An old poem by Thomas Davis written in honor of one of the heroes of the Irish Rebellion of 1641,
Owen Roe O'Neill.
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Lament for the Death of Eoghan Ruadh O’Neill
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By Thomas Davis
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“DID they dare, did they dare, to slay Eoghan Ruadh
O’Neill?”
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“Yes, they slew with poison him
they feared to meet with steel.”
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“May God wither up their hearts!
May their blood cease to flow,
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May they walk in living death,
who poisoned Eoghan Ruadh.”
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“Though it break my heart to
hear, say again the bitter words.
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From Derry, against Cromwell, he
marched to measure swords:
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But the weapon of the Sassanach
met him on his way.
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And he died at Cloch Uachtar,
upon St. Leonard’s day.
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“Wail, wail ye for the Mighty
One. Wail, wail ye for the Dead,
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Quench the hearth, and hold the
breath—with ashes strew the head.
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How tenderly we loved him. How
deeply we deplore!
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Holy Saviour! but to think we
shall never see him more!
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“Sagest in the council was he,
kindest in the hall,
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Sure we never won a battle—’twas
Eoghan won them all.
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Had he lived—had he lived—our
dear country had been free:
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But he’s dead, but he’s dead,
and ’tis slaves we’ll ever be.
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“O’Farrell and Clanricarde,
Preston and Red Hugh,
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Audley and MacMahon—ye valiant,
wise and true:
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But—what are ye all to our
darling who is gone?
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The Rudder of our Ship was he,
our Castle’s corner stone.
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“Wail, wail him through the
Island! Weep, weep for our pride!
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Would that on the battlefield
our gallant chief had died!
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Weep the Victor of Beinn
Burb—weep him, young and old:
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Weep for him, ye women—your
beautiful lies cold!
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“We thought you would not die—we
were sure you would not go,
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And leave us in our utmost need
to Cromwell’s cruel blow—
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Sheep without a shepherd, when
the snow shuts out the sky—
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O! why did you leave us, Eoghan?
Why did you die?
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“Soft as woman’s was your voice,
O’Neill! bright was your eye,
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O! why did you leave us, Eoghan?
Why did you die?
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Your troubles are all over,
you’re at rest with God on high,
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But we’re slaves, and we’re
orphans, Eoghan!—why did you die?”
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