Henry's Songbook

Chorus:
Will you come
Will you will you
Will you come to the Bower

Will you come to the Bower o'er the free boundless ocean
Where stupenduous waves roll in thundering motion
Where the mermaids are seen and the wild tempest gathers
To loved Erin the green the dear land of our fathers

Will you come to the land of O'Neill and O'Donnell
Of Lord Lucan the bold and the immortal O'Connell
Where Brian chased the Dane and St Patrick the vermin
And whose valleys remain still most beautiful and charming

You can visit Benburb and the storied Blackwater
Where Owen Roe met Munroe and his chieftains did slaughter
Where the lambs sport and play on the mossy all over
From those bright golden views to enchanting Rostrevor

You can see Dublin City and the fine groves of Blarney
The Bann, Boyne, the Pillar and the Lakes of Killarney
You can ride on the tide o'er the broad majestic Shannon
You can sail round Lough Neagh and see storied Dungannon

You can visit New Ross, gallant Wexford and Gorey
Where the green was last seen by proud Saxon and Tory
Where the soil is sanctified by the blood of each true man
Where they died satisfied their enemies they would not run from

Will you come and awake our dear land from its slumber
And her fetters we will break links that long have encumbered
And the air will resound with hosannahs to greet you
On the shore will be found gallant Irishmen to meet you

Lord Lucan - Patrick Sarsfield, Earl of Lucan

(as sung by The Dubliners)

 [1974:] Um 1863 entstand in den USA dies Lied irischer Emigranten, die sich nach ihrer Heimat zurücksehnen [...]. Eine Aufforderung, nach Irland zurückzukehren bzw. die "irische Sache" zu unterstützen. (Manfred Bonson, notes 'The Best Of The Dubliners')

 [1979:] Meant as a home-coming invitation to the exiled Irish and in particular to the American supporters of the Fenian movement. (Loesberg I, 55)

For history see http://www.thewildgeese.com

For St Patrick see http://www.toad.net/~sticker/patrick.html