The Cornafean Millennium Monument

Many articles have been written of this Special Day,

When it comes to a great effort Cornafean has led the way.

A new dawn has arisen for a bright new hundred years,

From the young and old of Cornafean we say 'A welcome here'.

We say Cead Mile Failte to the new Millennium,

There is a spirit to meet those years no matter how they come.

  Sean Masterson

Our forefathers rallied in the past when hunger gnawed their bones

Some died by the roadside on rugged earth and stone.

Those gallant men of Aughaknock from Bruce and Farrenseer,

From Quivey and the hills of Corr where vision is so clear.

To Drumora and Drumkeeran from Annagh to Slanore,

Those stalwart men from Lahard, Drumgoon and Old Kilmore.

We are proud of our ancestors today in joy we come,

to salute the unveiling of the stone for the New Millennium.

The sculpture on this monument is sure a work of art,

Denoting the activities of our Community who proudly played their part

The beagle men of Shancor hill who blew the hunting horn,

Calling the dogs from all around on many a winters morn.

To the men who graced St Finnians Park and were a household name,

They brought twenty County Championships to their Beloved Cornafean.

Catherina our Marathon Champion what races she has won,

She'll go down in sporting history for the hundred years to come.

Our talented musicians, dancers too are there,

The distant skirll of the Pipes upon the summer air.

In the base of this Monument our names are locked away,

And will be opened in a hundred years, it is a distant day

Those generations that have to come will read out from that scroll,

Then say those were our forefathers, Lord have Mercy on their souls.

Sean Masterson, Thursday 30th December 1999.

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 Tributes to Catherina McKiernan 

(On her victory in the World Cross Country Championships in Boston in 1992)

On history's sporting pages let us carve her name in gold,

By children yet unborn her noble deeds they will be told;

Where ever athletes gather with pride they'll speak her name

And say well done, Catherina, the lass from Cornafean

In this little rural area well-known as Cornafean,

On the Gaelic field its players won each honour in the game;

We are all assembled here tonight the red carpet to unfurl,

And say well done Catherina, Silver Champion of the World.

On that snow-decked track in Boston, three thousand miles away,

The name of Liz McColgan was all we heard that day;

The Kenyans and Ethiopians there was no other name,

But soon they had to recognise the lass from Cornafean.

When the starter's pistol sounded that noise so loud and shrill,

That vast crowd of champion athletes faced Boston's Bear cage Hill,

All Irish hearts were beating from Cork to Donegal,

When the girl in green from Cornafean came striding past them all.

Here's to you, Lynn Jennings, you won Gold on the day,

Boston was your training ground an advantage as folks ssay;

At least you told the "Boston Globe" that you had no fears,

You had been training on that track from your teenage years.

Your experience was needed with a hundred yards to spare,

When the girl in green from Cornafean went past you like a hare;

You had the toughest muscle you made it in the end,

I have no doubt Catherina will win the Gold again.

Before I leave my pen aside one man deserves three cheers,

Her famous coach Joe Doonan, he's been training her for years;

Silent in the background, few like him around,

It was on people like he, our great nation it was found.

(On Catherina's victory in the London Marathon in 1998)

'Twas the twenty-sixth of April in the Springtime of the year,

That date in sporting history, cornafean folk will hold dear

When Catherina our greatest athlete went to old London town,

And after twenty-six long hikes took the world's crown.

The spirit of Catherina my verse can not describe,

Those years along the local roads with that familiar stride

From Drumkeeran on down to Drumbess to Killeshandra town,

Then on to St. Finnian's Park and there did many a round

Where is this "Staying Power"? Where can it be found?

Her father a beagle huntsman can fly the county 'round.

Her mother from Mullahoran no one can deny

With the spirit of those great areas Tis perhaps the reason why

As she stormed past Tower Bridge and then the Bird Cage Walk

The Scots Belgians and Kenyans were sure to get a shock

Catherina in her green and gold took them one by one

The way she glided past them to her it looked like fun

Along the great Queen's highway where the Sentry change the Guard,

Tourists come to view them, they are held with such regard

But Irish people forgot about that spectacle of old,

When our marathon queen held there on high our own Green White and Gold

Here's to you Catherina with Joe Doonan by your side,

He is the world's greatest coach that cannot be denied

May you break the World record in Marathon's to be won,

Then the great Olympic Games, Australia here we come!