Chorus:
'Sé mo laoch mo ghile mear
Bonnie boy, Ghile Mear
You will be my gallant star
Oh haste to me, Mo Ghile Mear
Verse 1:
In this land, this land unfree
Oh who will think to unchain me?
My children keen* in vain for thee
To break my chains for liberty!
Chorus
Verse 2:
Mountains high and valleys low,
The cuckoo sings of Saxon foes.
Tis you must strike the mortal blow,
Mo Ghile Mear, mo buachaill beo**
Chorus
Verse 3:
So come, my love, to battle come!
To this fair land so wear'ly sung!
That harp and song the valleys him
And sound the song of freedom strong!
Chorus x3
*In this context, keen uses the old, oft forgotten verb form (which, incidentally, has roots in the Irish language) and means "wail in grief and despair"
**Rough translation: "My boy alive," or "my boy living"
I could be completely wrong, but this is how I've been singing it! Lol!
