The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1905-03-17

"A heaven as on earth Il
And relax assiduous piety in tuneful Irish
8 mirth.
Long the. bards had been arranging to
hold grand Fels Cecil,
Which would wake celestial echoes and
delight each heavenly soul
With Erins classic music and sweet.
transcendant song
Not yet lost to those departed from
earthly scenes SO long.
rhe committee on arrangements, ever
Comprised such souls as Oisin, Thomas
Davis. Brian Boru,
o'Carolan and Talbot, Lord Edward ana
Lyons, Hempson, Katharine Hayes. who
sang SO sweet and pure.
No mortal Ger conceived scene SO elab-
crate and grand
AS that erected tor the Feis by this de-
voted band,
With SURPRISING splendor reproduced in
panoramic view.
Enthroned upon dcecy cloud, irradiant
and bright.
Sat the venerable Patrick with st. Bridget
on his right:
On his left the Lion of the Fold" tie
faithful John McHale.
While around them stood the hierarchy.
the brightest of the Gael.
The committee had arranged to place St.
Patrick in full view
OF the countless multitude of souls who
on earth were ever true
To his teachings; so with accurate and
able scenic skill,
His throne was situated just above old
In amphitheatral order was the multitude
a1rayed; r.f
And each soul occupied the spot from
whence in death it Strayed;
I'm the center was the spacious stage, 10
Gated near AthlOne,
While on the whole Il heavenly light in
rich refulgence Shone.
A silence deep and reverent .oerspread
that mighty band,
AS it saw st. Patrick stand erect, his
crozier in his hand
With sublime appreciation of the homage
offered there,
He blessed his faithful followers and
then resumed his chair.
| Pat Gilmore was selected by unanimous
10 conduct the music Of the Feis and
guide the tuneful choir.
A task which found him fitted by his con-
tdence and grace
And an honor well deserved by such Il
champion OF the race.
The varied programme now begins. the
initial part appears;
| 1t had not been enacted within eight
| Since the halcyon days Of Brian's court.
when harperS were III sway.
And wore gold circlets on their brows
and robes of cOlors gay.
An ancient band of harpers was led upon
| the stage,
- in his5ory S page se;'''''eS o'''S N'0""
| With heads erect their features shone
with intellectual light,
| Their demeanor full suggestive ,of their
| ll-fin Ynipht
AS Gilmore gave the signal their harps
with sweet accord.
| Rang out upon the heavenly air in pleas
ing, tuneful chord;
Their voices pitched in perfect key, first
low, then rising higher,
ethereal choir.
Their songs. in purest Gaelic, told of an
Client Erin when
Twas The land Of sanity scholars and of
| most gifted men:
When twas Europe's seat of learning
| from which Patrick's light Went
TO emblaze the pagan darkness which
| prevailed throughout the North.
They sang the Caoine which oft has been
| compared to the Lament
OF David over Jonathan" with bitter an
They sang Of Erins holy men, her poets
and her bards;
| They sang In praise of ErinS faith which
Patrick ever guards.
The i,arpers now retired amid the plaud-
it's loud and long,
| And Gilmore in stentorian tones an
nounccd the'd have a song
/ From that gifted Irish nightingale, adept
| i'll Irish lays,
! The matchless queen of melody the peer
| less Katharine Hayes.
A vision Of sweet loneliness and pure. an
| Eelic grace,
Rich golden hair encircling her classic
Irish face.
AS she stood, a picture. waiting there the
welcome to subside.
| The beloved OF that great multitude, it's
heroine, it's pride.
Her voice, superlatyely sweet. her hear
Her tender cadence We're heard from
Kinsale to Donegal;
She sfss ss1sSs n ns Rds s"s'h ssa
Which stirred her hearers to a grand
spontaneous hurrah.
And now appeared with harp in hand, q
venerable man,
With ,hoary locks; bis sight restored;
i twas great O'Carolan,
| The widest known and best beloved OF
all the minstrel band,
Which wrought that priceless trea sure
the music OF our land.
He struck his. harp. the empyrean was
filled with sweetest strains,
That will live while e'er restige of our
| Celtic muse remails:.t
AS his fingers deftly touched the strings
! a his face with plea sure. ,shone.
Recalling pleasant memories OF the tri-
umphs he had won. Il: -
That gem Of plaintiye melody, "O'Caro-
~ lan's Farewell -
| He rendered with a pathos which no
4 harper could excel
As, also, his "Concerto' and Receipt for
And his stirring ''Planxty Peyton'' may
his memory ever shine.
Now seated on the stage, with union pipes
j upon his knee, M s1,sf
fAppeared the famous Talbot; familiar
tsg. sight was he
i TO those contemporaneous souls from
| S Cavan, Louth and Meath,
i Who, wnen in fiesh oft placed upon his
i brow a laurel wreath.
That Talbot was a master Of the art now
i ss almost lost "a
An art in these degenerate days which
very few can boast
W.