I will be adding lots, and lots of posts on Ireland – my travels around the country, my life and times of living in the countryside. You will also read about Limerick, both city and county and more again about Knockainey, Co. Limerick, where I live.

So is there a better way to start than with a Limerick challenge? The ‘Limerick’ is a short, humorous poem usually of five lines. It is taken that the poetry form originated in Croom, Co. Limerick in the 18th century and a verse must contain the following elements:

• 5 lines
• lines 1, 2 & 5 must rhyme
• lines 3 & 4 must rhyme
• A clever ‘Limerick’ will have a clever unanticipated punch line as line 5 and will often have puns, word play or a witty feature as part of it

Here is an example of a good ‘Limerick’ – just to help you along

As a beauty I’m not pretty
There are others more handsome and witty
But my face I don’t mind it
Because I’m behind it
‘Tis the folks in front that I pity

In August the ‘Limerick‘ will be celebrated with an International Poetry Competition, ‘Bring Your Limericks to Limerick’. For more information and to enter, click here or send your entry to Irish Travel Plans when booking your vacation and we will forward them on for you. If you cannot be here for 2013 then make plans to be here for 2014.