Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition

Kathaleen Ny-Houlahan (Author: James Clarence Mangan)

p.16

1. Long they pine in weary woe, the nobles of our land,
   Long they wander to and fro, proscribed, alas! and banned;
   Feastless, houseless, altarless, they bear the exile's brand,
   But their hope is in the coming-to of Kathaleen Ny-Houlahan.
2. Think her not a ghostly hag, too hideous to be seen,
   Call her not unseemly names, our matchless Kathaleen;
   Young she is, and fair she is, and would be crowned a queen,
   Were the king's son at home here with Kathaleen Ny-Houlahan!
3. Sweet and mild would look her face, O, none so sweet and mild,
   Could she crush the foes by whom her beauty is reviled;
   Woolen plaids would grace herself and robes of silk her child,
   If the king's son were living here with Kathaleen Ny-Houlahan!
4. Sore disgrace it is to see the Arbitress of thrones,
   Vassal to a Saxoneen of cold and sapless bones!
   Bitter anguish wrings our souls—with heavy sighs and groans
   We wait the Young Deliverer of Kathaleen Ny-Houlahan!

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p.17

5. Let us pray to Him who holds life's issues in His hands—
   Him who formed the mighty globe, with all his thousand lands;
   Girding them with seas and mountains, rivers deep, and strands,
   To cast a look of pity upon Kathaleen Ny-Houlahan!
6. He, who over sands and waves led Israël along—
   He, who fed, with heavenly bread, that chosen tribe and throng—
   He who stood by Moses when his foes were fierce and strong—
   May He show forth His might in saving Kathaleen Ny-Houlahan.