Killarney
Music File
Lesley Nelson
Information
Lyrics
This song was printed on numerous broadsides. J. Harkness printed a broadside of it circa 1873, T. Pearson of Manchester printed it sometime between 1850 and 1899. Copies of these can be found at the Bodleian Library. Rev. S. Baring-Gould also collected a version. It was printed in Hyland's Mammoth Hibernian Songster (1901).

According to Songs of America and Homeland the music is by M. W. Balfe (1808-1870). Michael W. Balfe managed the Lyceum Theatre (then known as Theatre Royal, English Opera) in 1841. He also wrote the ballad opera The Bohemian Girl which opened at London's Drury Lane Theatre in 1843 and also featured the song I Dreamt I Dwelt In Marble Halls.

By Killarney's lakes and fells,
Em'rald isles and winding bays;
Mountain paths and woodland dells,
Mem'ry ever fondly strays.
Bounteous nature loves all lands
Beauty wonders ev'rywhere;
Footprints leaves on many strand,
But her home is surely there!
Angels fold their wings and rest,
In that Eden of the West
Beauty's home Killarney,
Ever fair Killarney.

No place else can charm the eye,
With such bright and varied tints,
Ev'ry rock that you pass by,
Verdure broiders or besprints.
Virgin there the green grass grows,
Ev'ry morn Spring's natal day;
Brighthued berries daff the snows,
Smiling winter's frown away.
Angels often pausing there,
Doubt if Eden were more fair,
Beauty's home Killarney,
Ever fair Killarney.

Music there for Echo dwells,
Makes each sound a Harmony,
Many-voiced the chorus swells
Till it faints in ecstasy.
With the charmful tints below
Seems the Heaven above to vie,
All rich colours that we know,
Tinge the cloud-wreaths in that sky.
Wings of Angels so might shine,
Glancing back soft light divine,
Beauty's home Killarney,
Ever fair Killarney.
Related Links
From Songs of America and Homeland
See Bibliography for full information.