I've been reading through the guestbook entries today, and I'm not gonna lie — I'm a bit of a mess because of it.
When the site was active, people would sign the guestbook. Leave little messages. I remember checking it all the time, getting excited every time there was a new entry. But after I left in 2003, the entries just kept coming. And I wasn't there to read them.
Until now.
There's one from 2004 that says: "Found this site by accident looking for lyrics. Now I listen to the Rattlin' Bog every single day. BRILLIANT stuff. Would love to know where I can find more songs like this."
- That person signed my guestbook YEARS after I'd stopped maintaining it, not knowing that nobody was reading their words anymore.
Then there's one from 2011: "My nan taught me this song when I was young and I forgot the lyrics. Found your site and remembered everything. Thank you."
And from 2015: "Class site. Very retro. But genuine? Is this real? Either way I love it."
But the one that got me was from 2019: "I'm 21 years old and I grew up singing this song because of your site. My dad showed it to me when I was small. We sing it together at family gatherings. The Rattlin' Bog is part of my life because of what you did here. Thank you."
I had to put the computer down after that one. Just sat in the chair for about ten minutes, no word of a lie.
This person — I'll never know who they are — grew up with something I created. My passion, my work, my love of this song created a memory that became part of their FAMILY LIFE. And I wasn't even there. I didn't know it was happening. I was off in Dublin divorcing my wife and ignoring the best part of myself.
But the site was still here. Still doing its job.
STILL bringing people to the Rattlin' Bog.
I don't think I realized until now how much this place actually MATTERED. Not just to me, but to people I'll never meet. People whose lives it touched.
That's a responsibility I forgot I had.
Slan go foill,
BogLord2002