School: Leachtbhruadair (Loughfooder) (roll number 14366)

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1. To the Old Tongue

   

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   This poem was composed by Mr Patrick Robinson in the year 1895.
   The poet was a great lover of the Irish Language. It was written into this book in December 1938, from a copy in the possession of Mr Denis Collins of Loughfouder, Knocknagoshel, Co Kerry

   
   When our Nation was known as the Island of Saints,
   (And) Our tongue uncorrupted by greed or malignity,
   Dictated defiance to Normans and Danes
   With a spirit whose grandeur arose from its dignity

   Till we bartered that birthright our Brehons and Bards
   Despised the great jargon that Irishmen stammer
   We discarded the language we got from the Lord
   And to-day we can't jabber intelligent grammar

   Ere Clovis was crowned on the banks of the Seine,
   As monarch of France to establish a realm,
   Ere the Norman, the Teuton, the Saxon or Dane
   Had a school, Irish students commanded the helm

   Then our tongue gave its mandate alike to the foe
   Defending our homes stood our clansmen and warriors
   But our language is Cockney to-day, and we know

   (continues on next page)

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Mícheál P. Ó Murchadha

   Gender

   Male

   Occupation

   Teacher

   Address

   Knocknagashel, Co. Kerry

   Informant

   Mr Denis Collins

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Lackbrooder, Co. Kerry