As St. Patrick’s Day Approaches: An Irish American Poem

Last updated on: March 3, 2019 at 1:32 am by Pat McNamara

As St. Patrick’s Day Approaches: An Irish American Poem 2019-03-03T01:32:29-07:00 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.

An Irish Dominican, Thomas Nicholas Burke, O.P. (1830-1882), was one of the premier Catholic preachers of the 1800’s. He joined the Dominican Order in 1847, studied in Italy and England, and was ordained a priest in 1853. His first sermon to attract attention, delivered in 1859, was on “Church Music.” A strong Irish nationalist, in 1867 he delivered a speech on Daniel O’Connell in Dublin to an audience of fifty thousand.

In 1871, Father Burke was sent to the United States to inspect the Dominican communities there. While he was in America, he was much in demand as a preacher. All classes of society, but especially recent Irish immigrants, flocked to hear him lecture on all things Irish and Catholic. In eighteen months he delivered some four hundred lectures (not including sermons), but by the time he returned to Ireland his health was broken. Father Burke died in Ireland on July 2, 1882. A statue of him stands in his birthplace of Galway.

Rev. Father Burke, O.P.

Voice of my country, son of ancient Erin,

Son of her soul, descendant of her heart,

Priest of the Lord in thy bright youth anointed,

And called and sent to preach “the better part.”

O Father Burke! How hath thy word awakened

The loving Irish past that long has slept,

And brought me home to Erin, to my country,

And stirred my heart with joy, although I wept.

Joy, to hear once again the name of Erin,

Spoken in love and praise– and yet hot tears–

Tears for her many sorrows, for the traces

Of ‘48, that memory’s bosom wears.

Blessed be God who sent us in our exile

Thy voice of power to speak of faith and truth,

Of God, and holy Church, of prayer and penance,

And all that Erin loves in age and youth!

Blessed be God, again her sacred ruins,

Her holy abbeys, and her Round Towers hoar

Are named exultingly, and their dear story

Told like a Gospel to the world once more.

Her seven churches,– Clonmacnoise, Clondalkin,

Cong and Armagh, and all her ruined fanes,–

Named to her children’s hearts with such a power

As makes them dearer for time’s hoary stains.

Yes, blessed be God, again we’ve heard it spoken

Proudly and lovingly, O’Connell’s name,

Our own O’Connell, Ireland’s Liberator,

And heard it ‘mid a people’s koud acclaim.

O Father Burke! There is no way to thank thee,

No words to tell of what our deep hearts feel;

Only an exile, hunted out of Erin,

Can thus rejoice to hear thy proud appeal.

To history and the past, and wring her glory

Out of what men call shame, and make her known,

Fearless in faith and love and perseverance,

Virgin and martyr, peerless and alone.

Son of St. Dominic, heir of his white mantle,

Oft shall thy name be mingled with our prayers;

Sisters of Mercy, servants of the suffering,

We know the people’s woes, and joys, and cares.

And bless the Lord who sent thee thus to cheer them,

To elevate their hearts, and make them stand

Steady besides the Cross, sons of the martyrs,

Steadfast in faith and love of fatherland;

Steadfast in love of Jesus and Mary,

True to the Holy Father as of yore;

Bound to the Church, One, Holy, Apostolic,

Roman and Catholic forevermore.

Poems for Catholics & Convents and Plays for Catholic Schools, by the Sisters of Mercy, St. Catharine’s Convent, New York City (West Chester, N.Y.: The New York Catholic Protectory, 1873), 184-186.

(Please note: The engraving of Father is from Internet Archive.org, a website of copyright-free books and images).

Catolic Poetry

Dominicans.

Irish Catholicism

Previous Post

March 2, 2019

National Catholic Sisters Week 2019: An Appreciation

Next Post

March 5, 2019 Pope Pius XII, the Vatican Archives, and the Holocaust

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

In what city was Jesus born?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Nazareth Bethlehem Jerusalem Jericho