St. Patrick's Day In The Morning.wmv

Comment by Ian Bell on March 16, 2011 at 7:56pm

Better get me some of that oatmeal!

St. Patrick's Day turns up in countless published tune books and manuscripts of the 19th century on both sides of the ocean. It's a great old tune. I like the way the A part sneaks its way into the end of the B. "Erin Go Braugh!"

Comment by Ian Bell on March 17, 2011 at 7:11am

It has words too - quite a mouthful!

ST. PATRICK'S DAY

Oh! blest be the days when the green banner floated,
Sublime o'er the mountains of free Innisfail;
Her sons to her glory and freedom devoted, 
Defied the invader to tread her soil,
When back o'er the main they chas'd the Dane,
And gave to religion and learning their spoil;
Whe valour and mind together combin'd -
But wherefore lament o'er the glories departed?
Her star shall shine out with as vivid a ray,
For ne'er had she children so brave and true-hearted,
As those she now sees on St Patrick's Day.

Her sceptre, alas! pass'd away to the stranger,
And treason surrender'd where valour had held;
But true hearts remaine'd amid darkness and danger;
Which spite of her tyrants would not be quell'd.
Oft', oft' thro' the night flash'd gleams of light,
Which almost the darkness of bondage dispell'd;
But a star now is near her heaven to cheer,
Not like the wild gleams which so fitfully darted,
But long to shine out with a hallowing ray
On daughters as fair and sons as true-hearted,
As Erin beholds on St Patrick's Day.

Oh! blest be the hour when begirt by her cannon,
And hail'd as it rose by a nation's applause,
That flag wav'd aloft o'er the spire of Dungannon,
Asserting for Irishmen Irish laws.
Once more shall it wave o'er hearts as brave,
Despite of the dastards who mock at her cause;
And like brothers agreed, whatever their creed,
Her children inspir'd by those glories departed,
No longer in darkness desponding will stay,
but join in her cause like the brave and true-hearted,
who rise for their rights on St Patrick's Day.

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