A Nation Once Again (Sons Of Erin)

#622: YouTube video by NLTreasure ©2009
~ Used with permission ~

When boyhood's fire was in my blood,
I read of ancient freemen,
For Greece and Rome who bravely stood,
Three hundred men and three men;
And then I prayed I yet might see,
Our fetters rent in twain,
And Ireland long a province be,
A nation once again.

A nation once again,
A nation once again,
And Ireland long a province be,
A nation once again.

And from that time, through wildest woe,
That hope has shone, a far light,
Nor could love's brightest summer glow,
Outshine that solemn starlight;
It seemed to watch above my head,
In forum, field and fane,
Its angel voice sang 'round my bed,
"A nation once again."

A nation once again,
A nation once again,
And Ireland long a province be,
A nation once again.

It whispered too that freedom's ark,
That service high and holy,
Would be profaned by feelings dark,
And passions vain and lowly;
For freedom comes from God's right hand,
And needs a Godly train,
And righteous men must make our land,
A nation once again.

A nation once again,
A nation once again,
And Ireland long a province be,
A nation once again.

So as I grew from boy to man,
I bent me to that bidding,
My spirit of each selfish plan,
And cruel passion ridding;
For thus I hoped some day to aid,
Oh, can such hope be vain,
When my dear country should be made,
A nation once again.

A nation once again,
A nation once again,
And Ireland long a province be,
A nation once again.

####.... Thomas Osbourne Davis [1814-1845], a founding member of the Young Ireland Movement ....####

This song was brought to the southern shore of Newfoundland by Irish immigrants.

Note: In 1842, along with Jon Blake Dillon and Charles Gavan Duffy, the Irish patriot Thomas Osbourne Davis founded the Young Ireland movement and The Nation newspaper which becomes one of the most widely-read newspapers in Ireland. He devoted the next three years to writing poems, songs and articles of general and historical interest for the paper, including such well-known ballads as The West's Awake and A Nation Once Again.
(Courtesy of the Thomas Davis Pipe Band, Mallow, County Cork, Ireland.)

The YouTube video above features an arrangement recorded by the Sons of Erin, with bandleader Ralph O'Brien, Johnnie Lynn, "Wee" John Cameron, and Denis Ryan on their self-titled album, Sons Of Erin, c.1970.

See more songs by Sons of Erin.

The YouTube video below features an excellent 12-string guitar performance by Tony Archibald from Port St. Mary on the Isle of Man.

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