782
AN GAOḊAL.
BRIAN BORU'S ADDRESS TO HIS ARMY.
With Translation by WILLIAM RUSSELL.
Air — “St. Patrick's Day.”
A Ċlanna na h-Éireonn! a laoċraḋ is fearra
Do ṫroid riaṁ le naṁaid, a m-bearnainn dainséara;
'S do ċruinniġ air ínntin ḃur d-tíre do sgaraḋ,
Go tapaḋ ó ċuing an strainséara ;
Gan suím ann ḃur saoġal, ná h-éimiġe an baoġal —
Aċ preabaiġe san ngleo 'na ḃ-fuil glóire le fáġail;
Agus ollaṁ ċúm éagaḋ air son Inse-Fáil —
Ḃúr leaṫan-ċloiḋiṁ sgiobaiḋe amaċ as a d-truailliḃ,
'S le h-uail-ċaṫa ḃinibeaċ tugaiḋe an buaḋ liḃ;
'S beiḋ laiḃréil na saoirse go buan air ḃur ngruaḋnaiḃ,
Do ḃara ḃur ngaisge, le Brian Bórúṁa!
Le mórtas do'n ġradam, ḃúr sínnsior do fuair,
Go minic air ṁaċairíḃ áir, ġraíḋe,
Sul ar lagaiġ mioċaingean díl-inis na m-buaḋ,
'S fá ċumas na daoirse a d'ḟág í —
Bioḋ ḃur m-brataċa óir, a's uaiṫne sróill,
Ṡuas leaṫanta lonnraċ, grínn ann aer;
Agus dilis do'n ġaisge a g-caṫaiḃ nár staon —
Anois saoraiġe o aicme ċlaon Ḋannar na toire,
Ḃur n-Eidin, tonn-ċriosta, fuair craoḃ na h-onóire,
No tuitiġe le laoċas, air ruaḋ-rae na glóire,
Air son firt agus Éirionn, le Brian Bórúṁa!
(Translation.)
Ye sons of old Erin! — the bravest that ever
Have grappled with foes, in the red van of danger;
And who, from our country, but yearn to sever
The grasp of the merciless stranger —
Now, lavish of life advance to the strife
Where glory’s the guerdon your hope that inspires;
And ready to die for the home of your sires —
Your keen, trusty death-dealing broad swords unsheathe,
While fiercely, the war-cry of vengeance ye breathe,
And liberty’s laurels your brows shall inwreathe,
To blazon your valor with Brian Borul
Inspired by the triumphs your forefathers won
On many a dread field of slaughter,
Ere discord, their dear isle of fame had undone,
And under oppression had brought her :—
Let your standards of green, and gold be seen,
Unrolled, with glittering sheen in air;
And true to the record for valor ye bear —
Now free from those vile Danish legions before you
The sweet, cherished, wave-girdled Eden that bore you,
Or perish ye brave! on the red field of glory,
For virtue and Erin with Brian Boru!
