| Padraic Colum (1881–1972). Anthology of Irish Verse. 1922. |
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| 128. Kathleen-Ni-Houlahan |
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| By James Clarence Mangan (Translated) |
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| LONG they pine in weary woe, the nobles of our land, | |
| Long they wander to and fro, proscribed, alas! and banned; | |
| Feastless, houseless, altarless, they bear the exile’s brand, | |
| But their hope is in the coming-to of Kathleen-Ni-Houla-han! | |
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| Think her not a ghastly hag, too hideous to be seen, | 5 |
| Call her not unseemly names, our matchless Kathleen; | |
| Young is she, and fair she is, and would be crowned a queen, | |
| Were the King’s son at home here with Kathleen-Ni-Houlahan! | |
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| Sweet and mild would look her face, O none so sweet and mild, | |
| Could she crush her foes by whom her beauty is reviled; | 10 |
| Woollen plaids would grace herself and robes of silk her child, | |
| If the King’s son were living here with Kathleen-Ni-Houlahan! | |
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| Sore disgrace it is to see the Arbitress of Thrones | |
| Vassal to a Saxoneen of cold and sapless bones! | |
| Bitter anguish wrings our souls—with heavy sighs and groans | 15 |
| We wait the Young Deliverer of Kathleen-Ni-Houlahan! | |
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| Let us pray to Him who holds Life’s issues in his hands— | |
| Him who formed the mighty globe, with all its thousand lands; | |
| Girding them with seas and moutains, rivers deep, and strands, | |
| To case a look of pity upon Kathleen-Ni-Houlahan! | 20 |
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| He, who over sands and waves led Israel along— | |
| He, who fed, with heavenly bread, that chosen tribe and throng— | |
| He, who stood by Moses, when his foes were fierce and strong— | |
| May He show forth His might in saving Kathleen-Ni-Houlahan. | |
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