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Cnoc-An-Ar roughly translates to "The hill of Slaughter". Found in "The Irish Lyrics and Ballads" by Rev. James Bernard Dollard (1872-1946) published 1917 P.J. Kennedy & Sons, pg 70. Music by Nate Berry. Cnoc is 'hill', An is 'the' or 'of', Ar seems to be an anglicization of 'maraithe'.
[1] here I think "Fenians" refers to the legendary group of heroic Irish warriors of the second and third centuries a.d. and not the revolutionary organization of the 19th century
[2] Caoilte is "Kweel-tuh", Diarmuid is "Deer-mitch" or "Deer-mut", Oh-scar
[3] A perennial plant (Campanula rotundifolia) having slender stems, dense clusters of basal leaves, and bell-shaped blue or white flowers. Also called bluebell.
[4] Ranns are stanzas of Irish poetry.
[5] Desmond is in Cork
[6] Pronounced "Keen", a cry or lament
[1] here I think "Fenians" refers to the legendary group of heroic Irish warriors of the second and third centuries a.d. and not the revolutionary organization of the 19th century
[2] Caoilte is "Kweel-tuh", Diarmuid is "Deer-mitch" or "Deer-mut", Oh-scar
[3] A perennial plant (Campanula rotundifolia) having slender stems, dense clusters of basal leaves, and bell-shaped blue or white flowers. Also called bluebell.
[4] Ranns are stanzas of Irish poetry.
[5] Desmond is in Cork
[6] Pronounced "Keen", a cry or lament
capo 2
Cnoc-An-Ar
by Rev. James Bernard Dollard
My [C] hero lies wounded and [Am] dying,
'mid [C] thousands on red Cnoc-an- [Am] ar,
Where the [C] hosts of the High King are [Am] charging
the Finians in [G] tumult of [Am] war, [1]
with Caoilte, and Diarmuid, and Oscar, [2]
he stood on the ridge of the slain,
And the hosts of the High King broke past
like the tide 'gainst a rock in the main.
O, [G] bright was his spear in the [Am] morning
and [G] burnished his great shield of [Am] brass,
and [G] pleasant his eyes that were [Am] blue
as the hare-bell in [G] dewy-wet [Am] grass; [3]
But his [C] spear and his shield are now [Am] broken
and [C] crusted with carnage and [Am] gore,
His [C] eyes bloody-smeared shall flame [Am] out
with the joy of the [G] battle no [Am] more.
(Change
The [F] halls of the Finians shall [C] ring
with the [F] glory and fame of this [C] day,
and the [F] bards clash loud harps to the [C] ranns, [4]
that the [Am] soul of proud [G7] Erin shall sway, )
And [C] Caoilte, and Diarmuid, and [Am] Oscar
shall [C] stand up like Gods, proud and [Am] tall,
But the [C] hero I weep will not [Am] hearken,
'tho greater his [G] glory than [Am] all.
The [G] Banshee is wailing o'er [Am] Desmond, [5]
I [G] hear her wild caoine thro' the [Am] night, [6]
And [G] o'er the lone home of my [Am] fathers
there hovers a [G] pallid death- [Am] light;
I will [C] raise him a cairn full [Am] kingly
on the [C] mournful mountains [Am] afar,
And [C] letter his praises in [Am] Ogham,
my hero of [G] dark Cnoc-an- [Am] ar!
end with instrum
'mid [C] thousands on red Cnoc-an- [Am] ar,
Where the [C] hosts of the High King are [Am] charging
the Finians in [G] tumult of [Am] war, [1]
with Caoilte, and Diarmuid, and Oscar, [2]
he stood on the ridge of the slain,
And the hosts of the High King broke past
like the tide 'gainst a rock in the main.
O, [G] bright was his spear in the [Am] morning
and [G] burnished his great shield of [Am] brass,
and [G] pleasant his eyes that were [Am] blue
as the hare-bell in [G] dewy-wet [Am] grass; [3]
But his [C] spear and his shield are now [Am] broken
and [C] crusted with carnage and [Am] gore,
His [C] eyes bloody-smeared shall flame [Am] out
with the joy of the [G] battle no [Am] more.
(Change
The [F] halls of the Finians shall [C] ring
with the [F] glory and fame of this [C] day,
and the [F] bards clash loud harps to the [C] ranns, [4]
that the [Am] soul of proud [G7] Erin shall sway, )
And [C] Caoilte, and Diarmuid, and [Am] Oscar
shall [C] stand up like Gods, proud and [Am] tall,
But the [C] hero I weep will not [Am] hearken,
'tho greater his [G] glory than [Am] all.
The [G] Banshee is wailing o'er [Am] Desmond, [5]
I [G] hear her wild caoine thro' the [Am] night, [6]
And [G] o'er the lone home of my [Am] fathers
there hovers a [G] pallid death- [Am] light;
I will [C] raise him a cairn full [Am] kingly
on the [C] mournful mountains [Am] afar,
And [C] letter his praises in [Am] Ogham,
my hero of [G] dark Cnoc-an- [Am] ar!
end with instrum
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