When all beside a vigil keep, the West's asleep, the West’s asleep.
Alas! and well may Erin weep when Connacht lies in slumber deep.
There lake and plain smile fair and free, ‘mid rocks their guardian chivalry.
Sing, Oh! let man learn liberty from crashing wind and lashing sea.

For often, in O'Connor's van, to triumph dashed each Connacht clan,
And fleet as deer the Normans ran through Corrsliabh Pass and Ardrahan;
And later times saw deeds as brave, and glory guards Clanricarde’s grave,
Sing, Oh! they died their lands to save at Aughrim's slopes and Shannon's wave.

And if, when all a vigil keep, the West's asleep! the West’s asleep!
Alas! and well may Erin weep that Connacht lies in slumber deep.
But, hark! a voice like thunder spake, the West’s awake! the West’s awake!
Sing, Oh! Hurrah! let England quake, we’ll watch till death for Erin's sake!

Written by Thomas Davis in the last century. There's one other verse - but often only the first and last above are sung. It’s one of those songs where the words are less important than the emotional response which one or two phrases produce!

HTML line breaks added in place of double spacing. --JoeClone, 11-Mar-02.