John D Neenan

As a young man John D Neenan who left Inchaleigh his first home place
For to take part in his late brother Willie's annual memorial race
Back home in Millstreet where his life's journey began
And where from a boy he grew into a man

In track and field and cross country and road races the legend of the Neenan bothers was grown
And far beyond the borders of Duhallow they became widely known
Against the best in Cork, Munster and Ireland with success they did compete
The Neenans in their time the pride of Millstreet

John D as a young man emigrated to the U S of A
The one who ran fast in the nineteen fifties and sixties is aging today
As a boy i see him run in cross country races when he was close to his physical prime
But this is going back the years way back in time

A road race to honor his late brother Willie a renowned athlete for more than a six decades span
On the roadways of Millstreet annually in June is ran
A five mile road race that has many an uphill and down
That has the finish line in Duhallow's Millstreet Town

This year twenty sixteen Willie's brother John D was home from the U S in the race to take part
In the former athlete the yearn to run lives in the aging heart
I see him run in cross country races when i was a boy
And good old memories do live on as a source of joy.