John’s got a fine way with words

SEVENTY- FIVE- YEAR- OLD John Carroll has a way with words. So much so that people have asked him to write about various events in their family lives.

It could be a celebratory verse to mark a marriage. Or maybe a poem to commemorate someone who has died.

John, from Doonmore, has written two books of poems. They were entitled ‘ Down Memory Lane’ 1 and 2.

Sales from the books have raised about € 300 for North West Hospice.

John, pictured, credits a neighbour, John Gavigan, with encouraging him to write.

John said: “I started writing poetry a long, long time ago. The poems are about everything, mostly local.

“People who were getting married would come to me to write a few lines for them.

“People have also come to me to write something to commemorate a person, maybe a father or a mother.

“One man came to me to write a poem about his mother who died, aged 99.

“I write about people and places but mostly about people I knew, people who are no more.”

Apart from his two collections, John also has some of his poems framed and hanging on the walls of his home. They bear titles such as ‘ Memories’, ‘ Sweet Rambles’, and ‘ Bands of Love’.

Another poem is about the the old Carraun ball alley.

It runs: “Memories they come stealing, “Of days that now are gone, “The years have swiftly passed us by, “But their memories still live on, “Of simpler days and simpler ways, “How simple were our joys. “We met there on Sundays, we met as men and boys.”

Because of his failing eyesight, John gets a neighbour Monica McCarrick to write for him.

As to why he writes, John said: “You couldn’t define it. It gives you a buzz when you get it finished.”