Life throws men such hardship
And misfortune, having no job or work to do,
It seems that its unbeatable,
And its going to beat you.
But a tale we tell of Vice Kearney
Who had children three
A poor house with a leaking roof
Seemingly no hope could there be...

Each week at the dole office
His name hed sign for his dole
A ritual for survical
That tore at his very soul
As it tears the souls of men
Who like him for the dole have signed
And lived on it as best they could
And rarely out ever dined.

One day a ticket he bought
And he enjoyed a sup
Never realising till later
That his numbers had come up
His money worries over
The jackpot he had won
A life of dregery at an end
New life just begun!

Now Vice was no fool you see
And later you’ll see why
For opportunity and poetic justice
He had a keen eye
He bought the dole office
Where he was so often messed about
Raised the rent steeply
And promptly got them out!

So the next time you are signing
And the cashier looks down their nose
Remember that all that comes around
Also around it goes
And if you in life have belief
Though opportunities are few
The next one to buy a dole 0ffice:
It just might be you!

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Inspiring tale for those out of work and who look to have little prospects... On October 22nd 1995, an unemployed man Vince Kearney in Cobh, Co. Cork, Ireland had three children, and had a leaking roof in his house. Prospects for work was bleak, and he was getting the usual pressure to find work that did not exist for him. He got the ultimate revenge on the condecending dole clerks when he won the lotto, purchased the local dole office, rose the rent, and got them evicted! The dole office was the old office of the White Star ine, and he opened a theme bar in it that is still there. I wrote the poem as I heard it, no doubt there are a few embeellishements alonng the way! Its the ultimate good luck story!