Cathie Ryan sang this as "My Own Native Land" on the Cherish the Ladies album "The Back Door" (and the Green Linnet anthology "Her Infinite Variety"). You can see a list of tracks and play the entire album via Real Audio at http://greenlinnet.com/shopping/search_detail.cfm?ProductID=94 There are a few variations from the DT lyrics quoted above. What the DT has as a chorus is sung as the last verse. As for the other mostly small difference, I've capitalized them: There's a dear little isle in the Western Ocean IT'S AN island of purity, holy and grand ITS name fills its daughters and sons with emotion When THEY ARE APART ON a far distant STRAND. It's Ireland, MY COUNTRY, the birthplace of heroes The home of the patriot, warrior and sage Of bards and chieftains whose names live in story May they live forever on history's page. You once were a proud and a glorious nation Your name and your fame were known all o'er the world 'Til misfortune came o'er you and sad desolation And the emerald banner in slavery lay unfurled. They tortured your children, THEY spoiled your green BANNER They tried to exterminate you long, long, LONG ago But the Irish are somehow like wild, creeping flowers The faster you pluck them, the quicker they SEEM TO grow. I love every blade of grass green on your mountain, Every leaf on your tree AND every rock on your strand I love your green VALLEYS and murmuring fountains I love you, acushla, my own dear native land. Note: "acushla," a short form of the anglicized "acushla machree," is from "a chuisle mo chroĆ," "the pulse of my heart"
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