Why not her poorest man,
Soggarth Aroon,

Try and do all he can,

Soggarth Aroon,

Her commands to fulfil

Of his own heart and will,
Side by side with you still,
Soggarth Aroon ?

Loyal and brave to you,
Soggarth Aroon,

Yet be no slave to you,
Soggarth Aroon--

Nor, out of fear to you-
Stand up so near to you-

Och! out of fear to you!
Soggarth Aroon!

Who, in the winter's night,
Soggarth Aroon,

When the could blast did bite,

Soggarth Aroon,

Came to my cabin-door,

And, on my earthen-flure,

Knelt by me, sick and poor,

Soggarth Aroon ?

Who, on the marriage-day,

Soggarth Aroon,

Made the poor cabin gay,
Soggarth Aroon-

And did both laugh and sing

Making our hearts to ring,

At the poor christening,

Soggarth Aroon?

SOGGARTH AROON-THE RECONCILIATION. 327

Who, as friend only met,
Soggarth Aroon,

Never did flout me yet,

Soggarth Aroon ?

And when my heart was dim,
Gave, while his eye did brim,
What I should give to him,
Soggarth Aroon?

Och! you, and only you,
Soggarth Aroon!

And for this I was true to you,
Soggarth Aroon;

In love they'll never shake,
When for ould Ireland's sake,
We a true part did take,
Soggarth Aroon !

JOHN BANIM.

THE RECONCILIATION.

THE old man he knelt at the altar,
His enemy's hand to take,

And at first his weak voice did falter,
And his feeble limbs did shake;

For his only brave boy, his glory,

Had been stretched at the old man's feet,

A corpse, all so haggard and gory,

By the hand which he now must greet.

And soon the old man stopt speaking,
And rage, which had not gone by,
From under his brows, came breaking
Up into his enemy's eye;

And now his limbs were not shaking,
But his clench'd hands his bosom cross'd,
And he looked a fierce wish to be taking
Revenge for the boy he had lost!

But the old man he looked around him,
And thought of the place he was in,
And thought of the promise which bound him,
And thought that revenge was sin—
And then, crying tears, like a woman,
'Your hand!' he said-'ay, that hand!

And I do forgive you, foeman,

For the sake of our bleeding land!'

AILLEEN.

JOHN BANIM.

'Tis not for love of gold I go,

'Tis not for love of fame;

Though fortune should her smile bestow,

And I may win a name,

Ailleen,

And I may win a name.

And yet it is for gold I go,

And yet it is for fame,

That they may deck another brow,

And bless another name,

Ailleen,

And bless another name.

Oh, when the bays are all my own,
I know a heart will care!

Oh, when the gold is wooed and won,

I know a brow shall wear,

Ailleen,

I know a brow shall wear!

And when with both returned again,
My native land to see,

I know a smile will meet me there,

And a hand will welcome me,

Ailleen,

And a hand will welcome me !

JOHN BANIM.

329

INDEX.

DRINKING SONGS.

PAGE

Come, send round the wine, and leave points of belief

Moore 131

Oh! think not my spirits are always so light.

Oh, the days when I was young
One bumper at parting! though many
O'Rourke's noble fare.

Magrath 114

O'Neachtan 115

Concanen

119

When Fame brought the news of Great Britain's success

When once I to the tavern go

When St. Patrick this order established

Why, liquor of life, do I love you so?

O'Hara 123

Cunningham 120

Magrath 113

Curran 126

Carolan 117