The songs I'm singing today to celebrate St Patrick's Day:

St Patrick Was a Gentleman (Rattle the Boards)

Patrick was a gentleman, he came from decent people
He built a church in Dublin town, and on it put a steeple
His father was a Gallagher, his uncle was a Grady
His aunt was an O'Shaughnessy, his mother was a Brady
The Wicklow hills are very high, so is the hill of Howth, sir
But there's a hill much higher still, much higher than them both, sir
'Twas on the top of this high hill St. Patrick preached a sermon
He drove the frogs into the bogs and banished all the vermin

Farewell to St Patrick's fist, he was a saint so clever
He gave the snakes an awful twist and banished them forever
Farewell to St Patrick's fist, he was a saint so clever
He gave the snakes an awful twist and banished them forever

Not a mile on Ireland's Isle, where the dirty vermin muster
But there he put his dear forefoot, and he murdered them in clusters
The toads went pop, the frogs went hop, slap-dash into the water
The snakes committed suicide to save themselves from slaughter
A hundred thousand reptiles blue he charmed with sweet discourses
And dined on them in Killaloe, in soups and second courses
When blind worms crawling in the grass disgusted all the nation
Right down to hell with a holy spell, he changed their situation

Farewell to St Patrick's fist, he was a saint so clever
He gave the snakes an awful twist and banished them forever
Farewell to St Patrick's fist, he was a saint so clever
He gave the snakes an awful twist and banished them forever

No wonder that them Irish boys should be so gay and frisky
Sure, St. Pat he taught them that, as well as making whiskey
No wonder that the saint himself should understand distilling
For his mother kept a shebeen shop, near the town of Enniskillen
Was I but so fortunate to be back in Ulster
I'd be bound that from the ground, I never more would once stir
For there St. Patrick planted turf and cabbages and praties
Pigs galore, mo ghrá, mo stór, altar boys and ladies

Farewell to St Patrick's fist, he was a saint so clever
He gave the snakes an awful twist and banished them forever
Farewell to St Patrick's fist, he was a saint so clever
He gave the snakes an awful twist and banished them forever

Hail Glorious St. Patrick (Derek Warfield)

Hail! glorious Saint Patrick, dear Saint of our isle!
On us your poor children, bestow a sweet smile;
And now that you're high in your mansions above,
On Erin's green valleys look down with your love.

On Erin's green valleys,
On Erin's green valleys,
On Erin's green valleys look down with your love.

Your people now exiles on many a shore,
Shall love and revere you till time is no more
The fire you have kindled shall ever burn bright
Its warmth undiminished, undying its light.

On Erin's green valleys,
On Erin's green valleys,
On Erin's green valleys look down with your love.

God bless and defend the sweet land of our birth,
Where the shamrock still blooms as when you were on earth,
And our hearts shall yet burn, wherever we roam,
For God and Saint Patrick, and our native home.

For God and Saint Patrick,
For God and Saint Patrick,
For God and Saint Patrick, and our native home.

Hail! glorious Saint Patrick, you're Erin's great pride,
Watch down on the Celts on the banks of the Clyde,
With green and white banners a cross and a prayer,
Where Erin's green valleys look down on Parkhead

Where Erin's green valleys,
Where Erin's green valleys,
Where Erin's green valleys look down on Parkhead

Hail! glorious Saint Patrick, dear Saint of our isle!
On us thy poor children, bestow a sweet smile;
And now that you are in your mansions above,
On Erin's green valleys look down with your love.

On Erin's green valleys,
On Erin's green valleys,
On Erin's green valleys look down with your love.

St. Patrick's Breastplate (Heather Wood and Royston Wood)

I bind unto myself today
the strong name of the Trinity,
by invocation of the same
the three in one, and one in three.

I bind unto myself today
the power of God to hold and lead,
his eye to watch, his might to stay,
his ear to hearken to my need,
the wisdom of my God to teach,
his hand to guide, his shield to ward,
the word of God to give me speech,
his heavenly host to be my guard.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile men that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In every place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility
I bind to me these holy powers.

I bind unto myself today
the virtues of the star-lit heaven,
the glorious sun's life-giving ray,
the whiteness of the moon at even,
the flashing of the lightning free,
the whirling wind's tempestuous shocks,
the stable earth, the deep salt sea
around the old eternal rocks.

Dóchas Linn Naomh Pádraig (Irish Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus)

Dóchas linn Naomh Pádraig, aspal mór na hÉireann,
Ainm oirdhearc gléigeal, solas mór an tsaoil é.
D'fhill le soiscéal grá dúinn ainneoin blianta 'ngéibheann.
Grá mór Mhac na Páirte d'fhuascail cách ón daorbhroid.

Sléibhte, gleannta, maighe, 's bailte mór na hÉireann,
Ghlan sé iad go deo dúinn, mile glóir dár naomh dhil!
Iarr'mid ort, a Phádraig, guí orainn na Gaela,
Dia linn lá 'gus oíche, 's Pádraig aspal Éireann.

Dóchas linn Naomh Pádraig, aspal mór na hÉireann,
Ainm oirdhearc gléigeal, solas mór an tsaoil é.
D'fhill le soiscéal grá dúinn ainneoin blianta 'ngéibheann.
Grá mór Mhac na Páirte d'fhuascail cách ón daorbhroid.

Bí Thusa Mo Shúile (Máire Brennan)

Bí thusa mo shúile a Rí mhór na ndúil
Líon Thusa mo bheatha, mo chéadfaí 's mo stuaim
Bí Thusa i m'aigne gach oíche 's gach lá
Im chodladh nó im dhúiseacht líon mé le do grá

Bí Thusa mo threorú i mbriathar is i mbeart
Fan Thusa go deo liom is coinnigh mé ceart
Glac cúram mar Athair is éist le mo ghuí
Is tabhair domhsa áit cónaí istigh i do chroí

Rich and Rare (Robin Tritschler and Iain Burnside)

Rich and rare were the gems she wore,        
And a bright gold ring on her wand she bore;        
But, O, her beauty was far beyond        
Her sparkling gems and her snow-white wand.        

"Lady! dost thou not fear to stray,              
So lone and lovely, through this bleak way?        
Are Erin's sons so good or so cold        
As not to be tempted by woman or gold?"        

"Sir Knight! I feel not the least alarm,        
No son of Erin will offer me harm;              
For though they love woman and golden store,        
Sir Knight! they love honour and virtue more!"        

On she went, and her maiden smile        
In safety lighted her round the green isle;        
And blest forever was she who relied              
Upon Erin's honour and Erin's pride!

Trasna Na dTonnta (Pádraig Mac Niocaill)

Curfá:
Trasna na dtonnta, dul siar, dul siar,
Slán leis an uaigneas 'is slán leis an gcian;
Geal é mo chroí, agus geal í an ghrian,
Geal a bheith ag filleadh go hÉirinn!

Chonaic mo dhóthain de Thíortha i gcéin,
Ór agus airgead, saibhreas an tsaoil,
Éiríonn an croí 'nam le breacadh gach lae
'S mé druidim le dúthaigh mo mhuintir!

Curfá:
Trasna na dtonnta, dul siar, dul siar,
Slán leis an uaigneas 'is slán leis an gcian;
Geal é mo chroí, agus geal í an ghrian,
Geal a bheith ag filleadh go hÉirinn!

Muintir an Iarthair 'siad cairde mo chroí,
Fáilte 'is féile bheidh romham ar gach taobh.
Ar fhágaint an tsaoil seo, sé ghuidhim ar an Rí
Gur leosan a shinfear i gcill mé.

Curfá:
Trasna na dtonnta, dul siar, dul siar,
Slán leis an uaigneas 'is slán leis an gcian;
Geal é mo chroí, agus geal í an ghrian,
Geal a bheith ag filleadh go hÉirinn!

Geal a bheith ag filleadh go hÉirinn!