O'Connell Centenary Song (1875)
Air : Cruiskeen Lawn.
A century ago,
In days of darkest woe,
The Liberator of our race was born ;
We venerate his name,
His bright, unsullied fame,
Add toast him in a cruiskeen lawn, lawn, lawn,
O'Connell in a cruiskeen lawn.
Our land has given birth
To other men of worth,
Who to Freedom's sacred cause were sworn ;
But in the hearts of our race
He holds the highest place,
So today we fill a cruiskeen lawn, lawn, lawn,
And drink him in a cruiskeen lawn.
The first of Irishmen,
Of gifted tongue and pen ;
His fame to-day throughout the world is borne ;
While the freedom that he gained,
By millions, thus unchained,
Is toasted in a cruiskeen lawn, lawn, lawn,
Our freedom ! in cruiskeen lawn !
Nor was his giant mind
To Ireland's wrongs confined ;
But in every clime its splendour shone--
Dispelling bigotry,
Upholding liberty--
Thenj friends, fill another cruiskeen lawn, lawn,
O'Oonnell ! in a cruiskeen lawn.
N. C. O'N.
Sydney, 6th August, 1875.
Notes
From the NSW Newspaper the Freeman's Journal Saturday 7 August 1875 p. 17..Frank the poet cited the "great agitator", Daniel O'Connell, in at least two of his poems as. According to the newspaper report above O'Connell's centenary was celebrated in Australia in many towns and cities including Bathurst, Newcastle, Orange and Araluen.