Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

McNamara's Blog

Home
Catholic
A Poem for St. Patrick’s Day, 1895

A Poem for St. Patrick’s Day, 1895

Last updated on: March 17, 2011 at 5:40 am by Pat McNamara

A Poem for St. Patrick’s Day, 1895 2011-03-17T05:40:00-06:00 Pat McNamara

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

St. Patrick’s Day Without Shamrocks

Mother M. Augustine McKenna, R.S.M. (1819-1883)

We sought them ‘neath the snow-flakes

And o’er all the frosty ground.

But no leaflet like the Shamrock

On St. Patrick’s Day we found.

And our hearts went back to Erin,

To her dewy vales and hills,

Where the Shamrock twines and clusters

O’er the fields and by the rills.

Oh, no more, no more, my country!

Shall thy loving daughter lay

Down her head upon thy bosom

While she weeps her tears away.

There the primrose and the daisy

Bloom as in the days of old,

And the violet comes in purple

And the buttercup in gold.

Kildare’s broad fields are fragrant

With the Shamrock’s breath to-day.

Shamrocks bloom from Clare to Antrim,

From Killarney to Lough Neagh:

And they speak of Patrick’s preaching

With a quiet, voiceless lore,

And they breathe of faith and heaven

All the trefoiled island o’er.

Wandering listless by the Liffey,

Stoop and pluck the Shamrock green:

What an emblem plain and simple

Of the one true faith is seen!

Of the Father and the Spirit

Speaks the mystic triune leaf.

Of the Son in anguish crying

On the cross, in love and grief.

Well humility may choose it

For an emblem fair and sweet.

Close beside the poorest cabin

It is pouring fragrance sweet.

Modest is our darling Shamrock,

Useful, charitable, kind,

Clothing mean, deserted places

With its green leaves intertwined.

With the dew drops shining pearly

As bright gems within its heart,

Pure as purity it seemeth.

True as nature, fair as art.

Fortitude and perseverance

Hath the leaf we love so well.

For ‘tis green through all the winter

In some shady nook or dell.

Many a lesson thus it teaches,

Many a wholesome thought recalls,

Many a tear-drop all unbidden

To its cherished memory falls.

For the green of Erin’s banner

Still must stir the Irish heart,

Which in Erin’s many sorrows

Ever, ever must have part.

Oh be true, be true to Erin,

True to faith and true to God.

To St. Patrick, His Apostle,

Who redeemed your native sod!

Never more her mystic emblem

In green Erin may you see,

Let the faith it symbolizes

Be the dearer unto thee.

NOTE

This poem by Mother Augustine appeared in The Brooklyn Eagle on March 17, 1895. Born Ellen McKenna in County Monaghan, Ireland, she and her family fled the Great Famine, coming to America in 1848. In 1855, she joined the Sisters of Mercy. (Her sister Julia joined the Sisters of Mercy in Brooklyn. Their brother John served as a priest in Flushing, Queens.) She worked at the House of Mercy in Manhattan with poor immigrant women and girls.

In 1862, she led a group of seven Sisters to Beaufort, North Carolina, where they ran a military hospital. Ireland was one of the great loves of her life. From 1868 to 1877 she served as Superior of the New York Sisters of Mercy. One of the great loves of her life was working with the poor and homeless children of New York. Another was Ireland, and she commemorated both in the poetry she wrote.

The Sisters of Mercy were founded in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831 by Venerable Catherine McAuley (1778-1841). Her deep personal experience of God’s mercy led her to start a community dedicated to taking care of the poor, ministering to the sick, and teaching the young. The first Sisters of Mercy came to the United States in 1843, beginning their work in Pittsburgh. In 1846, at the request of Bishop John Hughes, they came to New York. They sponsor nineteen American colleges and universities, and a number of heatlthcare systems nationwide.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

March 16, 2011

Book Review: Notre Dame and the Civil War

Next Post

March 18, 2011 Brooklyn's Jesuit College (1908-1921)

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category African-American Catholics Alabama Catholics American Catholic History American Catholic women American History Anniversaries Anti-Catholicism Arkansas Catholics Benedictines Bishops Blessed John Henry Newman Book Reviews Books Boston College Brooklyn churches Brothers California Catholics Capuchins Cardinals Carlo Carretto Carmelites Catholic authors Catholic Cemeteries Catholic Historians Catholic History in Less Than 5 Minutes Catholic musicians Catholic Poetry Catholic Press Catholic School Textbook Catholic University of America Catholic Worker Catholics and Music Catholics and Race Catholics in Politics Catholics in the American Revolution Catholics in the Military Catholics in the Movies Catholics in the South Catholics in the West Catholics on Stage Catjolic Women Catolic Poetry Charles de Foucauld Children's Masses Christian Brothers Christmas Church Reform Civil Rights Movement Civil War Colleges and universities Converts D.C. Catholics Deaf Catholics Dominicans. Dorothy Day English Catholics Florida Catholics Fordham University Franciscans French Catholics Georgetown University German Americans Good Shepherd Sisters Hispanic Catholics Historians and Archivists Holy Cross Fathers Holy Name Society Idaho Catholics Illinois Catholics Indian Wars Indiana Catholics Irish Americans Irish Catholicism Italian Americans Italian Catholics Jesuits Josephite Sisters Kentucky Catholics Know-Nothings Laetare Medal Recipients laity Liturgical Movement Maine Catholics Manhattan College Maryland Catholicism Michigan Catholics Middle Ages Minnesota Catholics Missionaries Mississippi Catholics Missouri Catholics Monasteries Montana Catholics Native Americans New England Catholicism New Jersey Catholics New York Catholics North American College Ohio Catholics Oratorians Oregon Catholics Parish Mission Parishes Passionists Pat McNamara's Books Paulists Pennsylvania Catholics Popes Presidents Priests Quotations Religious Orders Rhode Island Catholics Saints Salesians Seminarians Seminaries Sermons Servants of God Siisters of Charity Sisters of Mercy South Carolina Catholics Spanish-American War Sports St. Francis of Assiai St. John Henry Newman Suplicians Tennessee Catholics Texas Catholics The year in review Thomas Merton Throwback Thursday Photograph Trappists Uncategorized University of Notre Dame Video Presentations Vincentians Virginia Catholics Visitation Nuns Washington West Point West Virginia Catholics West Viriginia Catholics Wisconsin Catholicism Women Religious World War II

Select a Month December 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 April 2012 March 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who became jealous and tried to kill David several times?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Abiathar Abner Samuel Saul