May 9, 2026
Featured Poem
Once more I’ll rely on our Ireland course to provide some inspiration. While discussing traveling in the northwest, an entire lecture was on William Butler Yeats whose works were heavily influenced by his time spent in County Sligo. After reviewing a few options I decided on The Fiddler of Dooney.
The Fiddler of Dooney
By William Butler Yeats
When I play on my fiddle in Dooney,
Folk dance like a wave of the sea;
My cousin is priest in Kilvarnet,
My brother in Mocharabuiee.
I passed my brother and cousin:
They read in their books of prayer;
I read in my book of songs
I bought at the Sligo fair.
When we come at the end of time
To Peter sitting in state,
He will smile on the three old spirits,
But call me first through the gate;
For the good are always the merry,
Save by an evil chance,
And the merry love to fiddle,
And the merry love to dance:
And when the folk there spy me,
They will all come up to me,
With ‘Here is the fiddler of Dooney!'
And dance like a wave of the sea.
One reply on “The Poet’s Corner”
It was fun and cool to read The Raven again. You make me feel smart and educated.