School: Taobh Breac (roll number 15227)

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1. The Gray Stone on the Heath

   

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   Missing (before The Gray Stone On the Heath starts:

   
   The Wild Rapparee (continued)
   5. But who be those horsemen so late in the storm!
   And what seems that glare? 'Tis the King's uniform!
   God grant that awake and not sleeping he be:
   There are hounds on the track of the Wild Raparee'

   6. 'Tis morn, and the horsemen return from the heath
   But the sword of the foremost is not in its sheath,
   Ah, no! on its bright point, all gory to see
   Is the head of the outlaw, the Wild Raparee.
   FINIS
   III The Gray Stone On The Heath.

   
   1. O, have you been to Coal-pit Hill
   Wheres the hares and moorcocks ‘bide,
   And the huge gray stone of a coffin shape
   Sleeps on the brown hillside
   Near the Giants Seat with the print of feet
   Down in the rock beneath?
   O some monster Celt of the olden time
   Hath made his home on this heath!

   2. They are relics these of a giant race
   That ruled ere Fionn held sway,
   In a distant era that finds no place
   In the pages of history.
   But they tell a tale of the ancient Gaedhal
   Though in letters it be not told
   It is written deep on the dark hillside
   And those relics the secret hold.

   3. Mayhap some giant shepherd dwelt
   Below in the valley there,
   Who oft at morn on the brown heath knelt
   To his heathen gods in prayer.
   And all day long his flocks among
   Caroll’d some ancient lay
   That told of valour or love or lore
   In the days when his sires held sway.

   4. And when at eve his flocks were penned
   In some quiet grassy spot
   Betook him, the quiet hours to spend
   To a neighbouring shepherd’s cot
   Or sought yon stream by the last faint gleam
   Of sunlight still caressed.
   While his wanderings disturbed but the patient flowers
   Or drove the coot from her nest.

   (continues on next page)

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Donnachadh E. Mac Congáile

   Gender

   Male

   Occupation

   Múinteoir

   Informant

   James Mc Loughlin

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Tievebrack, Co. Donegal

2. The Wild Raparee (continued)

   

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   (continued from previous page)

   5. But who be those horsemen so late in the storm?
   And what seems that glare? ‘Tis the King’s uniform!
   God grant that awake and not sleeping he be:
   There are hounds on the track of the Wild Raparee.

   6. ‘Tis morn, and the horsemen return from the heath.
   But the sword of the foremost is not in its sheath,
   Ah, no! on its bright point, all gory to see
   Is the head of the outlaw, the Wild Raparee

   Finis

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit