 | Ballads of Irish chivalry |  |
THE BATTLE OF KNOCKINOSS.
Scene: A camp-fire by the Shannon.—An old Rapparee who had served in the wars of 1641, relating the battle to his comrades.I
Attend, ye valiant horsemen and each bold Rapparee,And by our blazing camp-fire a tale I'll tell to ye:—
With Murrogh's savage army one valley's breadth away,
One noon of bleak November on Knock'noss hill we lay.
II
Lord Taaffe was our commander, and brave Mac Alisdrum,And 'cross the lowland meadows we saw the foeman come;
Then up spake bold Mac Alisdrum, “Now leave their wing to me”;
And soon we crossed our sabres with their artillery.
35
III
We swept them down the hill-sides, and took both flag and gun,And back across the meadows we made them quickly run;
But swift as they retreated, more fast behind we bore,
Until we steeped our sabres from point to hilt in gore.
IV
Alas, alas for cowards, and ho! for dauntless men!Without one cause for flying, Lord Taaffe fled thro' the glen,
And all our army with him in panic rushed away,
And left us sore surrounded on Knock'noss hill that day.
V
Then up spoke our commander, the brave Mac Alisdrum,—“The foe pursues our comrades, this way his horsemen come;
Then out with each good claymore, and strike like brave men still!”
And at his words the foemen came charging o'er the hill!
VI
Mo brón! Mo brón! the slaughter, when we mixed horse and man!Loud crashed the roaring battle, like floods the red blood ran;
And few the foemen left us to fight another fray,
And Alisdrum they murdered at Knockinoss that day!
36
VII
My curse upon all cowards, and ho! for brave men still!—Long, long their bones were bleaching upon that blood-stained hill!
Then choose a good commander to lead ye to the fray,
And shun what lost the battle on Knock'noss hill that day!
| Ballads of Irish chivalry | |