best of the free life behind us now, And are the good times really over for good? Are we rolling down hill, Like a snowball headed for Hell? With no kind of chance, For the Flag or the Liberty Bell*. Wish a Ford and a Chevy, Could still last ten years, like they should. Is the best of the free life behind us now? Are the good times really over for good? I wish Coke was still Cola, And a joint was a bad place to be. It was back before Nixon lied to us all on TV. Before microwave ovens, When a girl could still cook and still would. The best of the free life behind us now, Are the good times really over for good? Are we rolling down hill, Like a snowball headed for Hell? With no kind of chance, For the Flag or the Liberty Bell. Wish a Ford and a Chevy, Could still last ten years, like they should. Is the best of the free life behind us now? Are the good times really over for good? Stop rolling down hill, Like a snowball headed for Hell. Stand up for the Flag, And let’s all ring the Liberty Bell. Let’s make a Ford and a Chevy, That’ll still last ten years like they should. The best of the free life is still yet to come, The good times ain’t over for good.
END
“Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants thereof.” * In its early years, the Liberty Bell, (Philadelphia, US State Of Philadelphia) previously called the ‘State House Bell’ or ‘Old State House Bell’, was used to summon lawmakers to legislative sessions and to alert citizens about public meetings and proclamations. The bell was used as a symbol of freedom during the Cold War and was a popular site for protests in the 1960s.
A planning application by Tipperary County Council to install a footpath on the outskirts of Thurles, at Mill Road (formerly Manor Mill Road) was published last week.
Map of Proposed Footpath For Mill Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
The footpath, according to these overdue published plans, will stretch over a distance of some 950 meters in length (3117.0 ft or 0.6 of a mile) with a width throughout of 1.8 meters (almost 6ft), linking from the end of the existing broken path, almost to the stone bridge crossing the Drish River close to Lady’s Well.
The planning application notes that the Mill Road is a narrow, winding, local road connecting both the N75 (If travelling northwards) and the N62 (If travelling southwards) and has more recently come into huge use particularly by heavy goods vehicle (HGV’s), in their attempt to speed-up their access to other national routes, thus avoiding the bottleneck that has totally destroyed the business centre of Thurles Town .
The planning application now published, for this narrow stretch of the Mill Road, (affectionately known to locals as ‘Fat Arse Boulevard’), is necessary so as to provide a safe walking area for pedestrians and those intent on partaking of physical exercise.
The plans for this footpath project are indeed to be welcomed and are now on display until August 23rd next at the Council offices at Mathew Avenue, Thurles, and indeed also available online HERE.
Nota Bene: When you do go online HERE, to examine these plans, scroll down to “Report of Particulars of Proposed Development.pdf” and click on download.
NextSee Site Description:“The Mill road connects the N75 to the north and the N62 via Archerstown to the south. While this is a local road it also serves as a ‘rat run’ for vehicles avoiding Thurles town, seeking to access the national routes and also access the N62 north of Thurles …….”.
Using their words above; here, in this above statement, is full acknowledged admission by Council officials; (namely Mr Thomas Duffy [Checker] and Ms Sharon Scully [Approver]), that Thurles town centre has been destroyed, from the point of view of the operation of local businesses, with major traffic now avoiding the Liberty Square area.
Then, before you, our readers, let out a high pitched maniacal cry; comes sadly, an even greater admission. Quote, “There are a number of housing estates located on the N75 side of the L-4001 Mill Road, which are served by a roadside pedestrian footpath (500m) and also a paved, pedestrian, walking route along ahistorical walking path (‘double ditch’), located some 500m off the N75. Extension of the existing footpath from the‘Double Ditch’access, extending to the Drish Bridge for approx. 950m.“
As our readers will be aware, this historical walking path (‘double ditch’), now menctioned twice in this application, according to local councillors and their officials, did not formerly exist previously and was conveniently never included in the Archaeological Impact Statement by F. Coyne BA MIAI, which was commissioned and paid for by Tipperary Co. Council, courtesy of Tipperary rate payer funding.
No, it is not a paved pedestrian walking route, it is now a route which was completely levelled and received only a temporary coating of tarmacadam. Sadly, today an area critical in the attraction of Tourism to Thurles, no longer exists, courtesy mainly of former FF councillor Mr Seamus Hanafin and his other council colleagues, following the decision to build a useless ‘Inner Relief Road‘ through this historic area, when, if ever, eventual funding can be found. Of course there is no reference to this ‘Inner Relief Road’, mentioned in this planning application.
It should also be noted: The council, in principal only, recently agree a price for the purchase of land west of this Mill Road, with which to deliver the aforementioned ‘Inner Relief Road’, and the late delivery of plans for this new footpath, is understood to have been now an agreed component of this same land deal where space for the footpath had been earlier refused, and which contrary to commitments given by TD Mr Jackie Cahill in a press release, (dated back in October 4th 2021), the project has not yet received government funding.
Meanwhile: Submissions to the proposed development can be made free of charge until 4:30pm on Friday August 6th.
To quote the words contained in Sir Walter Scott’s epic poem, Marmion: A Tale of Flodden Field :- “Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.”
Vocals: American folk singer and social activist Pete Seeger. Lyrics: American folk singer-songwriter Tom Paxton. [The song is about the American school system, that stands accused of misinforming children giving them an optimistic outlook on history and just one of many protest songs written by Tom Paxton].
What Did You Learn In School Today?
What did you learn in school today, Dear little boy of mine? What did you learn in school today, Dear little boy of mine?
I learned that Washington never told a lie, I learned that soldiers seldom die, I learned that everybody’s free, And that’s what the teacher said to me, And that’s what I learned in school today, That’s what I learned in school.
What did you learn in school today, Dear little boy of mine? What did you learn in school today, Dear little boy of mine?
I learned that policemen are my friends, I learned that justice never ends, I learned that murderers die for their crimes, Even if we make a mistake sometime, And that’s what I learned in school today, That’s what I learned in school
What did you learn in school today, Dear little boy of mine? What did you learn in school today, Dear little boy of mine?
I learned our government must be strong; It’s always right and never wrong! Our leaders are the finest men, And we elect them again and again, And that’s what I learned in school today, That’s what I learned in school.
What did you learn in school today, Dear little boy of mine? What did you learn in school today, Dear little boy of mine?
I learned that war is not so bad, I learned about the great once we have had. We fought in Germany and in France And some day I might get my chance. And that’s what I learned in school today, That’s what I learned in school.
As I went out walking, on a fine summer day, Through hills and the valleys, I soon lost my way, ‘Til I came to an old man, kneeling down by a stream. Gazing into the water, like he was lost in a dream In his hand was a painting he clung to for life, His eyes filled with tears as he tried not to cry. Then he looked to the heavens and started to pray, In the quiet country silence, I could hear the man say. Life is a river, I’ll go with the flow, And where it will take me, the Lord only knows. I’ll miss you sweetheart, your kindness and love, But I know one day, we’ll sail away on God’s ocean above. He said, “Now young man, you’re a stranger to me. Could I bother you kindly, for your company? Today I am thinking of a time long ago, And I need to tell someone of a girl I loved so. It’s 42 years today, since Rose took my hand, And proudly I lived life, her husband, her man. ‘Til only last week son, God took her away, As I kissed her softly, these words she did say. “Life is a river, I’ll go with the flow, And where it will take me, the Lord only knows. I’ll miss you sweetheart, your kindness and love, But I know one day, we’ll sail away on God’s ocean above”. And with that, the old man sent me on my way, And sat by the water, I’ll kneel for the day. I look at the river, starting out on its life, It’s where I feel close to my beautiful wife.
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