I. OH! proud were the chieftains of green Inis-Fail As @3truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh!@1 The stars of our sky, and the salt of our soil; As @3truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh!@1 Their hearts were as soft as a child in the lap, Yet they were "the men in the gap" -- And now that the cold clay their limbs doth enwrap; -- As @3truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh!@1 II. 'Gainst England long battling, at length they went down; As @3truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh!@1 But they left their deep tracks on the road of renown; As @3truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh!@1 We are heirs of their fame, if we're not of their race, -- And deadly and deep our disgrace, If we live o'er their sepulchres, abject and base; -- As @3truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh!@1 III. Oh! sweet were the minstrels of kind Inis-Fail! As @3truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh!@1 Whose music, nor ages nor sorrow can spoil; As @3truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh@1 But their sad stifled tones are like streams flowing hid, Their @3caoine@1 and their @3piopracht@1 were chid, And their language, "that melts into music," forbid; As @3truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh!@1 IV. How fair were the maidens of fair Inis-Fail! @3As truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh!@1 As fresh and as free as the sea-breeze from soil, @3As truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh@1! Oh! are not our maidens as fair and as pure? Can our music no longer allure? And can we but sob, as such wrongs we endure? @3As truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh@1! V. Their famous, their holy, their dear Inis-Fail! @3As truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh@1! Shall it still be a prey for the stranger to spoil? @3As truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh!@1 Sure, brave men would labour by night and by day To banish that stranger away; Or, dying for Ireland, the future would say @3As truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh!@1 VI. Oh! shame -- for unchanged is the face of our isle; @3As truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh!@1 That taught them to battle, to sing, and to smile; @3As truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh!@1 We are heirs of their rivers, their sea, and their land, -- Our sky and our mountains as grand -- [hand, We are heirs -- oh! we're not -- of their heart and their @3As truagh gan oidhir 'n-a bh-farradh!@1 |