Ballads of Irish chivalry

I stood beside a gun upon the Western Gate
At the rising of the sun, the battle to await:
In the morning's ruddy glow showed the fires' destroying tracks,
My brave comrades all below, with their harness on their backs.

II

Each with harness on his back, by rampart, street, and tower,
To repel the fierce attack in the sultry noontide hour;

Glittered lance and flashed the glaive, till the work of death begun;
And one cheer my comrades gave, as the ruthless foe came on!

III

As the wild waves dash and vault 'gainst the cliffs of high Dunmore,
Fierce they mounted to th'assault, up the breach, in sweat and gore;—
As the billows backward flow at the ebbing of the main,
Back we drove the daring foe to his camp trench once again!

IV

Out burst each roaring gun, with its mouth of hissing flame,
From its war-cloud thick and dun, as again the foe-men came
For vengeance burning hot; but once more we mowed them down
With spear, and sword, and shot, 'till we drove them from the town.

V

Cromwell kept the northern height;—as a spectre pale was he,
When he saw his men of might twice before my comrades flee;
And he pointed with his sword where the red breach smoking lay—
“Go! take it, and the Lord shall be on our side today!”

VI

With psalm and trumpet swell came they on at his behest;—
Then we rammed each cannon well, and we nerved each gallant breast!

And the bloody breach we manned with fearless hearts and high,
The onset to withstand, or for homes and altars die!

VII

Tottered mansion, tower, and wall at the thundering fire we gave;—
But thro' blood, and smoke, and all, came they on by dint of glaive;
'Till with wild and deafening din, fierce, to gorge their hate accurst,
O'er the gory breach, and in, in one destroying wave they burst!

VIII

Breast to breast their charge we met with the battle's rage and hate,
Hand to hand, unconquered yet, with the foe we tried our fate.—
They were many, we were few; they were brave and stalworth men,
But we charged, and charged anew—'till we broke their ranks again!

IX

How we cleared each narrow street when the foe-men's slight began!—
How we rushed on their retreat!—how we slew them as they ran!—
How we quaffed the wine so bright when our bloody task was o'er,
To the men who 'scaped the fight, and the brave who slept in gore!

X

Evening's cloud came o'er the hill—darker clouds on Cromwell's face,
When, with all his force and skill, he could not storm the place!—

But our powder all was gone, and our cannon useless lay,
And what man could do was done, so we might no longer stay.

XI

We buried those who fell, with the silence of the tomb,
And we left thee, brave Clonmel, 'neath the midnight's friendly gloom:—
With slow and measured tread, o'er the low Bridge of the Dane,
And that dark breach where we bled, did we ne'er behold again!

University of Virginia Library

THE SIEGE OF CLONMEL.

A.D. 1650.

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