--" Vm # THE GLEN COLLECTION OF SCOTTISH MUSIC Presented by Lady Dorothea Ruggles- Brise to the National Library of Scotland, in memory of her brother, Major Lord George Stewart Murray, Black Watch, killed in action in France in 1914. 2Uh January 1927. ^vO Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from National Library of Scotland http://www.archive.org/details/spiritofnationbaOOppdu DUBLIN: PUBLISHED BY JAMES DUFFY, 23, ANGLE SEA- STREET. X y5^t icjb BALLADS AND SONGS THE WRITERS OF "THE NATION," OKIGINAL AND ANCIENT MUSIC, ARRANGED FOR THE VOICE AND PIANO-FORTE. DUBLIN: PUBLISHED BY JAMES DUFFY, 23, ANGLESEA-STREET. 1845. DUBLIN : PRINTED ISY T. COLDWELL, 50, CAPEL-STREET. PREFACE. It is hardly necessary to tell our Irish readers that the Ballads and Songs, collected here, were originally published, from week to week, in The Nation newspaper, since its establishment in October, 1842. Two-thirds of the verses in this volume have never been reprinted from the newspaper till now ; but a portion of them are re-edited from the original Spirit of the Nation. In March, 1843, we printed a little sixpenny book, containing the poems which had appeared in our paper up to that date. Last autumn a second part appeared. The success of the work was marvellous. It was seized on by Ireland's friends as the first bud of a new season, when manhood, union, and nationality, would replace submission, hatred, and provincialism. It was paraded by our foes as the most alarming sign of the decision and confidence of the national party, and, accordingly, they arraigned it in the press, in the meeting, in parliament, and, finally, put it on its trial with "the conspirators of Ireland." Its circulation was proportionate. It went through several editions here, was extracted into all the periodicals in Britain, and, passing to America, was reprinted by a dozen publishers. It is to be found everywhere, from the English Admiral's cabin to the Irish peasant's—from Dublin to Boston, to Sydney, and to Calcutta. VI PREFACE. Yet that little book was coarsely printed, was full of typographical errors, contained some unmistakeable rubbish, and had no music. The work which is here offered to Ireland contains thrice as many poems, is almost free from errors of the press, is beautifully printed, not unfavoured by art, and compa- nioned with more music than many a costly collection. There are in this volume no less than seventeen original airs composed for it, and twenty-two old Irish airs, arranged for the voice with piano accompa- niments. Among the old airs are many of the finest and scarcest. Most of the original airs are of a proud and fierce character, and peculiarly fitted for bands and chorus singing. The greatest achievement of the Irish people is their music. It tells - then history, climate, and character ; but it too much loves to weep. Let us, when so many of our chains have broken, when our strength is great and our hopes high, cultivate its bolder strains—its raging and rejoicing; or, if we weep, let it be like men whose eyes are lifted, though their tears fall. Music is the first faculty of the Irish, and scarcely any thing has such power for good over them. The use of this faculty and this power, publicly and constantly, to keep up their spirits, refine their tastes, warm their courage, increase then- union, and renew their zeal, is the duty of every patriot. We are now putting in their reach a number of new and noble airs, and others so scarce as to be little known, and so beautiful, as to deserve to be known by every one. Will not the temperance bands learn to play these airs, and the young men, ay, and the young women, of the temperance societies learn to sing our songs, and chorus them till village and valley ring ? If they do, we care not into how many or how few of the drawing-rooms of England or America this book of ours will reach. It will have done its work, and entered into the heart of Ireland, for good and for ever. Nation Office, 1st January, 1845. — * , THE SPIRIT OF THE NATION. FAG AN BEALACH. =fc*« m &± 1—*z S* -^r J. .J, #< Allegro. for its ranks are p "Hope no more Fa-ther-land ; All ftrfckgft-ste fcq [S M-N. fs-i-N' Nl-N -*- #--#- -*- r,-m- -m-m.-9-. -5- -•- •*- -i- -•- MA—fc-Aj_A-A Bl^^iSS 133 *=* H^P* " I _j -^j-L-^ i 0— j *— U 4- 4- V I -£# T* Cttejc. fc ^3t «=£: £=*: =¥£ 3t^ its: 1r-tr thinn'd or broken,"^^—Long abase and cow-ard band Recreant words like these have spoken -#-«- -*- -*- -*-~-+- — -m- -&--&- -m- -*- -•- w Cresc.- fcrfc H »>n #=*: i=i ^ »-» ? r * Fig an bealach, clear the way. " The t) is scarcely heard in speaking, and is omitted in some printed works (incorrectly)." Owen Connettan's Practical Grammar of the Irish Language, p. 9S. Thns: a' Cft|f)e, t/tefire; a' beAL\C, the way. — N — A / J» r •- I :*=ii M £ m But WE preach a land a- wok -en; Fa - ther-land is true and tried, -#- 13 *: lP / 3i£ ^=* at-if! * g 3T== * is -S#- h**2- S N "Tsn S5 Z * . j 4 *=£§ As your fears ara false and hoi- low ; Slaves and Dastards, stand a - side *» ff=S d—=1- ill -«- -a- -©- ^r^ff 5B3E * A P=3 ^ -qt 3r -*£ # A— P^P*1 P^^g^ 3=2 erq? Knaves and Trai- tors, f^5 at) beA-lAC ! Knaves and Trai-tors, 1:^5 at) beAlac ! !S "** i tf" 3PT ^=f3 ^r - -*- r -f ?? r r —; : :; THE SPIRIT OF THE NATION. FAG AN BEALACH.* A National Hymn. BY CHARLES GAVAN DUFFY. I. " Hope no more for Fatherland, ;" All its ranks are thinned or broken Long a base and coward band Recreant words like these have spoken, But We preach a land awoken Fatherland is true and tried As your fears are false and hollow Slaves and Dastards stand aside Knaves and Traitors, FAG AN BEALACH! ii. Know, ye suffering brethren ours, Might is strong, but Bight is stronger Saxon wiles or Saxon powers Can enslave our land no longer Than your own dissensions wrong her * " FAG AN BEALACH, Clear the road f or, as it is vulgarly spelt, Faugh a Ballagh, was the cry with which the clans of Connaught and Munster used in faction fights to come through a fair with high hearts and smashing shillelahs. The regiments raised in the South and West took their old shout with them to the Continent. The 87th, or Royal Irish Fusileers, from their use of it, went generally by the name of " The Faugh a Bollagh Boys." " Nothing," says Napier, in his History of the Peninsular War— " nothing so startled the French soldiery as the wild yell with which the Irish Regiments sprung to the charge ;" and nevor was that haughty and intolerant shout raised in battle, but a charge, swift as thought and fatal as flame, came with it, like a rushing incarnation of FAG AN BEALACH! B2 — ; ; ; ; ——— THE SPIRIT OF THE NATION. Be ye one in might and mind Quit the mire where Cravens wallow And your foes shall flee like wind From your fearless FAG AN BEALACH! m. Thus the mighty Multitude Speak in accents hoarse with sorrow " We are fallen, but unsubdued " Show us whence we Hope may borrow, " And we'll fight your fight to-morrow. " Be but cautious, true, and brave, " Where ye lead us we will follow " Hill and valley, rock and wave, " Shall echo back our FAG AN BEALACH!" IV. Fling our Sun-burst to the wind, Studded o'er with names of glory Worth, and wit, and might, and mind, Poet young, and Patriot hoary, Long shall make it shine in story. Close your ranks—the moment 's come NOW, ye men of Ireland follow Friends of Freedom, charge them home Foes of Freedom, FAG AN BEALACH!* * To make the general tone, and some of the allusions in this song intelligible, we should, perhaps, mention that it was written in October, 1842,when the hope and spirits of the people were low ; and published in the third number of the Nation, as the Chartei- Song of the contributors. ! ! ; A; THE SPIRIT OF THE NATION. 5 LAMENT FOR THE DEATH OF EOGHAN EUADH O'NEILL. (COMMONLY CALLED OWEN ROE o'NEIL.) BY THOMAS DAVIS. Time—10th Not., 1649. Scene—Ormond's Camp, County Waterford. Speakers— Veteran of Owen O'Neill's clan, and one of the horsemen, just arrived with an account of his death. I. " Did they dare, did they dare, to slay Owen Hoe O'Neil ?" ' Yes, they slew with poison him, they feared to meet with steel.' "May God wither up their hearts! May their blood cease to flow! May they walk in living death, who poisoned Owen Roe ii. Though it break my heart to hear, say again the bitter words." ' From Derry, against Cromwell, he marched to measure swords But the weapon of the Saxon met him on his way, And he died at Cloc Uactair, upon Saint Leonard's Day.' in. "Wail, wail ye for The Mighty One ! Wail, wail ye for the Dead; Quench the hearth, and hold the breath—with ashes strew the head. How tenderly we loved him ! How deeply we deplore Holy Saviour ! but to think we shall never see him more. IV. Sagest in the council was he, kindest in the hall, Sure we never won a battle—'twas Owen won them all.