The Catholic Press 31st July, 1919 p.21 (abridged)
A SOLDIER’S SONG
Barricade song of the Irish Volunteers, 1916
Composed in 1907, with words by Peadar Kearney and music by Kearney and Patrick Heeney. Translated into Irish by Liam Ó Rinn in 1923
We’ll sing a song, a soldier’s song,
With cheering, rousing chorus
As round our blazing fires we throng,
The starry heavens o’er us;
Impatient for the coming fight
And as we wait the morning’s light,
Here in the silence of the night,
We’ll chant the soldier’s song.
chorus
Soldiers are we, whose lives are pledged to Ireland,
Some have come, from the land beyond the wave,
Sworn to be free; no more our ancient sireland
Shall shelter the despot or the slave,
To night we man the Bearna Baoghail
In Erin’s cause come woe or weal,
‘Mid cannon’s roar, and rifle’s peal,
We’ll chant the soldier’s song.
In valley green, on towering crag,
Our fathers fought before us,
And conquered ‘neath the same old flag
That’s proudly floating o’er us;
We’re children of a fighting race,
That never yet has known disgrace,
And as we march the foe to face,
We’ll chant the soldier’s song.
Sons of the Gael, men of the Pale,
The long-watched day is breaking,
The serried ranks of Innisfail
Shall set the tyrant quaking.
Our camp-fires now are burning low
See in the East the silvery glow,
Out yonder waits the Saxon foe,
Then chant the Soldier’s song.
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Seo dhíbh, a chairde, duan Ógláigh
Caithréimeach bríomhar ceolmhar
Ár dtinte cnámh go buacach táid
‘S an spéir go mín réaltógach
Is fonnmhar faobhrach sinn chun gleo
‘S go tiúnmhar glé roimh thíocht don ló
Fé chiúnas chaomh na hoíche ar seol
Seo libh, canaídh Amhrán na bhFiann
Sinne Fianna Fáil
atá faoi gheall ag Éirinn,
Buíon dár slua
thar toinn do ráinig chugainn,
Faoi mhóid bheith saor
Seantír ár sinsear feasta,
Ní fhágfar faoin tíorán ná faoin tráill.
Anocht a théam sa bhearna baoil,
Le gean ar Ghaeil, chun báis nó saoil,
Le gunna scréach faoi lámhach na bpiléar,
Seo libh canaídh amhrán na bhfiann
Cois bánta réidhe, ar ardaibh sléibhe
Ba bhuadhach ár sinsir romhainn
Ag lámhach go tréan fén sárbhrat séin
‘Tá thuas sa ghaoth go seolta
Ba dhúchas riamh dár gcine cháidh
Gan iompáil siar ó imirt áir
‘S ag siúl mar iad i gcoinne námhad
Seo libh, canaídh Amhrán na bhFiann
Sinne Fianna Fail…
A bhuíon nach fann d’fhuil Ghaeil is Gall
Sin breacadh lae na saoirse
Tá sceimhle ‘s scanradh i gcroíthe námhad
Roimh ranna laochra ár dtíre
Ár dtinte is tréith gan spréach anois
Sin luisne ghlé sa spéir anoir
‘S an bíobha i raon na bpiléar agaibh
Seo libh, canaídh Amhrán na bhFiann
Sinne Fianna Fail…
