By Memory Inspired

By Memory inspired
And love of country fired,
The deeds of men I love to dwell upon;
And the patriotic glow
Of my spirit must bestow
A tribute to O’Connell that is gone, boys, gone –
Here’s the memory of the heroes that are gone.

In October, ‘Ninety-Seven –
May his soul find rest in heaven –
William Orr to execution was led on;
The jury, drunk, agreed
That Irish was his creed;
For perjury and threats drove them on, boys, on –
Here’s the memory of John Mitchell that is gone!

In ‘Ninety-Eight – the month, July –
The informer’s pay was high,
When Reynolds gave the gallows brave McCann;
But McCann was Reynolds’ first –
One could not allay his thirst;
So he brought up Bond and Byrne, that are gone, boys, gone –
Here’s the memory of the friends that are gone!

We saw a nation’s tears
Shed for John and Henry Sheares,
Betrayed by Judas, Captain Armstrong;
We may forgive, but yet
We can never forget
The poisoning of Maguire that is gone, boys, gone –
Our high Star and true Apostle that is gone!

How did Lord Edward die?
Like a man, without a sigh!
But he left his handiwork on Major Swan!
But Sirr, with steel-clad breast,
And coward heart at best,
Left us cause to mourn Lord Edward that is gone, boys, gone:
Here’s the memory of our friends that are gone!

September, Eighteen-Three,
Closed this cruel history,
When Emmet’s blood the scaffold flowed upon.
O, had their spirits been wise,
They might then realise
Their freedom – but we drink to Mitchell that is gone, boys, gone:
Here’s the memory of the heroes that are gone!