“ A Ballad of Ol’ Drumcondra”
[ or Easter 1957 ] 

By Jer O’Leary

( inaugural reading by Norah O’Leary on 11/9/1997
in Patrick McGrath’s Pub, Drumcondra Road, Northside, Dublin 9,
in the presence of the most enlightened, discerning
and elegant company imaginable ! )

Twas in the days of ‘Bunny’ Fullam
who played all off the Park
you could view him in the daylight
or sometimes after dark,
Capt. McDonnell was his partner
in that far-famed Drums defence
Sure, they were so good and mighty
and quite lacking in pretence.

Mid-centre there was ‘Sonny’,
Bren Healy and Tommy Rowe
and what they could not stop then
only “Rashers” Liam would know,
and behind them Alan Kelly
greatest ‘keeper ever seen,
wore the Blue and Gold for Drums
and for Erin wore the Green.

Stan Pownall on the left wing
Willie Coleman on the right,
between them pure Kit Lawlor
and McCourts amazing weight,
then mysterious Mickey Gorman
“never played before or since”
But Bunny stemmed the danger
in ways not known since !

T’was the anniversary of the birth
of the Republic that weekend,
when eleven men from Milltown
came not just to defend,
for Drums were well the underdog
on that glorious Final day
But the boys of ol’ Drumcondra
were not wanting in the fray.

The Hoops were Coad’s great colts then
and what a team they had,
and none will deny these Rovers
were Ireland’s finest lads !
they had Ambrose, Keogh and Mackey,
Ronnie Nolan was the block
but even they, would fairly say,
that ‘twas Bunny was the Rock.

They had Peyton and ‘the Gunner’,
McCann and ‘Bandy’ Burke,
none can deny that Dalyer Day
there were gallants at the work,
But head and shoulders over all
came Fullam from right full
who took the play, on a sway that day
and never left a lull.

‘Twas the 22nd minute when
the match was turned around,
young Coleman was upended
“A peno” pound for pound !
Bunny stepped up to the spot
and Darcy stopped it once
but when T.C. Cooper called the move,
shure ‘Sheila’ had no chance.

Then Alan saved from Touhy
Just before half time
“The writing”, Phil said, “on the wall”
and Greene was pure sublime,
when Willie got his grand goal
quite early in the second
“Twas over bar the drinkin’ “
the true rale Dubs had reckoned.

The ol’ Tin Pot went to Fagan’s,
McGrath’s and the Cat & Cage
and all the dear ol’ Northside
did barely misbehave!
they sang of Benny Henderson,
Dessie Glynn, ‘Pa’ Daly too,
an’ drank out o’ the Cup for Bunny
and his gallant famous crew.

Oh, in the days of Bunny fullam
when Dublin was on song,
when fights were fought with fisticuffs
and woman could walk alone,
when Ireland knew not thugs or drugs
and the old folk were safe and sound,
in the days of Bunny Fullam
‘when all the world was young’.

Back in the ‘full-house fifties’,
when South was heading North,
‘Shane’ was in the Boh,
Sean T. was in the Park,
“Coop” was in the Drummer,
“The Searchers”, the Grande, Whitehall,
There was Bovril on the Tolkaside
When Prole was on the prowl.

Now, in the days of Bunny Fullam
The Dub’s were up an’ down,
Lost in ’55
but ’58 was won
an’ when Meath were roundly routed
5.12 to 7 points !
You’ll believe me when I tell you,
We lowered numerous ‘roast joints’.

In Gaffney’s and The Gravediggers
there were pints you could hardly lift
There was “function and capernosity”
when Behan was on the drift,
Bailham’s Da was at the Pillar
an’ “Bang-Bang” shot the “slate”
When Cantwell captained Ireland
and Cannon jumped the gate.

In the days of Bunny Fullam
and his old pal Mickey Mullen,
Brave Larkin had passed on
but none had come to match him,
An Tostal in the Liffey
Jayne Mansfield was alive;
Jimmy Morrissey broke a leg
in the fabulous ‘Five to Five’.

Aye, in the days of Bunny Fullam
there were legends on the pitch
and no one ever mugged
at Tolka after the match,
They were neat men then, and ‘teak’ men
when Gough fell off his steed
and there was nothing in all Ireland
to bate the Northside breed.

Yes, in the days of Bunny Fullam
when Eoin and Eamo were boys
there were deeds done down in Tolka
that just gave the purest joys,
But on the pantheon of Dalymount
sure its almost like a dream
The day the best of ol’ Drumcondra
Slayed the men from Milltown Green.

Bunny Fullam RIP 13/7/2011
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

by Jer O’Leary, in August 1997 in Gaffney’s,
Fairview, and from the memories of his 12th year

(Thanks to Margaret O’Leary for sending this to us and letting put it on our website)