The Spirit of Tipperary: A Collection Of Poems And Ballads

By Pádraig Ó Meara and Tomás Mac Domhnaill

A collection of poems and ballads, which illustrate Tipperary's connection with the various phases of Irish history. From the Norman invasions, right up to the 1916 Rising, this meticulously compiled anthology documents Tipperary's involvement in Ireland's tale through the voices of Tipperary poets.

A must read for Irish history and literature enthusiasts alike, this wonderful collection features poems and ballads in both English and Irish.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pádraig O'Meara
• Release date: Jan 21, 2019
• ISBN: 9788832500073

Book preview

The Spirit of Tipperary

A Collection Of Poems And Ballads

Pádraig Ó Meara

Tomás Mac Domhnaill

The Spirit of Tipperary

PART 1

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A COLLECTION OF POEMS AND BALLADS

Illustrating Tipperary’s connection with the various phases of Irish History

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AND

CUID A DÓ

Filí agus filíocht Thiobraid Árann Cnuasacht de Sheoda filíochta a Chum filí Thiobraid Árann ó aimsir an Chéitinnigh anuas Curtha in eagar ag:

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Pádraig Ó Meara, M.a., O.S. agus

Tomás Mac Domhnaill, M.a., M.Sc., O.S.

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Foilsithe ag:

The Guardian Company, Aonach, Co. Thiobraid Arann

Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

THE SPIRIT OF TIPPERARY

LETTER ODHRAIN

THE BATTLE OF SULCHOID

THE MUNSTER WAR SONG

THE BATTLE OF THURLES

AT CASHEL

HOLYCROSS

O’BRIEN OF ARA

O’DONNELL’S MARCH

O’SULLIVAN’S RETREAT

THE DEFENCE OF CLONMEL

GALLOPING O’HOGAN

SHAUN O’DWYER

EAMONN AN CHNUIC

THE PENAL MASS AT URRA

A SCENE IN THE SOUTH

THE VOW OF TIPPERARY

THE MATCHLESS MEN OF TIPPERARY

O’DONNELL OF TIPPERARY

THE FELONS

A CHUISLE GHEAL MO CHROIDHE

THE OUTLAW’S WIFE

RORY OF THE HILL

MICHAEL O’DWYER

MY IRISH COTHAMORE

ON CARDEN’S WILD DOMAIN

THE IRISH PEASANT GIRL

THE DYING GIRL

FATHER MATHEW

IRELAND’S LAMENT

THE PEELER AND THE GOAT

PATRICK SHEEHAN

A SONG FOR THE GAELIC ATHLETIC CLUBS

THE OLD STOCK

THE MAN UPRIGHT

OF A POET PATRIOT

THE MOUNTAINY MEN

THE PLACE WHERE I WAS BORN

MY COAT OF FRIEZE

I LOVE YOU, TIPPERARY

ALL FOR IRELAND

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

CUID a DÓ

RÉAMHRÁ

MILIS AN TEANGA AN GHAEILGE –

CAOIN THÚ FEIN

ÓM’ SCEOL AR ÁRD MHAIGH FAIL

MO BHEANNACHT LEAT A SCRÍBHINN

MÚSCAIL DO MHISNEACH, A BHANBA

ÉAMONN AN CHNOIC

’S A CHÚIL ÁLAINN DEAS

BEAN DUBH AN GHLEANNA

CAITLÍN NÍ UALLACHÁIN

CEANGAL

UAILL GHUTH AN AOIBNIS

CLIODHNA NA CARRAIGE

PÉ ‘N ÉIRINN Í

A PHÁDRAIG NA NÁRANN

NA SLÁINTE

AN BRÉIDÍN

AN DAIR CHUMHRA

GAOTH AN EARRAIGH

WANDERLUST

CILL CHAIS

SEÁN Ó DUIBHIR AN GHLEANNA

SLIABH NA MBAN

PRÍOSÚN CHLUAIN MEALA

CAISEAL MUMHAN

AN SPAILPÍN FÁNACH

INÍON AN FHAOIT’ ÓN NGLEANN

TÁILLIÚIR NA CARRAIGE

IDIR CLUAIN GHEAL MEALA AGUS CARRAIG NA SIÚIRE

TIOBRAD ÁRANN

BEATHAÍ NA NÚDAR

TOMÁS MAC DOMHNAILL, M.A., M.SC.

PÁDRAIG Ó MEÁRA, MA

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Preface

This little anthology has been compiled with a view to providing Tipperary school-children with a suitable selection of Gaelic and Anglo-Irish poems.

In Part 1 the editors have confined themselves to poems and ballads with a definitely historical association with Tipperary; and while in the main, the authors are Tipperary-born, suitable poems by other authors have been included.

The collection does not claim to be exhaustive, as the scope of the work precludes the inclusion of many excellent poems.

For valuable assistance in the compilation of the anthology, the editors wish to express their grateful acknowledgment to the following:-

Mr. Sean Connolly, inspector of National Schools, Nenagh, who originally suggested the idea of such a volume and gave active help in the search for and selection of material;

Mr. James Fenton, Deputy Chief inspector of Schools, whose useful suggestions, advice and encouragement were fully appreciated and availed of:

District Justice Gleeson, Clare, who gave valuable information on various historical points arising from the poems;

Mr. S. Brennan, County Librarian, Thurles, who gave every assistance in tracing pertinent books, and placed the resources of the library at the editors’ disposal;

Mr. D. J. Gleeson, editor The Guardian, Nenagh, who assisted in the collection of material, the reading of proofs, and the preparation of the volume for publication;

Messrs. L.P. Gleeson, Solicitor, Nenagh; J.J. Hassett, Barnane;

S. O’Grogan, Longford; R. Quinn, Friar Street, Thurles; Professor Thomas Lee, St. Patrick’s Training College, Drumcondra, for help in various ways in procuring material.

The preparation of historical materials for the maps illustrating three of the poems was carried out by the editors and Mr. Sean Connolly, inspector of Schools. They were assisted by Rev. Dr. Corcoran, S.J., Professor of Education, University College Dublin, who drew the maps. In all this, the convenience of many of our elder readers has been consulted, by retaining names in their Anglo-Irish forms, still kept in use on the official maps of the country. In all our schools, students are now happily guided by their teachers to execute from such data their own fully detailed Irish maps, with additions [maps: revised in 2016] for which the accounts provided with the poems will be found useful.

Acknowledgments

The editors wish to express their thanks and acknowledgment to the following who have kindly given permission to include poems for which they hold copy-right: -

The Talbot press, Ltd., Dublin – Galloping O’Hogan, from, Prose, Poems and Parodies by Percy French. O’Sullivan’s Retreat from Ballads of Irish Chivalry by Robert Dwyer Joyce. The Man Upright. Eamonn an Chnuic, and Of a Poet Patriot from The poetical Works of Thomas Mac Donagh.

James Duffy & Co., Ltd., – O’Brien of Ara, A Scene in the South, The Vow of Tipperary, and The Matchless Men of Tipperary, from the Collected poems of Thomas Davis. The Munster War Song and The Dying Girl from the Collected poems of R.D. Williams.

M.H. Gill & Son – Tipperary and O’Donnell of Tipperary from Collected poems of Eva of The Nation. The Outlaw’s Wife and A Chuisle Gheal Mo Chroidhe from The Felon’s Track. The Felons from, Meagher of the Sword.

E. Downey & Co., Waterford – The Defence of Clonmel from My Clonmel Scrap Book.

Brian O’Higgins – I Love you Tipperary, from Songs of Glen-na-Mona.

Padraig Colum – At Cashel, from Collected poems.

District Justice Gleeson – The Mountainy Men, The Old Stock, and The Place Where I Was Born (published in Nenagh Guardian)

Sean O’Grogan, Longford – poems of Darby Ryan, from manuscript material.

Dr. P. Browne, Maynooth – Wanderlust and Gaoth an Earraigh.

Rev. T. Daly, C.C., Silvermines – Letter Odhrain from The Penal Mass by Canon Cunningham.

Do-chum Glóire Dé agus Onóra na h-Éireann

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THE SPIRIT OF TIPPERARY

Tipperary – (Eva)

(Air: See The Spirit of the Nation)

The gallant stand against oppression made by the Tipperary men – foremost amongst whom was her cousin, the great John O’Leary – so won the admiration of the noble soul of Eva that she poured forth her unstinted praise in a song that cannot fail to stir the heart of every true Tipperary man.

Were you ever in sweet Tipperary, where the fields are so sunny and green,

And the heath-brown Sliabh Bloom and the Galtees look down with so proud a mien?

Oh, ‘tis there you would see more beauty than is on all Irish ground:

God bless you, my sweet Tipperary, for where could your match be found?

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They say that your heart is fearful, that darkness is in your eye;

But I’ll not let them dare to utter so bitter and black a lie,

Oh, no, machushla sthoirin, bright, bright and warm are you,

With heart as bold as the men of old, to yourselves and your country true:

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And when there is gloom upon you, bid them think who has brought it there;

Sure, a frown or a word of hatred were not made for your face so fair.

You’ve a hand for the grasp of friendship, another to make them quake,

And they’re welcome to which so ever it pleases them most to take.

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Shall our homes, like the huts of Connaught, be crumbled before our eyes?

Shall we fly, like a flock of wild geese, from all that we love and prize?

No; by those who were here before us! no churl shall our tyrant be—

Our land it is theirs by plunder, but, by Brigid; ourselves are free!

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We ne’er can forget the greatness did once to our isle belong;

No traitor or craven spirit was ever our race among,

And no frown or no word of hatred we give –but, to pay

them back,

In evil, we only follow our enemy’s darksome track!

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Oh come for a while among us, and give us a friendly hand,

And you’ll see that old Tipperary is a loving and gladsome land;

from Upper to Lower Ormond bright welcomes and smiles will spring,

On the plains of Tipperary, the stranger is like a king.

LETTER ODHRAIN –

(Canon Cunningham)

Latracha Odhrain was the ancient name of Latteragh, a Townland in the parish of Templederry, Co. Tipperary. It was on a level space on the hillside of Latteragh that St.Odhran built his famous monastery and school about the year 500. It was, as father Gleeson states in his interesting history of the Ely O’Carroll territory, probably one of the most ancient of the monasteries and schools of the district. Lewis describes it as ‘an extensive seat of learning’; and it continued such, as well as a centre of piety till the occupation of the place by the Norman family, De Marisco, or Morris (later Morrissey) about the year 1200. Odhran was a contemporary of St. Patrick who died in 461.

Joyce says: ‘Latteragh in Tipperary is very often mentioned in the annals and calendars, and always called Letrecha-Odhrain: Odhran’s wet hill-slopes,’ St. Odhran is commemorated in the calendar on the 26th November. Topographis Hibernica states that he died of the plague on 2nd October, 548. It adds that he had 3,000 scholars re- markable for their learning and piety.

The name Templeorum, near Fiddoun, Co. Kilkenny, is another form of Teampull Odhrain, the Church of St. Odhran. Several town lands in Co. Tipperary are called Killoran, the Church of Odhran. (Gleeson).

Apattern in honour of the Saint is held at the holy well in Latteragh on august 15th. Medran was Odhran’s brother. They were of royal birth, and the poem closely follows an old legend concerning the two.

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Odhran and Medran, who had long,

in brotherly accord,

Together in their lone retreat at Letter,

served the Lord,

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Agreed some place to seek where yet,

His Name was not confessed,

His Gospel there to preach, and there

Together in him rest.

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But when they had to Saighir come,

A blessing on their way

From holy Kieran to obtain,

There Medran wished to stay:

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Such peace in Kieran’s abbey reigned,

Such joy therein he felt;

He envied so their part who there

In heavenly union dwelt.

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But Odhran to his mind recalled

The vow they jointly made,

And, his reluctance to o’ercome,

Sought holy Kieran’s aid.

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Who said: "Between you, brothers both,

Let God himself decide:

Whether good Medran hence must go

Or, he with me abide.

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If, with a breath, upon it blown,

This taper he can light,

Let him remain; if not, with thee

Let him depart outright."

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So Medran in his blessed hand

The taper took, and lo!

"Twas lighted, as if touched by God,

When he thereon did blow.

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Then Kieran blessed the Lord, and said:

Here Medran shall sojourn;

And Odhran, thou –God wills it so—

To