THE WEST'S ASLEEP
Thomas Davis
When all beside a vigil keep,
The West's asleep, the West's
asleep -
Alas! and well may Erin weep
When Connacht lies in slumber
deep.
There lake and plain smile fair
and free,
'Mid rocks their guardian
chilvary.
Sing, Oh! let men learn liberty
From crashing wind and lashing
sea.
That chainless wave and lovely
land
Freedom and nationhood demand;
Be sure the great God never
planned
For slumb'ring slaves a home so
grand.
And long a brave and haughty
race
Honoured and sentinelled the
place.
Sing, Oh! not even their son's
disgrace
Can quite destroy their glory's
trace.
For often, in O'Connor's van,
To triumph dashed each Connacht
clan,
And fleet as deer the Normans
ran
Thro' Corrsliabh Pass and
Ardrahan;
And later times saw deeds as
brave,
And glory guards Clanricarde's
grave,
Sing, Oh! they died their land
to save
At Aughrim's slopes and
Shannon's wave.
And if, when all a virgil keep,
The West's asleep! the West's
asleep!
Alas! and well may Erin weep
That Connacht lies in slumber
deep,
But, hark! a voice like thunder
spake,
The West's awake! the West's
awake!
Sing, Oh! hurrah! let England
quake,
We'll watch till death for
Erin's sake!
Footnote : To celebrate Ireland reaching the last sixteen of the 2002
World Cup here is another song commemorating the Irish Rising of 1798 -
Bliain na bhFrancach ( The Year of the French ).
