Beannachta na Feile Naomh Padriag chuig gach duine.

HAIL, GLORIOUS ST. PATRICK

Hail, glorious St. Patrick, dear saint of our isle,
On us thy poor children bestow a sweet smile;
And now thou art high in the mansions above,
On Erin's green valleys look down in thy love.

(optional repeat)
On Erin's green valleys, on Erin's green valleys,
On Erin's green valleys look down in thy love.

Hail, glorious St. Patrick, thy words were once strong
Against Satan's wiles and a heretic throng;
Not less is thy might where in Heaven thou art;
Oh, come to our aid, in our battle take part!

In a war against sin, in the fight for the faith,
Dear Saint, may thy children resist to the death;
May their strength be in meekness, in penance, and prayer,
Their banner the Cross, which they glory to bear.

Thy people, now exiles on many a shore,
Shall love and revere thee till time be no more;
And the fire thou hast kindled shall ever burn bright,
Its warmth undiminished, undying its light.

Ever bless and defend the sweet land of our birth,
Where the shamrock still blooms as when thou wert on earth,
And our hearts shall yet burn, wherever we roam,
For God and St. Patrick, and our native home.

There were three, maybe four, versions of this in the old St Gregory Hymnal we had at school. Not one of them was the traditional version which Frank Patterson sings in the YT clip above, which melody I may add not coincidentally fits the pipe scale rather well.

And in honour of the day that's in it, some traditional music:


Mary Brogan plays a pair of jigs on the double reed harmonica.


A set dance in a staged house dance setting


The Inisfree Céilí Band play a set of reels.


Playing Wearing of the Green, Bushmill's Irish Pipers march toward the competition circle at the Queen Mary Games.