Silent, Oh Moyle/Caisleán Na Nór

The verses are by Irish poet and lyrist Thomas Moore (1779-1852). "Erin" is Ireland and "Lir's lonely daughter", is one of the three daughters of the Sea King, Lir, who were turned into swans by the king's second wife. The poem leads into one of the greatest Irish melodies, Caisleán Na Nór ("The Golden Castle" - heaven).


Silent, oh Moyle, be the roar of thy water,
Break not, ye breezes, your chain of repose,
While, murmuring mournfully, Lir's lonely daughter
Tells to the night-star her tale of woes.
When shall the swan, her death-note singing,
Sleep, with wings in darkness furl'd?
When will heav'n, its sweet bell ringing,
Call my spirit from this stormy world?

Sadly, oh Moyle, to thy winter-wave weeping,
Fate bids me languish long ages away;
Yet still in her darkness doth Erin lie sleeping,
Still doth the pure light its dawning delay.
When will that day-star, mildly springing,
Warm our isle with peace and love?
When will heav'n, its sweet bell ringing,
Call my spirit to the fields above?

Category:

Music

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• Silent
• Oh
• Moyle
• Irish
• Ireland
• poem
• Thomas
• Moore
• Erin
• Lir
• Caisleán
• Na
• Nór
• Golden
• Castle
• heaven
• daughter