Oh, the shamrock (Michael William Balfe)
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- (Posted 2024-01-17) CPDL #78788:
- Editor: David Anderson (submitted 2024-01-17). Score information: Letter, 12 pages, 569 kB Copyright: Personal
- Edition notes:
General Information
Title: Oh, the shamrock
Composer: Anonymous (Traditional)
Arranger: Michael William Balfe
Lyricist: Thomas Moore
Number of voices: 4vv Voicing: SATB
Genre: Secular, Partsong, Folksong
Language: English
Instruments: Piano
First published: 1859 J. Alfred Novello
Description: AIR: ALLEY CROKER
External websites:
Original text and translations
English text
Through Erin’s Isle
To sport awhile
As Love and Valour wander’d,
With Wit, the sprite,
Whose quiver bright
A thousand arrows squander’d;
Where’er they pass,
A triple grass
Shoots up, with dew-drops streaming,
As softly green
As emeralds seen
Through purest crystal gleaming.
Oh! the Shamrock, the green, immortal Shamrock!
Chosen leaf
Of Bard and Chief,
Old Erin’s native Shamrock!
Says Valour, “See,
They spring for me,
Those leafy gems of morning!” —
Says Love, “No, no,
For me they grow,
My fragrant path adorning.”
But Wit perceives
The triple leaves,
And cries, “Oh! do not sever
A type that blends
Three godlike friends,
Love, Valour, Wit, for ever!”
Oh! the Shamrock, the green, immortal Shamrock!
Chosen leaf
Of Bard and Chief,
Old Erin’s native Shamrock!
So firmly fond
May last the bond
They wove that morn together,
And ne’er may fall
One drop of gall
On Wit’s celestial feather.
May Love, as twine
His flowers divine,
Of thorny falsehood weed ’em:
May Valour ne’er
His standard rear
Against the cause of Freedom!
Oh! the Shamrock, the green, immortal Shamrock!
Chosen leaf
Of Bard and Chief,
Old Erin’s native Shamrock!