In Praise of the Gaelic

Our Gaelic speech has high repute,
It speaks as soft as breathes the flute,
It sings like love notes of the lute,

And shines in letters golden.
No tongue on earth could e'er compare
In tuneful tone and cadence rare,
And, O to hear its accents, where

In song and tale
Through Innisfail,
Of mighty kings and chiefs it sings
For Erinn's nation olden!

And Erinn yet shall have her own
Right royal princes on the throne,
To whom the Gaelic speech is known,

And welcome in our sireland.
The gentle harp shall sound once more,
And prosp'rous be the sons of lore,
And, proud, the gallant deeds of yore
Before the king
The bards will sing
And there recall the stories all

That give renown to Ireland!