Slane

Slane (Be Thou My Vision)

Irish Folk Song

Dallan Forgaill, 8th Century

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart
Naught be all else to me save that thou art
Thou my best thought by day or by night
Waking or sleeping thy presence my light.

Be thou my wisdom, thou my true word
I ever with thee, thou with me, Lord
Thou my great Father, I thy true Son
Thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.

Be thou my battleshield, sword for the fight
Be thou my dignity, thou my delight
Thou my soul's shelter, thou my high tower
Raise thou me heavenward, O power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise
Thou mine inheritance, now and always
Thou and thou only, first in my heart
High King of heaven, my treasure thou art.

High King of heaven, after victory won
May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's sun
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall
Still be my vision, O ruler of all.

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Music: "Slane" An Irish Folk Origin.

Slane Hill is about ten miles from Tara in County Meath. It was on Sloan Hill around the year 433 AD that St. Patrick defied a royal edict by lighting candles on the eve of Easter. The High King Logaire of Tara had decreed that no one could light a fire before Logaire began, the pagan spring festival, by the lighting of a fire on Tara Hill. Logaire was so impressed by Patrick's devotion that despite his own defiance, he let St. Patrick continue his missionary work; and as they say... the rest is history.

Words: Attributed to Dallan Forgaill, 8th Century (Rob tu mo bhoile, a Comdi cride); translated from ancient Irish to English by Mary Byrne in "Eriu", Journel of the School of Irish Learning, 1905, and versed by Eleanor H. Hull, 1912, alt.

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