This week’s Friday Fictioneers prompt is the photo below by ©Björn Rudberg
To read other contributions or find out how to get involved, click here
Shoe the Donkey
Frankie turned his face into the shadows, away from the fairy lights and general cheeriness. How could he explain why this silly old ‘Shoe the Donkey’ song reduced him to a blubbering old man with leaky eyes?
They had laughed as they danced it together way back then, when the blanket of sadness he had worn since leaving Ireland dissolved in her sparkling eyes.
The Irish Centre had been a haven for emigrants and they were young enough to believe they would go home some day.
He would never leave now. Who else would pull the weeds and place fresh flowers on her grave?
©Siobhán McNamara
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Shoe the Donkey is better known for it’s dance than it’s lyrics. It is very simple and is popular at gatherings of any kind as it can be danced in a small room in a house or a large dance hall / pub with loads of people joining in. It evokes a sense of togetherness that has seen Irish people through some dark times.
siobhanmcnamara 
Beautiful. Of course he can’t leave her behind… A sad yet happy piece.
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Thank you Jessie,
despite never moving home, I don’t think he has any regrets 🙂
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Am listening to “Shoe the Donkey” now with a tapping feet ! 😀
Lovely blend of emotions there with a truly Irish touch !
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Thank you Horus, it’s hard not to move your feet to it! 🙂
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This made me miss “shoe the donkey” dancing and acting crazy all night. It was a great memory. Thank you! 🙂
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Thank you, I’m glad it brought back a happy memory 🙂
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Ah… what a great way to remember… It reminds me of a night in Tel Aviv with elderly immigrants singing along to Kletzmer music…
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Thanks Björn, I look forward to seeing what everybody else writes from your picture 🙂
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This is a sad/happy piece – if that makes sense. May Frankie find comfort in the end. (P.S. your description of Shoe the Donkey brought back great memories of my trip to Ireland with my husband. Many fun nights were spent in pubs where the locals gathered to listen to music.)
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Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂
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I appreciate your bittersweet love story, Siobhan.
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Thank you Gina 🙂
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You’re welcome.
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Ends on a bit of a downer but still a heartwarming tale. Good one.
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I hope he was at peace with the choices he made in life 🙂
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Very touching story.
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Thank you 🙂
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A wonderful love story, Siobhan. We have a number of CD’s (or even tapes) with Irish songs and they can get right into your heart, just as his love for her was in his
janet
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Thank you Janet 🙂
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Lovely story. and beautiful thoughts. Thank you for the explanation of Shoe the Donkey. Well done. 🙂
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Thank you 🙂
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Dear Siobhán,
You managed to shoehorn a lot of story into few words. Of course I had to find Shoe the Donkey on You Tube. Lovely song…lovely story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thank you Rochelle, I’m glad you enjoyed both the story and the song
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As an immigrant I know how that feels. And like the others I HAD to Youtube this song 🙂 Yes, it is foot-tapping and simple. And your story is heart-breakingly warm!
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Thank you, it’s lovely that you could relate to it 🙂
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A really lovely story, Siobhan. I love the ending.
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Thank you Jan 🙂
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a poignant love story well-told.
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Thank you 🙂
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Sad and sweet, Siobhan! Wonderful story. 🙂
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Thank you Lisa 🙂
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Awww….very sweet, gave me a chill 🙂
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Thank you Dawn 🙂
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A tear jerking tale
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Thanks for reading 🙂
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You’ve done it again, making me tear up like a baby! Stories about lifelong lovers torn apart by death gets me every time. Your description was magnificent, and his sorrow was felt on so many levels.
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I’m so glad you connected with it 🙂
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Aaah! Now that’s commitment!
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It sure is. Thanks for reading 🙂
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What a wonderfully well-written story. It was very poignant, especially the ending. I would have liked to read the rest of the story.
God bless you,
Cheryl
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Ah, thank you Cheryl 🙂
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Very moving and well-written.
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Thanks Perry 🙂
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Dear Siobhán, What a wonderful story – and very well-written. I think the melancholy he feels for his homeland, Ireland, is so beautiful – and the part about he couldn’t leave to go back because “Who would take care of the weeds and put fresh flowers on her grave?” Wonderful line and so sadly sweet! Nan 🙂
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Thank you so much Nan 🙂
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Beautifully poignant. And so true for the migrants of the world.
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Thank you, yes it’s true for so many people 🙂
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Superb piece of writing.
ACelticElephant loves it.
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Thank you, I’m glad it appealed to AnElephant’s Celtic side 🙂
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I loved the line, “the blanket of sadness he had worn dissolved in her sparkling eyes.” What beautiful writing.
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Thank you for your kind and encouraging comment 🙂
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Lovely piece of writing. There is something quite poignant about migrants, leaving their homelands, never to return. Of course he couldn’t leave her now and wouldn’t want to, so moving Siobhan. Well done
Dee
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Thank you Dee 🙂
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This is beautiful, Siobhán! Bitter sweet and tender, without being overplayed. Lovely.
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Thank you 🙂
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A poignant tale of love and loss, which so much Irish music is too.
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Thank you Liz 🙂
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Home is where the heart lies, indeed. 🙂
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It sure is
Thanks for reading 🙂
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such a tender ending. lovely story…
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Thanks K.Z. 🙂
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This is a great story, with personal and social histories entwining. There are vast landscapes in this. Not bad going in 100 words. I found and enjoyed a video of the dance. 🙂
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Thank you Ann 🙂
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