In Ireland Of The Fifties

Like some I attended church every Sunday
In fear of public shaming but never to pray
In the Ireland of the nineteen fifties the clergy as small gods were admired
And their disapproval fear in most of their parishioners inspired

In their Sunday sermons the priests waffled on
Of how god from the lives of many people had gone
But of how to convince everyone of how bad they were they failed to succeed
Some of their religious advice did not feel in need

Some adult young males in the Sunday mass showed little interest at all
Standing at the back of the church talking of politics and hurling and Gaelic football
Of their disrespect for religion and the clergy not even discreet
Church on Sunday for a chat for them just a place to meet

Of religion and morality in Ireland of the fifties the clergy were the law
And by many of their parishioners they were held in awe
The young boys and girls of the forties and fifties now ageing women and men
And many changes have occurred in Ireland since then

Less fear of the clergy by most in the Ireland of today
In a change for the better in truth one can say
We were led to believe that hell would be our punishment for sin
But we were never told of our own god within.