Vale by The Sea

by Sean Farrell

Beneath rolling hills, in the valley of Kings.
Lies a magical place, full of wonderful things.
A land of great beauty, a travellers rest,
A welcoming stop on the road to the west.

Majestic green mountains that reach for the sky,
An impenetrable fortress from an age long gone by.
The fruits of great toil, no stone was mislaid,
Where great men presided over all they surveyed.

Magnificent beaches of soft golden sand.
Etched out of stone by the oceans great hand.
Tranquil blue waters where fish like to bite,
Reflecting Gods beauty by day and by night.

They came from all over, so folklore does tell,
To purify minds with a sup from the well.
Mad Sweeney found peace here in banishment days,
While Merlin took shelter on one of many forays.

The church of Saint Elton looks out on the bay,
You can scan the horizon on a clear summers day.
Brandon Bay glistens away to the west,
From where Brendan set sail on his arduous quest.

Her trails and her pathways reveal hidden gems,
From old railway crossings to sweet fuschia stems.
Old gravestones and ring forts and a derelict Cill,
Archaeological wonders where time has stood still.

Then weary explorers can rest and sit back,
In a quaint public house full of music and craic.
Where princes and paupers have savoured a drink,
Or stolen a moment to ponder and think.

Another place like it I never have been.
Her beauty unrivalled in all that I’ve seen.
So wherever life takes me, come whatever may be.
My heart will remain in that vale by the sea.