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16 Sep 15 - 12:09 AM (#3737569) Subject: Lyr Add: A Spray Of Shamrock From: GUEST,Mark Gregory A Spray Of Shamrock (1909) 'Tis but a spray of shamrock green, From Ireland's verdant sod, The symbol of our holy faith, "Three persons in one God ;" The emblem of that far-off land, To exiled hearts so dear A tie, that binds us to the past, A link, we love to bear. What recollections crowd this breast, As on its leaves I gaze. Old Tara's hills before me rise ; The fires upon them blaze ; And from their heights, a saintly nuwi Maikes clear to all around The saving truths; by aid of thee, Sweet spray, from Irish ground. And now I see a land made bright By charity's mild sway; From other shores across the wave Men come to learn and pray. A welcome kind, they always find A home, should they remain, Far from the balmy air of France And sunny fields of Spain. The scene has changed, and sorrow's shade Is o'er the blighted isle, For robber hordes, from shore to shore, Our sacred fanes defile. The priest's red blood now swells the flood From hilltops rushing down; The shamrock's green, has changed, I ween, To shade of ruddy brown. And then long years of bitter woe, Of struggles all in vain, Of martyrs brave, who nobly tried To snap the despot chain Of treachery, and butchery, And cruelties, so base That they cried aloud for vengeance To God in heaven's face. And why was this? Because the Celt Had loved his native sod, Because his soul revered the spots Where Patrick's feet oft trod; Because he would not change the faith His fathers held of yore-- Because to him 'twas sacred earth. The green-clad shamrock shore. Oh, shamrock spray, my heart to-day Leaped up in glad surprise, As from a sister's hand you came, To greet my longing eyes, you bore to me across the foam The sportive voice of spring, The smiling streams, the budding trees, The song the wild waves sing, The dear old home--and scenes I loved Before my vision spread, 'Till mingled tears of grief and joy Upon thy leaves I shed. And treasured by this loving heart For ever shall thou be, Oh, thrice blessed spray of shamrock, From Erin, o'er the sea. A CELT. Notes From the NSW Weekly Newspaper the Catholic Press Thursday 18 March 1909 p. 30. No tune given but the verses seem to fit well with the tune of the very popular Irish exile ballad "Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore" |