Digital Tradition Mirror

The Memory of the Dead

(This score available as ABC, SongWright, PostScript, PNG, or PMW, or a MIDI file)
Pennywhistle notation and Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

(alternate:)

(This score available as ABC, SongWright, PostScript, PNG, or PMW, or a MIDI file)
Pennywhistle notation and Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

The Memory of the Dead
(Words John Kells Ingram; tune Wm. Elliot Hudson)

Who fears to speak of Ninety-Eight?
  Who blushes at the name?
When cowards mock the patriots' fate,
  Who hangs his head for shame?
He's all a knave or half a slave
  Who slights his country thus,
But a true man, like you, man,
  Will fill your glass with us.

We drink the memory of the brave,
  The faithful and the few.
Some lie far off beyond the wave
  Some sleep in Ireland, too;
All, all are gone, but still lives on
  The fame of those who died
All true men, like you, men
  Remember them with pride.

Some on the shores of distant lands
  Their weary hearts have laid;
And by the stranger's heedless hands
  Their lonely graves were made.
But, though their clay be far away
  Beyond the Atlantic foam;
In true men, like you, men,
  Their spirit's still at home.

The dust of some is Irish earth
  Among their own they rest;
And the same land that gave them birth
  Has caught them to her breast.
And we will pray that from their clay
  Full many a race may start
Of true men, like you, men,
  To act as brave a part.

They rose in dark and evil days
  To right their native land;
They kindled here a living blaze
  That nothing shall withstand.
Alas! that might can vanquish Right
  They fell and pass'd away;
But true men, like you, men,
  Are plenty here today.

Then here's their memory--may it be
  For us a guiding light,
To cheer our strife for liberty
  And teach us to unite.
Through good and ill, be Ireland's still
  Though sad as theirs your fate;
And true men, be you, men,
  Like those of Ninety-Eight

From Songs of Irish Rebelliom, Zimmerman
play.exe AULDLANG
RG
Apr98

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!