Chieftain of Tyrconnell (Graves, set by C. Stanford) (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


Sore misery to Erin, that you spread
Your sails for far-off Espan, Hugh the Red!
But sorest doom that on a foreign strand
Quenched your keen eye and from your falt'ring hand
Has struck down the faithful brand.

Who now for us shall sweep the cattle spoil
In bellowing tumult o'er the foamy Foyle?
And till the steers are driven dispersed to sward,
Hurl back, like thee, the Avenger from the ford,
Hugh O'Donnell of the Sword?

Who now upon the plunderers from the Pale
Shall wreck the fiery vengeance of the Gael?
With sudden onslaught strike the Saxon crew
And smite them as you smote them through and through,
Chieftain of Tyrconnell, who?

Last who like thee, with comforts manifold
Shall keep and cherish sick and poor and old?
For ah! thy open ever-flowing store
Of food and drink and clothing maet galore
Fails them now for evermore.

Input by Ted Perry

Authorship

Alfred Perceval Graves (1846-1931)

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

Sir Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924)

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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