How oft has the Benshee cried! (Michael William Balfe)

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• (Posted 2024-01-09)  CPDL #78661:     

Editor: David Anderson (submitted 2024-01-09).   Score information: Letter, 8 pages, 440 kB   Copyright: Personal

Edition notes:

General Information

Title: How oft has the Benshee cried!
Composer: Anonymous (Traditional)
Arranger: Michael William Balfe
Lyricist: Thomas Moore
Number of voices: 4vv   Voicing: SATB
Genre: Secular, Partsong, Folksong

Language: English
Instruments: Piano

First published: 1859 J. Alfred Novello
Description: THE DIRGE

AIR: THE DEAR BLACK MAID

Original text and translations

English text

How oft has the Benshee cried!
How oft has death untied
Bright links that Glory wove,
Sweet bonds, entwiri’d by Love!
Peace to each manly soul that sleepeth!
Rest to each faithful eye that weepeth!
Long may the fair and brave
Sigh o’er the hero’s grave.

We’re fallen upon gloomy days,
Star after star decays,
Every bright name, that shed
Light o’er the land, is fled.
Dark falls the tear of him who mourneth
Lost joy, or hope that ne’er returneth,
But brightly flows the tear,
Wept o’er a hero’s bier!

Oh! quench’d are our beacon lights–
Thou, of the hundred fights!
Thou, on whose burning tongue
Truth, peace and freedom hung!
Both mute—but long as valour shineth,
Or mercy’s soul at war repineth,
So long shall Erin’s pride
Tell how they liv’d and died.