KINSALE FISHERMEN

Had the opportunity to fish and shoot with some of the best on the island.
We shoot and fish all around the island, even practice on land.
I more liked shooting, it was way more exciting, compared to sitting in a boat.
I could remember starting out grooting up my belly on stones.
Start out shooting at the knees, then the waist, then the chest, the rest is deep sea.
I am from trials but I shoot out of Kinsale, or between Kinsale and Gingoes.

Use to come home from school gather my gear, walk to the nearest shore i felt like.
Cast out my float, put on my flippers, wash out my glass, load my gun and jump in.
Started with a wood gun till i got one of my fathers ready made fishing gun.
My mother nearly went crazy but she was raising a man, she left men to GOD.
Always shoot with the load on the last groove just in case of sharks.
Some guys wait to see them, then load up, not me, if my chest is going to be sore, let it be.
Always pictured a shark swimming off with one my legs, but never told anyone.
Kinsale men shoot from Wapping to Gingoes, Gingoes men shoot to old crusher.

South men shoot from crusher up to Ogarros, after that you need a boat.
Sometimes we all meet up and walk past Ogarro's to barracuda bank.
Got my boat around 14, had my own crew of experience and inexperience members.
That's when we started to shoot and fish under roaches and Long Ground, the Mecca.
Around cow and calf, mother rock, going up to black burn airport.
Twenty foot waves and more, that's when the fun begins
Sometimes calm like wax on the water, that's when it is most boring,
So rich with marine life, you would never want to sit in a boat with a line.

Unless of course sharks are in the water, especially after the movie JAWS.
I see man sit on big stone and not coming off even when the boat on the stone with him.
We looked out for each other shooting takes team work.
Whether shooting sharks, sting rays, Barracudas, octopus, or Congo.
We even bring back boat loads of goat, a goat fish them be.
Sometimes police down there waiting on the boat to come in.
All the dangers we took we never lost a man, we lost boats but not men.

Team work plays such a vital role when odds are against you.
Nobody fights like fishermen, once your in the water things change.
Talk to one of my friends the other day, he told me.
"Montserrat nice a, now fish dey"
Sitting at my work desk, working 2.15 am Yeah Montserrat nice.
All now we would be shooting with a light on a car tube.
Night fishing or shooting is the best,
I still think compared to north men, Kinsale is the best.
Looking to go back one day to rectify that, only New York air clog up my lungs.

It is like ridding a bike once you get back on it is second nature.
North men always accused us of stealing their fish out of their pots.
Me no know bout that. Them just jealous we catch more fish than them.
All the experience I have had fishing and shooting with these guys, team work pays off.
It was and still is the Montserrat equivalent to IRAQ.
When you dive more than your lungs can take and need help getting to the surface.
Someone was always there.