September 1913
What need you, being come to sense,
But fumble in a greasy till
And add the halfpence to the pence
And prayer to shivering prayer, until
You have dried the marrow from the bone?
For men were born to pray and save:
Romantic Ireland's dead and gone,
It's with O'Leary in the grave.
Yet they were of a different kind,
The names that stilled your childish play,
They have gone about the world like wind,
But little time had they to pray
For whom the hangman's rope was spun,
And what, God help us, could they save?
Romantic Ireland's dead and gone,
It's with O'Leary in the grave.
Was it for this the wild geese spread
The grey wing upon every tide;
For this that all that blood was shed,
For this Edward Fitzgerald died,
And Robert Emmet and Wolfe Tone,
All that delirium of the brave?
Romantic Ireland's dead and gone,
It's with O'Leary in the grave.
What a wonderful night last Sunday in, appropriately enough, Liberty Hall Theatre, where “September 1913”, an evening of music, song, poetry and reflections on the 1913 Lockout was performed.
Cathaoirleach of the Larkin Hedge School, Séamus Dooley, Evening’s Director Des Geraghty, and all involved personnel of SIPTU are to be complimented for this historic memorable evening inspired by W.B. Yeats’s September 1913.
Peter Browne on Uilleann Pipes, with Steve Cooney and band set the tone for this wonderful evening. Singers Tommy Sands, Len Graham and Mary McPartlan rendered very special interpretations of songs pertinent to the occasion.
Sabina Coyne Higgins, with her husband President Michael D. Higgins in proud, rapt, attendance, reverted seamlessly to actor mode as she recited from Maud Gonne, Countess Markievicz, and Louie Bennett, The Irish Citizen. A real tour de force.
Stella Larkin recited her poem Sun and Shadow, in memory of her grandfather, Jim Larkin.
James Connolly Heron quoted from his grandfather, James Connolly. Poet Theo Dorgan recited extracts alluding to those turbulent times.
Fiddle player Liam O’ Connor weaved his magic under the spell of genial Musical Director, Steve Cooney. Joan Harman, stage manager, seamlessly executed the programme.
I sang a number of songs. President Michael D. Higgins and I chatted about Mo Ghile Mear, and how it resonates with us Irish. We agreed on the importance of not rushing through its lyrics. “When it’s performed too quickly” he added, “it lacks the element of loss”, deftly articulating a full understanding of the song. How lucky we are to have a fellow artist as President.
Congratulations to all, including a warm audience, for memorably and musically marking this momentous era in Irish history.