AN GAODHAL.
335
The Following Poem Explains Itself.
Air — “The Sprig of Shillelagh."
Dar m'fhallaing, a thighearna, gur mór í do cháil,
'Teachd análl, air son Sacsan, ó chríoch Innse-Fáil,
Led' chorachán gleusta 's gan uaithne 'nna bhárr. —
Do chroidhe lán de dhóthchus go d-tógfadh do sgóth,
Chum ríoghan na coróine, an corn gan stop —
Ár g-cupáinín gleoite, as a n-ólamuíd deoch,
A's ár m-bratach reultghlórmhar go buacach air phost,
'S gan a rígh ná a nimpir é sgaoile air lár,
Tá aguinne máirneulaigh, 's ní dheunamuid maoidheamh,
Ná léigfidh ár g-cosda do chló le coigríbh,
Ná ár g-caithréim do fhuadach déis cómhrach na m-bád.
Smuain air Aimreul O'Baire 's an taoiseach Paul Jones,
Chuir fóiréigean catha agus díth 'nna n-aimhdheoin,
Air chabhlach na Breataine a's stad air a fuaim;
A's ní ghnídhmíd d'a bharra san blomas ná geoin,
Gídh go m-beachdaíghim gur féid linn a dhéanadh má's gádh.
So do shláinte, a thighearna — ní leun liom a rádh,
Thug do mheisneach ar Éirinn — 's go n-déantar mé chrádh',
Go m-ba chóir duit í theanntúghadh a bh-fad ná'n bhainríoghan
Anois, tugaim cómhairle go deo dhuit a's déin —
Maitheas a's treoireachd dod' dhúthaigh bhochd féin —
Ní dóigh go bh-fuil buadh 'gat 'san tír so le fághail;
Budh chubhaidh duit díonúghadh do chríoch Innse-Fáil,
A beannacht ba sódh dhuit 'san ló dhuit bheith críon.
Tomás D. de Norradh.
Translation.
By gosh, Lord Dunraven, your fame must be full
To come hither from Ireland to fight for John Bull,
With your yacht rigged so neatly, tho ne’er a bit green ;
Your heart full of notions in hopes that your scup
Would to gracious Victoria, take over the cup,
Which the yankees have held and from which we do sup,
When the stars and the stripes are so gloriously up
That we fear neither anarchy, monarch nor queen.
You'll find we have sailors (although we don't boast),
Who won't let any foreigners bother our coast,
Nor run off with our laurels when conquered, I ween :
Think of commodore Barry and lusty Paul Jones,
Who fought on the ocean defending their homes;
They whipped old Britannia upon the high sea —
We can do it again (if a cause there should be) —
Take my word, Mr. Quinn, as foes we're not mean.
Then, a health, Lord Dunraven, you are a brave man,
But your courage is Irish and may I be d—ned,
But I think you should serve it instead of the queen ;
