Farewell To Humphrey Kelleher

Farewell to the great Humphrey Kelleher though his was not a lengthy life span
In his prime in the sixties and seventies he was a mighty man
Full back for the Millstreet and Cork Gaelic football teams fearless in the field of play
But a kind and generous man at heart he surely had his day.

I recall him from my schoolgoing days a year older than I
In the class-room in the Millstreet Primary school he was the classroom strong boy
A huge lad for his age then and a giant in his prime
He became the Humphrey Kelleher who inspired the bards to rhyme.

Farewell to Humphrey Kelleher he scaled the heights of fame
In the annals of Gaelic football his is a household name
In September in nineteen seventy three along with three of his famed Clubmen
John Coleman, Con Hartnett and Denis Long he helped Cork to an All Ireland win.

In that marvellous All Ireland final Humphrey was brilliant at full back
And for the highly rated Galway forwards he proved too tough a nut to crack
It is sad to think that at fifty nine to the reaper he has gone
But good memories of the man himself are certain to live on.

Farewell to Humphrey Kelleher memories of him stir up tears
He was a legendary Gaelic footballer way back in the bygone years
A folk hero in his own right yet unaffected by conceit
And one renowned beyond Duhallow and the Parish of Millstreet.