I just felt I needed to share this poem written by a friend of mine, Paul O'Neill.
Paul has a very special talent in writing poems. Just a few weeks ago he wrote a piece, which was shared 10's of thousands of times on Facebook for young Oscar Knox who sadly lost his 2 and a half year battle with Cancer (neuroblastoma)
Paul has taken the time to write a beautiful piece on the Hillsborough tragedy.
T'was the 15th of April, in the year 1989 -
Even thinking of it yet, sends shivers down the spine -
The FA Cup semi final, tickets sold to the full -
To the adoring fans of Forest, and the mighty Liverpool -
The Liverpool fans arrived in their numbers, by bus and by train -
They made their way to their allocation, in Hillsborough's Leppings Lane -
The police were on patrol, but many lives soon to be wrecked -
For an entire section of that support, they failed dearly to protect.
Only seven turnstiles were available, to this excited, loyal crowd -
Only to see their hero's, the men who made them proud -
The police opened an exit gate, to ease the pressure outside -
One of many fateful decisions, they later tried to hide.
This gate led to a tunnel, normally not the rule -
It led to these innocent supporters to a stand, already completely full -
The authorities should have been in position, they should of been on hand -
But in a grave police oversight, that tunnel was unmanned.
People spilled onto the pitch, as the BBC went live -
Hundreds of innocent people, they battled to survive -
The fans rallied together, their fellow supporters to save -
they were shocked and frightened, but they were loyal and brave.
The death toll mounted, as thousands cried -
As a result of this tragedy, 96 fans died -
94 passed away that day, then the next day one more -
As 14 year old Lee Nicol, made his way to heavens door.
Jon-Paul Gilhooley, the youngest one to die, was only ten years old -
The death of a child in any circumstances, always the saddest story told -
In many ways he still lives on, to believe it, isn't hard -
His memory shaped in the career of his cousin, club legend Steveie Gerrard.
4 painful years later, in March 19 and 93 -
The last of the victims, from pain was set free -
22 year old Tony Bland, his family did adore -
But the dedicated hospital staff, they could do no more.
Steven Brown and Peter thompson, oh how can we forget -
Poor expectant fathers, had kids they never met -
Just some of the tragic stories, sadly too many to name -
And just like the Sun Newspaper, the authorities forever hang their heads in shame.
Many decades later, and their memories live on -
And while the Liverpool family remember them, they're truly never gone -
Down around Anfield weay, when the scarves and flags are flown -
Sing the message to 96 angels, You'll Never Walk Alone.
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