School: Taobh Breac (roll number 15227)

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1. The Tricolour

   

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   1. It flittered across the heather, it sipped on the heather bells,
   Adown the bogs and boreens by the raths and holy wells.
   Away by the rippling streamlets over the new-mown hay
   Old and young saw it coming, and they thought it had come to stay.
   Was its wings of green, white and yellow as it perched on the thorn bush high
   That made our clasmen baptize it, the Republican Butterfly.

   2. In the lonely night-time dreaming with a knowledge full of the past
   Presaying what was coming, I felt that it would not last.
   For the storm would root the older trees, and the twigs bend in the breeze
   So I long for an early dawning with a bosom ill at ease
   For I felt the sacrifices were as shadows passing by
   When into the spider’s web, would drop the Republican Butterfly

   3. There’s a bean of jealous fiction has ruined the Nation's luck
   Whilst the higher lives primated with a foreign dirty muck.
   The loneliness of waiting does but make the hours long
   Add the weakness born of compromise is an exceptness of the wrong.
   So hid from the frosts of winter, the living grub will lie
   Till a warmer sun shall resurrect the Republican Butterfly.

   FINIS

   

   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