The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1867-10-10
For the Jeffersonian.
Authorship of the Exile of Erin"

Authorship OF the Exile of Erin
TO Mr.. DANIEL NJ 'CARTHY, OF CooLBAUGH
The intense interest, always manifested
in the Irish, Patriotic song, called the
" Exile of Erin," springs, not so much
from its divine aud affecting appeals to
the imagination of the true patriot; but,
mostly from the suppostion, that its au-
thoL was man quite different in senti-
ment, from the Irish poet, who would
otherwise have tuned his numbers to
that allengrossing theme = Ireland's suf-
feriugs and her children's exile!
This grand effusion of poetic genius, is
ascribed to Thomas Campbell man ev-
cry way qualified to illustrate the human
yearnings, midst oppression and continual
sorrow; whose genius the world has so
freely held up to admiration, over con-
temporary rivalship; but whose country
was not Ireland, nor whose feelings beat
in unison with the thousands of aspirauts
to civil and patriotic renown. : 1t was
the age of Ireland's song, and Ireland's
suffering!
The authorship of the Exile of Erin"
belongs to George Nugent Reynolds,
beautifully characteristic poet of the time
! (l79O), who, by request, wrote the " Ex-
lie" and sent it, with other minor poetry,
to John Cormick, then wandering in this
country an outcast from his home.
The following history of the compost
tion of the song invests it with interest,
and is an earnest of the truthfulness of its
images:-
In the autumn of 1898, John Cormick,
the expatriated Irish rebel, described in
letter to his brother Michael, the miseries
he felt in exile. He lamented his loss of
fortune, friends and country He spoke
of the occupation and plunder of his
house in Dublin by the military; and of
the destruction upon that occasion of ar
ticles, which, though to others of slight
value, were to him of inestimable inte-
rest. Amongst others he especially de-
plored the loss upon that occasion Of
volume of manuscript poems, of his
friend and relative, George Nugent Rey-
EnOlds, of Letterfne; and requested his
brother to procure copies Of some of the
poety of Reynolds, and to send it out as a
consolation to him in his exile.
This letter was sent to Reynolds, who,
upon the occasion, wrote the since cele-
brated song Of the /" Exile of Erin" with
the purpose of sending it out to John
Cormick; and of which song John Cor
mick was himself the hero.
Reynolds intended his song as a sec-
ond part, and in conclusion to his we'll
known song of =" Green were the Fields"
which he had written in 1892, in the
form, and under the disguise, of a street
ballad. In the first part he painted from
actual observation, the sorrows of the ex-.
lied Irishman, driven from his beloved
home. In the second part he described
the same exile expiring on foreign
shore, and pouring forth with his dying
breath blessing on his native land. The
subjects in both parts are nearly similar;
but in the second, they are handled with
much more poetic power, and are freed
from the vulgar disguise of the street
ballad. The thoughts imperfectly enounc-
ed in the first part, after having lain some
time longer in the rich crucible of the
poets mind, were in the second part
poured forth refined, and energized by
reflection, and glowing with enthusiasm,
the very essence of beautiful and perfect
poetry
Both Of these poems are written in the
same metre = an unusual and difficult
one, adopted to the Irish melody of
|" Erin 90 Bragh," "a tune which ap-
pears unsuited to any poetry, except such
as tells of Irish sorrow, and which in part
has never been united to words possess
ing poetic merit upon any other subject.
The noble and melancholy air seems
formed to watt abroad the tones of Irish
suffering, and like some time-sweetened
bell, as often as its music is awakened by
the poets wand, it ever rings the sweet
and mournful knell for some departed Joy,
or blighted happiness, or buried hope of
Ireland.
The Exile" is a record of domestic
trial, pointing to the causes of popular
excitement showing the heavings of the
Irish heart, before it was driven into wild
rebellion On the ocean of Ireland's sor-
rows, it is the starlight which arises from
the dim and indistinct stupor of oppres-
sion. The sounds have their birth in the
storm, and their melody in the tempest.
They relieve the throbbings of the suf-
ferer, and inspire the desoate
The first part was written in 1872 and
the second in 1913.
THE EXILE OF ERIN.
BY GEORGE NUGENT REYNOLDS.