‘Greeting dog’ of Mayo Island memorialised in moving poem

The familiar sight of Elsa the dog meeting passengers as they land at the pier in Clare Island will be dearly missed by both islanders and tourists alike. 

Peter Gill explains that she often acted as "the greeting dog" as the ferries landed.  She was extremely approachable, particularly for children.

She would greet visitors while doing her rounds of the harbour. She had reached the grand old age of 15.

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Elsa was well known to the thousand visitors to Anna's Coffee Shop when it was open each summer and to hundreds of others she would willingly greet at the steps on the island pier and also on the beach, and always greeted people when we were out walking - she had a way of saying "it's alright, you are welcome to pat me", and many did.

Peter fondly recalls Elsa’s morning routine of eating Ginger Nut biscuits before rambling the short distance to Anna’s Coffee Shop later in the morning.

The shockwaves of her loss are being felt both on the island as well as on the continent. 

Peter has written a short poem to memorialise Elsa The Dog:

No more, no more, no more,

No more your sharp morning bark,

As you wandered over from The Mill,

To wake me from my slumber.

No more your raised eyebrow

As you were lying on your couch,

Eyeing my breakfast doings,

Watching me scrolling the morning news

As you scrolled the day that was evolving

No more your wagging tail,

As we headed for morning coffee,

Me with ginger nut in hand,

You with your canine musings -

What was this day to become?

No more your gallop through the heather.

Frisbee found and returned.

Once again, “please”, you would gesture!

No more, no more, no more!

Or when we passed the stream on Bóthar Árd,

And you demanded three twigs be thrown.

A ritual, and a washing of your paws,

Sandy from your sprinting on the strand.

Or when we trundled to the cliffs in Ballytoughey

And you waited for me with your “Hurry up Boomer”-look,

Keeping just enough ahead of me to have me sweat.

Doing your duty – the dog walking the man –

Great people dogs, and what a dog you were…

No more, no more, no more, no more,

Darling Elsa your day is done.

No more, no more, no more!