The Fair Hills of Eire

Take my heart's blessing over to dear Éire's strand--
Fair Hills of Éire O!
To the Remnant that love her--our Forefathers' land!
Fair Hills of Éire O!
How sweet sing the birds, o'er mount there and vale,
Like soft sounding chords, that lament for the Gael,--
And I, o'er the surge, far, far away must wail
The Fair Hills of Éire O!

How fair are the flow'rs on the dear daring peaks,
Fair Hills of Éire O!
Far o'er foreign bowers I love her barest reeks,
Fair Hills of Éire O!
Triumphant her trees, that rise on ev'ry height,
Bloom-kissed, the breeze comes odorous and bright,
The love of my heart!--O my very soul's delight!
The Fair Hills of Éire O!

Still numerous and noble her sons who survive,
Fair Hills of Éire O!
The true hearts in trouble, the strong hands to strive--
Fair Hills of Éire O!
Ah, 'tis this makes my grief, my wounding and my woe,
To think that each chief is now a vassal low,
And my Country divided amongst the Foreign Foe--
The Fair Hills of Éire O!

In purple they gleam, like our High Kings of yore,
The Fair Hills of Éire O!
With honey and cream are her plains flowing o'er,
Fair Hills of Éire O!
Once more I will come, or my very life shall fail,
To the heart-haunted home of the ever-faithful Gael,
Than King's boon more welcome the swift swelling sail
For the Fair Hills of Éire O!

The dewdrops sparkle, like diamonds on the corn,
Fair Hills of Éire O!
Where green boughs darkle the bright apples burn
Fair Hills of Éire O!
Behold, in the valley, cress and berries bland,
Where streams love to dally, in that Wondrous Land,
Where the great River-voices roll in music grand
Round the Fair Hills of Éire O!

O, 'tis welcoming, wide-hearted, that dear land of love!
Fair Hills of Éire O!
New life unto the martyred is the pure breeze above
The Fair Hills of Éire O!
More sweet than tune flowing o'er the chords of gold
Comes the kine's soft lowing from the mountain fold,--
O, the Splendour of the Sunshine on them all, Young and Old,
'Mid the Fair Hills of Éire O!