Skating on Gartmorn Dam
by Jane M Spence
We trudged along as bairns
Lookin fur some fun:
The Dam was a guy lang way off
An' we had tae foot it, everyone
Nae big cars in thae days
But companionship was great
An' so the venue fur the day
Wis a place whereon tae skate.
There wis the Delph at Tullibody
But it wis kind o' sma
Sae the place we loved the maist
Wis Gartmorn Dam or naw;
Nae matter if Jack Frost
Nipped oor hands an' taes
The thocht o' what awaited us
Gave us unco Grace.
There wis Elsie an' Lizzie
There wis Betty an' me
No a skate amongst us
But we were gaun tae see
The lucky an' the plucky,
The lads aboot the place;
Oor presence there wid cheer them on
As they glided ower the ice.
They found their wae fae Queen Street,
An Erskine Street as well
Fae Hill Street an' Greenfield Street
I think ye'll mind them well,
No forgetting Cousins Buildings
Nor Tullibody Road
Izaat Street, Jamaica Street,
A mixed an' happy brood.
Aye, they were the days
When we enjoyed good fun;
Oor 'peevers' an' oor 'girders'
When Schule fur the day wis done;
There wis 'Rally O' and 'Kick the Can'
An' concerts roon the back
When we sang 'Hulikadoo'
Or 'Madam will you walk'?
Many hiv noo left us
An' crossed the Great Divide;
Some laid doon their lives fur us
We remember them wi' pride;
It's nice tae ken midst the throng
O' folks we daily meet
There are those who belong tae the Old Brigade
An' share their memories sweet.
