Lyr Req: Dawn on the Irish Coast (John Locke)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dawn on the Irish Coast (John Locke)
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 26 Jan 09 - 04:43 AM

What a great thread - I hope Tully checked back in 7 years later and found it! Patricia, if you're still with us, a good online mail-order source for books of Irish interest is:

http://www.readireland.com/

Subject: Lyr Add: MORNING ON THE IRISH COAST (John Locke)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 26 Jan 09 - 01:02 AM

Here's the text copied and pasted from the Justin McCarthy anthology mentioned above:


THE EXILE'S RETURN, OR MORNING ON THE IRISH COAST.

Th' anám an Dhia* but there it is—
The dawn on the hills of Ireland!
God's angels lifting the night's black veil
From the fair, sweet face of my sireland!
O Ireland isn't it grand you look—
Like a bride in her rich adornin'?
And with all the pent-up love of my heart
I bid you the top o' the mornin'!

This one short hour pays lavishly back
For many a year of mourning;
I'd almost venture another flight,
There's so much joy in returning—
Watching out for the hallowed shore,
All other attractions scornin':
O Ireland! don't you hear me shout?
I bid you the top o' the mornin'.

Ho, ho! upon Cleena's shelving strand
The surges are grandly beating.
And Kerry is pushing her headlands out
To give us the kindly greeting;
In to the shore the seabirds fly
On pinions that know no drooping,
And out of the cliffs, with welcomes charged,
A million of waves come trooping.

O kindly, generous, Irish land
So leal and fair and loving!
No wonder the wandering Celt should think
And dream of you in his roving.
The alien home may have gems and gold
Shadows may never have gloomed it;
But the heart will sigh for the absent land
Where the love-light first illumed it.

And doesn't old Cove look charming there,
Watching the wild waves' motion,
Leaning her back up against the hills,
And the tip of her toes in the ocean?
I wonder I don't hear Shandon's bells—
Ah! maybe their chiming's over,
For it's many a year since I began
The life of a Western rover.

For thirty summers, asthore machree,
Those hills I now feast my eyes on
Ne'er met my vision save when they rose
Over memory's dim horizon.
E'en so, 'twas grand and fair they seemed
In the landscape spread before me;
But dreams are dreams, and my eyes would ope
To see Texas' sky still o'er me.

Oh! often upon the Texan plains,
When the day and the chase were over,
My thoughts would fly o'er the weary wave,
And around this coast-line hover;
And the prayer would rise that some future day—
All danger and doubting scornin'—
I'd help to win for my native land
The light of Young Liberty's mornin'!

Now fuller and truer the shore line shows—
Was ever a scene so splendid!
I feel the breath of the Munster breeze;
Thank God that my exile's ended!
Old scenes, old songs, old friends again,
The vale and cot I was born in—
O Ireland! up from my heart of hearts
I bid you the top o' the mornin'!


*Th' anám an Dhia, my soul to God.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE CALM AVONREE (John Locke)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 24 Jan 09 - 06:25 PM

The biographical page mentioned above quotes the first verse of this poem, which I also found in Irish Come-all-ye's by Manus O'Conor (New York: L. Lipkind, 1901), where it appears without attribution.


THE CALM AVONREE.

Bright home of my youth, my own sorrowing sireland,
My fond heart o'erflows and the tears dim mine eyes,
When I think of thee, far-distant, beautiful Ireland,
And the dark seas between me and you, my heart's prize.
Oft—oft do I sigh for the days of my childhood,
When I plucked the wild flow'rs on fair upland lea,
Or roamed the long day thro' the sweet, shady wildwood,
On the green, grassy banks of the calm Avonree.

Ah, me! could I fly o'er the dark, swelling ocean,
To the home of my heart, to the land of my love,
I'd be up on the wings with an exile's devotion,
And dare every danger the dark seas above.
Again would I roam thro' the fair, leafy bowers,
Where the boys used to drill ere I first crossed the sea;
And I'd weave for my Kathleen a garland of flowers,
On the green, grassy banks of the calm Avonree.

Again would I hear the wild thrush in his bower,
The loud-singing lark o'er the deep, mossy dell,
And the blackbird's soft song on the tall, wild tower
That shadows the clear-springing, sweet "Abbey well."
Once more would I hear the wild cuckoo's notes swelling,
Along the rich valley, o'er moorland and lea,
And the blithe sparrow's chirp 'round my own peaceful dwelling,
On the green, grassy banks of the calm Avonree.

But the day may yet come when I'll see thee soft smiling,
And gaze on thee fondly, fair, beautiful land;
I may yet live to see thro' thy narrow glens filing,
The exiles now cast on a fair, foreign strand.
I may fight for thee, too, ere the trees again blossom,
And see thee, my Erin, yet happy and free;
And my heart may yet rest on thy soft, dewy bosom,
In a green, grassy grave by the calm Avonree.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dawn on the Irish Coast (John Locke)
From: MartinRyan
Date: 23 Jan 09 - 03:10 PM

No mention of him in The Dictionary of Irish Biography nor in in the Oxford Concise Companion to Irish Literature , which is generally pretty thorough.

I like the Callan/Christian Brothers connection mentioned in the Wikipedia entry. Has a ring of truth about it.

Regards

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dawn on the Irish Coast (John Locke)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 23 Jan 09 - 02:43 PM

Searching the internet, it's hard to sort out references to John Locke the poet (1847-1889) from the vastly more frequent references to John Locke the philosopher (1632-1704). Fortunately, Wikipedia has articles about both—click the links.

I consulted a few anthologies, and the only poem by John Locke that they contain is the one quoted above.

What is probably the definitive copy of THE EXILE'S RETURN, OR MORNING ON THE IRISH COAST can be found here, in Irish Literature edited by Justin McCarthy et al., 1904.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dawn on the Irish Coast (John Locke)
From: GUEST,Joxer
Date: 22 Jan 09 - 05:05 AM

A great version of this was done by Jonathan Lynn of the Toronto band TIP Splinter on their CD "Shavings".
I don't know where you can get a copy of the CD but you can contact Jonathan at www.jonathanboblynn.com/

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dawn on the Irish Coast (John Locke)
From: GUEST,Mia
Date: 21 Jan 09 - 12:15 PM

Dose anyone know what other poems the author has written? Anything good?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dawn on the Irish Coast (John Locke)
From: ard mhacha
Date: 10 Jan 08 - 04:19 PM

`The touch of the master`s hand` Mo Cheol Thu, from RTE, this cassette including Irish music and poetry, also included is, Dawn on the Irish coast by Ciaran MacMathuna.
This Cassette can be purchased from, Ossian USA The Living Tradition.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dawn on the Irish Coast (John Locke)
From: GUEST,Another one I think . . . .
Date: 10 Jan 08 - 10:52 AM

http://www.ancestralirl.com/tp.gif

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dawn on the Irish Coast (John Locke)
From: GUEST,Patrick
Date: 10 Jan 08 - 10:18 AM

The complete poem, taken from a copy of a publication that I have, is copied on the following blog.

http://pippin-fieldsofgold.blogspot.com/

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dawn on the Irish Coast (John Locke)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Jul 07 - 02:53 AM

Hi, Patricia - usually, books come right up at either bookfinder.com or addall.com - sometimes the prces are outrageous, but there's usually a copy of just about any book available somewhere, if you want to pay the price.
Not in this case.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dawn on the Irish Coast (John Locke)
From: GUEST,Patricia Lodes
Date: 06 Jul 07 - 07:59 PM

Please tell me where I can purchase: Dawn on the Irish Coast: poems by John Locke/ "the poet of Ireland-in-Exile" edited with memoir and guide to Callan by James Maher

[e-mail]

Subject: Lyr Add: DAWN ON THE IRISH COAST
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 11 May 05 - 01:27 AM

Here's another version copied from RootsWeb.com: (It's the most complete version I've found so far, but still, whoever transcribed it was a bit careless with the punctuation and maybe some other details.)

DAWN ON THE IRISH COAST

T'anam chun Dia! there it is
The dawn on the hills of Ireland
God's angels lifting the night's black veil
From the fair sweet face of my sireland
Oh Ireland, isn't it grand you look,
Like a bride in her rich adorning
With all the pent up love of my heart
I bid you the top of the morning!

This one short hour pays lavish back,
For many a year of mourning
I'd almost venture another flight
There's so much joy in returning
Watching out for the hallowed shore
All other attractions scorning
Oh Ireland don't you hear me shout
As I bid you top of the morning!

Hi ho upon Cliodhna's shelving strand
The surges are grandly heating
And Kerry is pushing her headlands out
To give us the kindly greeting
Into the shore the sea birds fly
On pinions that know no drooping
And out on the cliffs with welcome charged
A million of waves come trooping.

Oh kindly generous Irishland,
So leal and fair and loving,
No wonder the wandering Celt should think
And dream of you in his roving,
The alien home may have gems and gold
Shadows may never have gloomed it
But the heart will sigh for the absent land
Where the lovelight first illumed it.

And doesn't old Cove look charming there
Watching the wild wave's motion
Leaning her back up against the hills
And the tip of her toes in the ocean
I wonder I don't hear Shandon's bells
Ah, maybe their chiming's over
For it's many a year since I began
The life of the western rover

For 30 summers, a stoir mo chroidhe
Those hills I now feast my eyes on
Neer met my vision save when they rose
Over memory's dim horizon
'Een so twas grand and fair they seemed
In the landscape spread before me
But dreams are dreams and my eyes would ope
To see Texas's skies still oer me.

Oh often upon the Texas plains
When the day and the chase were over
My thoughts would fly oer the weary wave
And around the coastline hover,
And the prayer would rise that some future day
All danger and doubting scorning
I'd help to win for my native land
The light of young liberty's morning.

Now fuller and truer the shore line shows
Was ever a scene so splendid?
I feel the breath of the Munster breeze
Thank God that my exile's ended
Old scenes, old songs, old friends again,
The vale and the cot I was born in
Oh Ireland up from my heart of hearts
I bid you the top of the morning!

Subject: RE: Lyrics for 'Glory be to God there it is dawn
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 10 May 05 - 06:42 PM

Here's another version of the first stanza, from a biographical page about John Locke:

T'anam chun Dia! but there it is-
The dawn on the hills of Ireland!
God's angels lifting the nights's black veil
From the fair, sweet face of my sireland!
O, Ireland! isn't it grand to look-
Like a bride in her rich adornin'!
With all the pent-up love of my heart
I bid you the top o'the morning'!

Subject: Lyr Add: DAWN ON THE IRISH COAST (John Locke)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 10 May 05 - 06:39 PM

Copied from cassidyclan.org, where it is attributed to John Locke. It doesn't seem 100% reliable, due to a couple of irregularities.

DAWN ON THE IRISH COAST

Glory to God but there it is
The dawn on the hills of Ireland
With all the pent up love in my heart
I bid you the top of the mornin'.

This one short hour pays lavishly back
For many a year of mourning
I'd almost venture another flight
There is so much joy in returning
Watching out for the hallowed shore
All other attractions scorning
O Ireland don't you hear me shout?
I bid you the top of the mornin'.

Ho ho upon Cloidlma's shelving strand
The surges are grandly beating
And Keary is pushing its headlands out
To give us the kindly greeting
To the shore the seabirds fly
On pinions that know no drooping
And out of the cliffs where welcomes charged
A million of waves come trooping.

O kindly generous Irish land
So leal and fair and loving
No wonder that wondering Celt should think
And dream of you in his roving
The alien home may have gems and gold
Shadows may have never have gloomed it
But the heart will sigh for the absent land
Where the love light first illumed it.

And doesn't old cove look charming there
Watching the wild waves motion
Leaning her back up against the hills
And the tip of her toe in the ocean
I wonder why I don't hear Shannon's bells
Ah! Maybe their chimings over
For its many a year since I began
The life of a western rover.

For thirty summers a stir me Chroialhe
Those hills I now feast my eyes on
Neer met my Vision save when they rose
Over memory's dim horizon
E'en so twas grand and fair they seemed
In the landscape spread before me
But dreams are dreams and my eyes would ope
To see Texas skies still o're me.

Subject: Lyrics for 'Glory be to God there it is dawn
From: Tully
Date: 17 Mar 99 - 12:55 PM

Does anyone know the lyrics to a song or poem that begins; "Glory be to God, there it is dawn on the hills of Ireland".