Clip Clop Goes Charleyhorse Ryder Into The Derryerry Night Sky

This dreamscape is inspired by a chapter from Sean Mc EcElgunn’s book Charleyhorse Ryder: Tales Of The Winding Erne. In this book the Belturbet native Sean writes of his many clear memories of growing up in Belturbet, he grew up in a house on Barrack Hill but in this dreamscape I concentrate on his memory of going to stay over on Grandad Mc Elgunn’s farm in the townland of Derryerry for the first time.

“Every Thursday Grandad John came to town for the market in the pony and cart. The pony’s name was Fanny she had a wicked eye. It was the same go through every Thursday, he’d hobble in after the market and Mam made him tea, I would climb up on his good knee. I was always at Ma, taunting her to let me go home with Grandad, he was all for it. One day at last Grandad got round her and she gave in. Off we went me, Grandad and Fanny, it was a magic day, rattling down the hill and across the bridge to Derryerry. We soon arrived, the mare’s flying hooves scattering a flock of turkeys ‘gobble gobble’. The goldering woman appeared: Lizzy was a giant, she filled the dark doorway. Her bulk and her voice put the heart crossways in me. No wonder she was called big Lizzy.!

That day was full of wonders, I followed Lizzy everywhere as she cuffed along feeding the hens, geese, calves and pigs, carrying water, digging spuds for the dinner. her mighty hips swaying like a ship. Lizzy wasn’t slow and found jobs for me to do right away. “Sweep the flure lek a guid wee candy, the beezom’s behind the dure; then bring me in an armful o’turf; be back before you’re right there; run up the lane and see if there’s any sign of the post-boy with me tightbody”What on earth is a tight body? When all the trips were done, she brought me down the crocking and showed me a lark’s nest in a clump of bullrishes. “Don’t touch the eggs”she warned , By the time we got back to the house I was fagged out and sat down on my bare bum on the hearthstone and fell asleep.The sound of a trotting horse awakened me, the trotting seemed to be coming slanting down the sky and down the chimney. It was Dad and Charleyhorse coming to get me. Dad came in and the Charleyhorse stood outside in the dark. . I wanted to stay in Granda’s and Lizzy stuck up for me. “Ah go on Willy ,he’ll be no bother”. Dad gave me a big squeeze “mind now me boy, no whinging outa you or Lizzy will put you out to the geese”Dad finished his tea and went out into the dark. I sat on the hearthstone looking up the chimney at the stars beginning to peep out. Clippity-clop. clippity clop”, went Charleyhorse away back up the sky.”