Three New Poems by Eileen Moynihan
1. Cill Rialiag Serenity
Sitting on the edge of the world,
Cill Rialiag tugs at my heart.
The beauty and serenity that surround me,
Fills me with a deep sense of belonging.
How many others like me
Have stared at the majesty of the mountains,
And the eternal power of the sea,
Under different circumstances,
Going back to the mists of time?
Once people bustled here,
Fishing, going to school, raising families.
Now we the artists, writers and dreamers
Bring new life to this place.
I see and try to portray
Magnificent orange montbretia,
The delicate purple of lavender and
The sunshine yellows accompanying them,
Against the backdrop of sea and mountain.
The magic of this place has enchanted me.
I hope I have touched your souls too.
2. An Ocean of Love
An ocean of love
Is a beautiful thing;
It makes your heart joyful,
And your soul sing.
To be loved like that
Sets your mind free,
Gives you inner power
To let yourself be.
The words, “I love you”,
Are a musical sound.
Love creates love,
And we pass it around.
The blue of the ocean
Is there in your eyes,
Sparkling in sunlight,
Only truth, no lies.
An ocean of love
Gives what one craves,
Washing over you
In strong steady waves.
3. The Messenger
“Let me know how you got on”
A text from nowhere came
On a blue cloudless day
Of lace blossom trees
How did they know?
Why did they care?
Did they know me?
Was it meant for me?
“It went really well.
I got the all clear,”
I clicked back.
“I am so happy,”
I added on.
I had needed
To tell someone
Anyone
Even a random texter.
“Dinner at 6 at Morelli’s?”
“Yes, I’ll be wearing a big grin,”
I laughed out loud.
Bio of the Poet: Eileen Moynihan was born in Chelmsford, Essex, England, UK. At the age of three she moved with her family to the Isle of Wight. At eighteen Eileen went to La Sainte Union, Teachers Training College, in Southampton. Whilst Eileen was at college her parents moved to Ireland, (her father was Irish). Eileen moved to Ireland in 1978 when she had gained her Bachelor of Education degree.
After a while Eileen gained a permanent job in Bantry, Co. Cork as a teacher of one of the first Special Classes attached to a mainstream school in Ireland. Eileen met her future husband in Bantry and they got married in 1981. They had 3 children born between 1982- 1989. In 1983 the family moved to Drimoleague, Co. Cork and then moved to Baltimore Co. Cork in 1987.
In 1998 Eileen received a Diploma in Special Education from St. Patrick’s College of Education in Dublin after doing a year’s course. She continued working in Bantry until 2002. Eileen then started teaching as a Resource Teacher in a small country school near Skibbereen, Co. Cork. She took early retirement from teaching in 2007.
In 2009 Eileen and her husband moved to Termonbarry on the border of Counties Longford and Rosscommon. Eileen had always written stories and poems since she was a young child.
After early retirement she began to write children’s stories. She joined Longford Writers Group and also joined S.C.B.W.I Ireland.
To date Eileen has written 7 children’s books and a collection of poetry, as well as having her work in many anthologies.
Eileen believes in creativity, imagination, education and community.