Not as difficult as it appears

[AussieMick]

... well, I hope not. But then I know the answer.

What is the (admittedly) indirect connection to the US Civil War of the most well-known work by William McGonagall, who has been widely 'acclaimed' as the worst poet in history ?

Just one clue to begin ... its the replacement bridge which starts the connection.

[L Verge]

Having never heard of William McGonigall, I had to Google. I assume that the Tay Bridge Disaster is the poem to which you refer - and I would agree that, in that case, McGonigall earned his title as "worst poet in history." Now I shall set forth to find out how the replacement bridge connects to our Civil War.

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Having never heard of William McGonigall, I had to Google. I assume that the Tay Bridge Disaster is the poem to which you refer - and I would agree that, in that case, McGonigall earned his title as "worst poet in history." Now I shall set forth to find out how the replacement bridge connects to our Civil War.

Anything to do with Grant visiting Dundee and the old bridge after he stepped down as President? Or, perhaps, that the new bridge is somehow part of Riverside Drive in the Scottish town and Grant is buried on Riverside Drive in NYC?

[AussieMick]

Gee, those are much better connections than I was thinking of, Laurie.

No, sorry, the building of the replacement bridge contains the connection that I am asking about.
If you're using Google I suggest Abraham Lincoln may be a more effective clue. ( I avoided mentioning him before because this has nothing to do with his interests in poetry.)

[L Verge]

I'm sure that this has nothing to do with the correct answer, but this Ballad of Abraham Lincoln (1869) keeps popping up in links to the Tay Bridge: http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00053435/00001/12j

Oops, I didn't go back to the cover before cutting and pasting. Please flip link to the front cover and then read the poem.

Also have found out that McGonigall's original poem became a hip-hop favorite among some of that cult recently.

[AussieMick]

No. Those illustrations look great though.
Suggest you try the builder of the second bridge and Lincoln.

[L Verge]

If this isn't it, I quit! Luckily, I've been at home today and have had time for this Google chase: The builder of the second Tay Bridge was civil engineer William Arrol and his company. Arrol was later the master of ceremonies and a speaker at the dedication of Abraham Lincoln's statue in Scotland, a gift to the Scots from America in recognition of the Scottish-American participation in our Civil War.

http://www.asjournal.org/60-2016/lincoln...ilded-age/ See also https://sirwilliamarrol.wordpress.com/am...ling-1893/

[AussieMick]

Well done, Laurie. Your persistence and patience are amazing. Just think of all those boring household chores you've avoided whilst achieving success.

[L Verge]

Well done, Laurie. Your persistence and patience are amazing. Just think of all those boring household chores you've avoided whilst achieving success.

Thank you, but boredom is what contributed to my persistence and patience. I turned my household chores over to three lovely Latino ladies two years ago.

Today was my third day away from work thanks to a knee that doesn't want to cooperate - and with the flu epidemic the way it is here in the States, I'm not going near a doctor, ER, or clinic unless my leg falls off!

However, I do admit to being a work-a-holic when it comes to my paying job and anything that pertains to history of the CW era.