Collection of Irish Song Lyrics
Shamrock and the Rose
Copyright: 1915
Thanks to Michael Wheeler for tracking down the author for this title. Since I'm unfamiliar with the song I'm not sure if the lyrics listed below are their original lyrics or they are penned from Fair Isle Folk, 1987. Any info will be gratelfully accepted
One day as I walked through a garden of flowers,
For nature her beauty bestowed
And among the green bushes I wandered my way
I noticed a shamrock and rose
For the flowers were all blooming
and shouting away In a low and deep tone of their own
And the shamrock was pleading its own country's cause
To the rose in a heartbroken tone:
'If my love of you were treasure, Forgive me this pleasure:
I stood by your side; I defeated your foes
Then why should you slight me â I've proven all flight me
' Said Ireland's green shamrock to England's red rose
'They say you are weary of my discontent
They say that your sympathy's strong
But 'cause you were cold for one hour on this earth
For the ages of wrong you have done...
'If my love of you were treasure
Forgive me this pleasure: I stood by your side;
I defeated your foes
Then why should you slight me â I've proven all flight me
' Said Ireland's green shamrock to England's red rose
'O lo that the thousands in exile today
It's no better there than here
Who gave their lifeblood and where are they today?
Exiled from the land of their birth...
'If my love of you were treasure
Forgive me this pleasure:
I stood by your side; I defeated your foes
Then why should you slight me â I've proven all flight me
' Said Ireland's green shamrock to England's red rose
