We are in the year of 2008 and the sky is still full of lead

Obama is heading for the White House and Paddy's building a slatted shed

Now Paddy has out-wintered for 30 years or more

His stock were always healthy and their clutes were never sore

But we're farming now by calendar and we're living here in dread

The directive came from Brussels - you must build a slatted shed

Paddy phoned up Teagasc and he asked them for advice

They drew up elaborate plans for him and charged a hefty price



But they told him he could claim a grant and it sounded really great

There was one stipulation - he had to finish in '08

Paddy got a local gang and they began to excavate

Shortly after starting the site was like a lake

It rained through March and April, May, June and July

When asked the Minister said, "No extension will apply"

With slurry tanks and hired out pumps the big hole it was drained

They put the shuttering up in August although every day it rained



It was the middle of September when they finished up the tank

Then Paddy hit another snag there were problems with the Bank

It seems Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac had caused a credit squeeze

While Paddy and his willing gang were clobber to their knees

But now that they were over ground you'd think things would run smooth

But a scrooge October budget dampened down the mood

Paddy lost on Headage and The Suckler Welfare Scheme

The mother lost the medical card - oh boys but they were mean



It 's early in November and the shed is up you see

But like the M50 motorway it is totally barrier free

When Paddy went to collect them he got another tip

The crowd he'd hired to make them were in receivership

It 's well on in December on a crispy Christmas morn

But instead of opening presents Paddy is filling out a form

With certs for this and certs for that, VAT dockets and C2's

If he doesn't get them in on time the whole grant he will lose



It 's New Years Eve in Ireland and we are nearly in '09

And Paddy with his paper work is standing in a line

The bells are ringing loudly and the clock is ticking down

And the lady with the stamper is wearing quite a frown

Paddy is sweating profusely as he did through out '08

Would he make the bloodly deadline or would he have to emigrate

It has been reported that the people of Kerry are cancelling Christmas this year. The children of Kerry are scared of men with beards in red and white suites!!

A jubilant John Joe Joyce heaped praise on sports psychologist Gerry Hussey after he showed his mental toughness in overcoming Hungary's Gyula Kate, a long-time foe of his.

Yesterday's Olympic first round clash was the fourth championship bout between the light welterweight rivals, with Kate winning the previous three.

But Joyce, 20, showed marvellous composure and used a clever attack plan to claim a deserved 9-5 win and progress through to the last 16, where he will face Felix Diaz of the Dominican Republic.

Hussey, a former amateur boxer who has been the Irish High Performance boxing team's psychologist for the past three years, certainly has a fan in Joyce.

'When Gerry is around, I always do well. I lack self belief sometimes but he looks after all that side of my performance,' said the Mullingar youngster.

'He could not get in here to be with me (today), but he has been working with me in the training camp and the Olympic Village and that preparation really paid off.

'I showed in the ring I was believing in myself and, once I believe in myself, I will perform to my potential and then I can do anything.'

No stone has been left unturned with Hussey, who runs Alpha 1 boxing gym in Galway, even showing the Irish fighters a walk-through DVD of the Olympic Village before their arrival in Beijing.

The Glenamaddy native has helped the Irish team develop psychology systems and techniques in many areas, from building self esteem and self belief to developing communication and relaxation techniques.

And Joyce warned anyone standing in his way of a Beijing medal that with his so-called 'bogey man' out of the way, he will only get better.

'I know the longer a tournament goes on the better I get, and that's why I was hoping for a good draw.

'I didn't get it, I got the toughest draw I could have got really because of the respect I have for Kate.

'To have finally beaten this guy will help my confidence. He has been my bogey man in the past. I hope that's the end of him.

'I'm not looking beyond the next fight right now and as a team we're just delighted that we've the two wins from two with Kenny (Egan) winning on Saturday as well.'