Ballads of Irish chivalry By Robert Dwyer Joyce: Edited, with Annotations, by his brother P. W. Joyce |
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THE JOY-BELLS. |
 | Ballads of Irish chivalry |  |
THE JOY-BELLS.
I
Blithesome is our marriage morning;Blithesome are our hearts and gay,
No gems or gold our dress adorning;
Though we've neither pomp nor sway;
And the joy-bells' constant ringing
Floats upon the mountain wind,
Ringing, ringing, sweetly bringing
Many a glad thought to my mind.
O, the joy-bells! Happy joy-bells!
Ringing, ringing sweet and clear,
In the May-time of our loving,
And the May-tide of the year.
II
This small chapel by the mountainFor our bridal's fittest place,
With its fairy thorn and fountain,
And its old familiar face;
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Like a saint from Heaven above;
With our parents smiling sweetly
On our deep and deathless love.
O, the joy-bells! Happy joy-bells!
Ringing, ringing sweet and clear,
In the May-time of our loving,
And the May-tide of the year.
III
Once the golden Mee-na-mallaWith its sunny hours is o'er,
Grief may come but peace must follow
While I'm on my husband's floor:
For my Donall loves me kindly,
And though love the judgment dim,
'Twas but slow, and 'twas not blindly
That I gave my heart to him.
O, the joy-bells! Happy joy-bells!
Ringing, ringing sweet and clear,
In the May-time of our loving,
And the May-tide of the year.
| Ballads of Irish chivalry | |