The West's Awake
AIR--_The Brink
of the White
Rocks._
I.
When all beside a
vigil
keep,
The West's
asleep, the
West's asleep--
Alas! and well
may Erin weep,
When Connaught lies in slumber
deep.
There lake and
plain smile
fair and free,
'Mid rocks--their
guardian
chivalry--
Sing oh! let man
learn
liberty
From crashing
wind and
lashing sea.
II.
That chainless
wave and
lovely land
Freedom and
Nationhood
demand--
Be sure, the
great God never
planned,
For slumbering
slaves, a
home so grand.
And, long, a
brave and
haughty race
Honoured and
sentinelled the
place--
Sing oh! not even
their
sons' disgrace
Can quite destroy
their
glory's trace.
III.
For often, in
O'Connor's
van,
To triumph dashed
each Connaught clan--
And fleet as deer
the Normans ran
Through Corlieu's
Pass and
Ardrahan.
And later times
saw deeds as
brave;
And glory guards
Clanricarde's grave--
Sing oh! they
died their
land to save,
At Aughrim's
slopes and Shannon's wave.
IV.
And if, when all
a vigil
keep,
The West's
asleep, the
West's asleep--
Alas! and well
may Erin weep,
That Connaught lies in slumber
deep.
But, hark! some
voice like
thunder spake:
"_The West's
awake! the
West's awake!_"--
"Sing oh! hurra!
let England quake,
We'll watch till
death for Erin's sake!"
