On Winter Nights

On Winter nights in the old Country the wind did howl in the trees In chilly and unpredictable weather of zero or under degrees In the living room by the open fire grate the burning peat kept out the cold We sat listening to the ageing story tellers relating their stories of old In us they had a captive audience as they related their memories of the past Just listening to their reminiscing the time seemed to tick on so fast They told us stories of the Tan War the ambushes at Headford and Tureengarriffe Glen The rebel fighters of Duhallow and Sliabh Luachra amongst the bravest of fighting men Their stories of old deserted haunted houses in our young minds did instill fear Of night and dilapidated former homes of such places we would not venture near I recall i often had nightmares of hearing glass breaking and of ghosts scream And i would awake in a cold sweat quite relieved to realize it was only a dream The chilly winds howled in the tall trees in weather cold enough to snow But by the fire grate it was cosy the burning peat had a warm glow We sat listening to the old fellows relating their stories of long ago That they had heard from their childhood elders before time did become their foe.