Callanan

He sang of Gougaune Barra and the outlaw of Lough Lene And the convict of Cluain Meala and Ireland's joy and pain And sweeter music never flowed from any wild bird's throat Than from the pen of Callanan that famous Cork born poet. He translated the best songs of the old Gaelic tongue Songs that even sounded sweeter when in the English language sung And as well as a poetical translator perhaps Ireland's best in memory He too had in him the genius of originality. And though his poems won for him fame they did not bring him wealth And worse for him he did not have the very best of health And he died in his thirty fourth year in eighteen twenty nine In Portugal where he had gone for health mending sun shine. The poems and the translations of this gifted Prince of Rhyme Have stood the greatest test of all the mighty test of time In the field of Anglo Irish verse his is a house hold name And his genius still glows brightly like an everlasting flame. --------------------