fling, And O'Cahan proclaims him a True Irish King. Thrice looked he to Heaven wth thanks and with prayer— Thrice looked to his borders with sentinel stare To the waves of Loch Neagh, the heights of Strabane, And thrice on his allies, and thrice on his clan One clash on their bucklers-one more-they are still What means the deep pause on the crest of the hill? Why gaze they above him? A war-eagle wing! "Tis an omen! Hurrah for the True Irish King! 199 God aid him! God save him and smile on his reign The terror of England, the ally of Spain. May his sword be triumphant o'er Sassenach arts, Be his throne ever girt by strong hands and true hearts. May the course of his conquest run on till he see The flag of Plantagenet sink in the sea! King. WE MAA ROAM THRO' THIS WORLD.-Continued, In England the garden of beauty is kept By a dragon of prudery placed within call; But so oft this unamiable dragon has slept, That the garden's but carelessly watched after all. In France, when the heart of woman sets sail, But just pilots her off, and then bids her good-by; While the daughters of Erin keep the boy, Ever smiling beside his faithful oar, The same as he looked when he left the shore. "THE GLEN OF THE LAKES." The long-sought beauties of thy magic shore. Adown the heather, o'er the shadow'd streams; The gloomy brook awhile in silence sleepeth, Then wakes and smiles amid the sunny beams. So grand, so solemn seems the silence reigning Across the Glen in summer's brightest hour, That nature wearied here in peace remaining, Seems slave awhile to slumber's mighty pow'r. She scarcely breathes beside the streamlet sighing, Beneath the pines that guard the sobbing lake; Till autumn leaves beside the waters lying, With rustling voices bid the sleepers wake! A home was here for sainted hermit glowing, With sacred love and wondrous faith divine! A calm retreat for youth in virtue growing Where nature's God could have a fitting shrine. And so the lakes, through brightest golden ages Reflected forms of Erin's sainted men; And while their names illume historic pages, Saint Kevin's works shall speak amid the glen! They stand majestic-ruined churches lowly, Whose mold'ring porches creeping-ivy climbs; The princes, prelates, hermits meek and holy Rest 'neath the cross that tells of better times. And, grandest sight! "the pillar-tow'r " that telleth Of glories gone amid the glooms of time; For though no more the Abbey-bell out swelleth, The voiceless ruins tell their tale sublime! Unnumbered legends, quaint, and sweet, and tender, Are still preserv'd and heard beside the glen Of holy Kevin, peasants kind defender The friend and father dear to suffering men. One summer day, alas! it soon departed, When seated nigh the lake with friends most dear, I heard of Kevin, kind and tender-hearted, And felt I then had kindred spirits near! "THE BRIGADE" AT FONTENOY. By our camp fires 'rose a murmur Few and stern were our words, While some were tightening horse-girths, The trumpet blast has sounded Our footmen to array- While arose the cry of joy "Heaven speed dear Ireland's banner To-day at Fontenoy." We looked upon that banner, And the memory arose Of our homes and perished kindred, And we swore to God on high, Loud swells the charging trumpet- Plunge deep the fiery rowels In a thousand reeking flanks Down, chivalry of Ireland, Down on the British ranks Now shall their serried columns Beneath our sabers reel Through their ranks, then, with the warhorse Through their bosoms with the steel. With one shout for good King Louis, Then rang along the battle-field And we smote them down still cheering, As prized as is the blessing From an aged father's lip As welcome as the haven To the tempest-driven ship As dear as to the lover The smile of gentle maid Is this day of long-sought vengeance See their shattered forces flying, See England, what brave laurels For your brow to-day we twine. Oh, thrice blessed the hour that witnessed From the chivalry of Erin, IRELAND WILL YET BE FREE. LET tyrants exult and their mandates proclaim, The yoke may be heavy and firm in its place, But blood will wash out this most shameful disgrace, The day may be distant-perhaps it is near, Her fields, now deserted, shall blossom once more, The hirelings of England be hurled from our shore, Then toast our fair island, my countrymen all, "Success to her struggle so nigh; Her sons will spring forth at the first trumpet call, And battle for freedom or die. Then when we have conquered and peace smiles again, Let this our grand toast ever be: "Confusion to tyrants wherever they reign!" And Ireland shall ever be free. THE IRISH MOTHER'S DREAM. ONE night, as the wind of the winter blew loud, The poor mother turned on her pillow, and there And passed, for a space, is her sorrow and pain; Dear joy! how she loves him! A long year has passed Have lessened their love for her, thanks be to God! While that son of her bosom seems still at her side. Lo! at length they have passed the wild ocean, and stand Far off the great fortresses loom o'er the spray, "My Dermod has wandered from home's blessed air?Here Death fills the wind blowing keen from the poleHere the pestilence strikes what the cannon may spare.* THE IRISH MOTHER'S DREAM.-Continued. They passed through the streets of the tents lying stillThey passed by the trenches that ridge the brown hillThey saw the pale faces that famine has worn; They pace where the wounded lie lonely and lostWhere the corse, cannon-torn, to its red bed was borneWhere the poor frozen sentinel died on his post. “Ah, why, Dermod, why did you cross the wide foam, To fortune, my child, in this land of the dead? Sure we'd plenty at home-there was better to come: Why, for this, did you leave me, acushla?" she said. "I thought, as you grew fond and brave by my side, I fancied the day when our home would grow bright, Old age drooped my head, after many a year, Still close in the gloom seems he standing by her; And a sound fills the air, from the hill to the star, As it doubles its thunder from thousands of guns, INNISHOWEN. GOD bless the gray mountains of dark Donegal, God bless Royal Aileach, the pride of them all; For she sits evermore like a Queen on her throne, And smiles on the valleys of Green Innishowen. And fair are the valleys of Green Innishowen, O simple and bold are the bosoms they bear, Then praise to our Father for wild Innishowen, See the bountiful Couldah careering along- God guard the kind homesteads of fair Innishowen, Like that oak of St. Bride which nor Devil nor Dane, INNISHOWEN.-Contiuued. Nor purer of old was the tongue of the Gael, O! flourish, ye homesteads of kind Innishowen, TEN years ago I stepped on board a ship to England bound; My heart and pockets both were light, though I'd not got a pound. I was but a young "Greesheen," then, without deceit or sham; But times and things have altered with myself, and now I am CHORUS. Mister Michael Murphy, a man of great ability, Patronized by all the nobs, amongst the great nobility, I got some work to carry bricks, at fourteen bob a week, CHORUS. |