Santa Claus

By Martin Toher


It’s not that I didn’t get presents

I admit that I got quite a few

But my parents wouldn’t give credit

Whatever credit was due.

If they gave you a book or a bicycle

Or a gun, or whatever it was

They made sure they got the credit

Not some big old fool – Santa Claus.


The peasants who live in north Galway

Are a hard and cynical lot

And talk of old Father Christmas

To them was a whole pile of rot.

But the odd time the myth they encouraged

And if they heard us mention his name

We knew we’d get damn all for Christmas

And Santa – he’d get the blame.