Rafterys Poems
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F OREWORD R To all who b elieve that igh t, Justice and Liberty is the inali enable heritage of all p eopl es ; To all those who despise hypo crisy and double dealing in individual s as well as in N 0 11 of ati s , To every true lover and b eliever in, th e ideals and fundamental principles upon which genuine democratic of republ icanism is based , I dedicate this volume my simp le n d n o rhyming . A , if, but o e in th e vast number of my fell w men wh o h as heretofore allowed o thers to do his thinking a for him , will only awaken to the fac t, and th t through the i p erusal of th s volume , th at th e C reator of th e universe i “ endowed all mank nd with , as Lord Lytton put i t , Such j ewels as the exploring m ind br ings from th e c aves of knowl huold b ll edge, namely, brains to use as they s e used by a men for the U p lifting and betterment of all mankind , then I have not l ived my life in vain . The Author . N —All h t c ote . of t e poems here in wi h dates atta hed were pub lished at the time sp ecified in Irish and Irish - American weekly newspap ers and magaz ines . C opyrigh t 19 22 By RAF TE RY P U B LI S H I N G C O h ca o C i g . (3 31 1 6 8 3 7 1 7 I t SEP20 ' 22 F IRE LANDS H ALL O FAME . - Call the roll their names are legion , ’ - Glory s page can hold th em all , ’ l h o, th ey com e from every region, s Cloister , cottage , ca tle , hall . Th eirs the deeds that history ’ s p ages Hold as annals we should frame , To enl ighten future ages In th e Irish hal l of fame . C all the ro ll—let chief and p easant In on e grand assemblage meet , W e wh o glory in the present W ill th eir deed s of valor greet . ’ Let th e shades of th e O C onn or B ear the ir gr and and kingly name , To a place of fitting ho nor , In th e Irish h all of fame . — C all th e roll the cloud is rising , Th rough th e darkness come s th e dawn B h O e ! ringing smiles of p , apprising ’ E rin s nigh t of gloom h as gone . Let her honored shield b e brightened An d embl azon there each name In a scroll of gold enlightened By th e glory of their fame . a Brian Boru , Clontarf h s crowned thee K ingly sire , without a p eer ; M alachy , th e gold coll ar round thee P ’ rove s a h ero s priz e you wear . Roe b Owen Ben urb , th e glorious , G e O N of r at eill red hand name , ’ Puts Tyrone s proud sons victorious In th e Irish h al l of fame . ’ C — n ll all th e roll l et th e O D on e , P u rincely ch ieftain , shou t Ab , To th e clansmen of Tyr Connell , I Valiant rishm en and true . Shane th e p roud , Red Hugh the migh ty . G rand in h istory stands each name . E t r in b ows o th em no t ligh tly , In o h er glori us h all o f fame . C th e — all roll let thane and clansman , C i h eftain brave and warrior bold , They wh ose fierc e , defiant sl o gan A d l nswere fo e in days of o d, F all in l ine and take their p laces , While loved E rin writes each name Unto their all otted Sp aces In th e Irish hall of fame . 3 ’ P B rien s Th o n roud O , ch iefs of m o d G f lorious stood thy nam e o old , E re the coward traitor sold it S ’ For the cursed axon s gold . m Title wore thee free fro fetters , ’ Bright thou then kept freedom s flame , ’ An d twill glow in shining l etters In the Irish hall of fame . ’ O Rou rk B r ff n i w e e of e , forget not Mighty d eeds of valiant men ; ’ C Malle McDerm ott ome , O y, come , , From each Conn augh t vale and glen ; Loved th ee well our holy Ireland , ’ With a love th at ne er knew shame , ’ Well you ll answer for your s irelan d In the Irish hall of fame . M C ar h The c t y clan s assemble , ’ Desmond s bravest round wil l cl ing ; ’ ’ C e ome , you brav , wh o d ne er dissemble , ’ ’ n o A d O T ole s proud stand ard bring, Erin ’ s valiant chiefs undaunted Will like gems from out the frame Tel l a nation ’ s tal e unvaunted In I our rish hall of fame . ’ ’ ’ We ve O B yrn es and O L ou gh lin s ; ’ ’ ’ ’ fi Dowd We ve O Du y and O , ’ An d s t Cler th e ma er mind , O y, Who of those would not feel proud ? M P llin a Lai MacCu llin an ac a , M c g, , u mh ill Finn Mac C a , every name Adds each one a ray of lustre To th e Irish h all of fame . Th o ’ the tyrant’ s foo t has trampled o ’ er For centuri es agone The clay of those great men of yore , Their memory still l ives on ; ’ And twill burst forth grand and glorious In a wreath o f heavenly flame , W hen a nation stand s victorious ’ Fore the Irish hall of fame . Call th e rol l—th e blush of d awning ’ O er E e I our m rald sle i s shed , ’ In th e light of freedom s morning We cannot forget the dead . The dead whose lives wer e given T ’ o uphold a nation s name , In deathless lines let them be riven In the Irish hall o f fame . 4 — ’ Call th e roll tis P atrick S ar s field a Le ds the brave of G arryowen . Come , thou murdered Father Sheehy , C om e, Fitzgerald and Wolfe Tone , Brave young E mmett . gal lant Dwyer , 0 , how brilliant will each name Shine until the day of judgment In th e Irish hall of fame . Father Quigley , Fathers Murphy , H Brothers John and enry Sh eares , P b hilp ot Curran , right your p leading Shines through al l the maze of ye ars . E E sm on d McN ev in mmet , e and , o ’ Far med thou fire f freedom s flame . G reat and grand will b e the rol l call I n ou r Ir ish hall of fame . ’ M ll Grace O a ey, answer queenly T r an u aile o the call of G , th 0 From e skies . li on of Judea , ‘ l Tru mpet forth th e name McH a e. ’ Thom as Moor e and Dan O Con n ell ' h W ith Dean Swift from ou t t e frame , W il l like priceless gems shine radiant n I the Irish hall of fame . on e ! L g th e list of nam s , 0 , Ireland s Daughters , son , al l tried and true , ir elan d Who in love gave all to s , ’ H i gh their hearts e er b eat for you . t G en le writers of Th e N ation , “ ’ E v m a crowned in freedom s fla e . ” “ ” With Speranz a and May Downing , ’ S hine in E rin s hall of fame . D ay l s Thomas C larenc e Mangan , I m Kickh am f ngra . , sons o song , H ea t r s of oak that h eat within thee , T o loved E rin did b elong . What a wealth of love and feel ing ’ Wound th ee round h er hall owed name ’ How twill thril l th e millions kneeling ’ I Fore the rish hal of fame . S tatesmen , leaders, Flood and Grattan, I saac Butt, the loved P arnell , Leal did you an d your col leagues f r Work for su fe ing E rin well . From the long list true and s teady ’ S vi h ines th e light of D a tt s name , ’ E rin s loyal soul s s tand ready To fill her pro ud h all of fame . 5 C — all the rol l let dauntless Fenian , “ ” True United Irishmen , W h e o in h art and soul were freemen , S pirit rallying, stand again , Wh il e th e tra itor , knave and coward, Trembling hang th eir heads in shame When a nation ’ s flag waves proudly ’ er O the Irish hall of fame . W ould th at p en of mine had p ower , W ould that brain of m ine could p e-n ’ E s rin p ast until this hour , That h er scattered children then G lorying in h er grand traditions , ’ Rallied round h er ancient name , An d in bright undying l etters , R ear th e Irish h al l of fam e.