The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #88763 Message #1667602
Posted By: McGrath of Harlow
13-Feb-06 - 05:55 PM
Thread Name: Lyr/Tune Req: Slievenamon
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: words and tune for Slievenamon
The Anthem of County Tipperary.
Alone, all alone, by the wave-washed strand All alone in the crowded hall. The hall is gay, and the waves they are grand. But my heart is not here at all. It flies far away, by night and by day To the times and the joys that are gone. And I will never forget the sweet maiden I met In the valley near Slievenamon.
It was not the grace of her queenly aire Nor her cheek of the rose's glow Nor her soft black eyes, not her flowing hair Nor was it her lily-white brow, Twas the soul of truth, and of melting ruth And the smile like a summer dawn That sold my heart away on a soft summer day In the valley near Slievenamon.
In the festive hall, by the starwashed shore, Ever my restless spirit cries. "My love, on, my love, shall I ne'er see you more. And my land, will you never uprise? By night and by day, I ever, ever pray While lonely my life flow on To see our flag unfurled and my true love to enfold In the valley near Slievenamon.
But my father always used to sing the end: "To see our flag unrolled and my true love to hold 'Neath the Green White and Gold, In the valley near Slievenamon."
Which is totally un-historical (as well as not scanning too well), but it's how they sang it when he was interned in Kilkenny in the Civil War.