ESSAY ON NAVAN

Fair Navan on the Boyne where beauty smiles
On tranquil scenes of waters. woods and isles
With blooming fields around in verdure laid
Where many now abroad, in childhood played.

Where healthy springs arise and breezes blow
Through flowery vales of beauty, rivers flow
On either sides propelling in their course
Great works of trade by main hydraulic force,

In currents water power is supplied
By nature fit for trade on every side
But leaving trade alone it may supply
What nature does to many towns deny.

Suburban grandeur permanent and fair
Which must divest the visitor of care
In beauteous shades here Blackwater and Boyne
In confluence unit and smoothly join.
Each bank adorned by sylvans pleasant shade
From that green  island where Blackwater ends
Surpassing beauty forward now extends
Along the ramparts twixt the waters still
Surrounding beauty forward employs the quill.

Where lovers walk to take the evening breeze
Between the waters and beneath the trees
A gentle breeze pedestrians inhale
When zephyr blows the hydrogenic gale

Ascending banks in clothed verdure rise
Which wooded scenes of beauty here despise
Far as the eye can see reach along the way
The magic scents in glory their display

A retrogressive walk and then adieu besides
A retrospective farewell view
Back through the Arch of Blondines mighty mills
The deep canal beneath its chamber fills.

The ponderous water wheel moves round
Of unsurprising power metal bound
Behold the murmuring falls across the weir
another shaded island does appear:

Too hidden by its trees a floating grove
On which the glistening waters seem to move
Then cross the little bridge that stands so high
Enchanting scenes around must please, the eye

Till to describe and give the town its due
Would puzzle "Sappho" and "Pindarus" too
A second paradise where nature brings
The fairest ladies and the purest springs
An exit hence and See the burned mill
A remnant of destruction standing still
But once it was the pride of all around
And seven storeys high above the ground.

Until reduced by fire disastrous fall
The stones gave way machinery and all
Devouring flames set in, all efforts failed
In spite of all in town, the flames prevailed.

Till in a fiery mass both works and walls
In one tremendous crash the building falls
Behind the ruins a little from the race
An Island green ornaments the place.

Where willows weep and poplars grow so high
Above the ruin'd walls that once stood by
But forward hence whoever wants to view
An ancient ruined castle to pursue.

On the right beyond the wooded hill
Where once Delaney lived or further still
Towering walls there yet portray
Destructions fiery hand and times decay

The noble seat where Dowdal one time stood
An Irish noble man of rank and blood
Unable to resist oppression's hand
Ht freely used himself the burning brand.

He left but raked walls and kept his word
To futilise the confiscator's sword
The reason was of such a rash affair
That Cromwell with his host was coming there.

Another cast it stood there at Dunmoe
Those ancient walls as yet plainly show
But Cromwell came that way In days of yore
By whose destroying hand It stood no more.

Tradition tells historic proof a creed
Now back into the town I must recede
To leighsbrook's shade along the convent wall
Beneath the tree the little water fall

Where oft I walk Id alone on by the stream
To take the breeze and shun the solar beam
In humble place yet worthy of the pew
In Peaceful shades a sacred little glen

Nor Is there any wonder to be found
But yet remember consecrated ground
The flowing well where once in times gone by
A holy chapel stood erected high.

High over the town appear to distant view
The, belfry of the, church and chapel too
Once ivy clad with sharp lapidic spears
The latter o'er the, town and temple bores

Constructed there by native trade at home
Solemn splendour stands with quadrant dome
The heavy crucifix that stands below
Was by a town man sculptured every blow
Which all who came the way can see and know
How near to life the sculptor's art can go

But not to leave the architective line
Description here of such I must confine
Two bands of late In Trlmgate and the Square,
High o'er other buildings as they stand there
But of the, whole municipal array,
The Square and Ludlows Street the way

The latter leads productive of such art
As for the town must bear a noted part
An artist there whose worth the town may claim
Another native genius merits fame
But further see an ornament we meet
Attracts the builder's eye and ends the street

I mean the "Russell Arms" or "Club Hotel"
"Che Sera Sera " marks the future well.
To know its meaning in Italian see
The double future of the verb to be.

The viaduct, below extensive plan,
The road and the Boyne beneath its mighty span
Seems like fortress there to guard the way,
It (????) where locomotives play

From architecture now I have to change,
For yonder see beyond the cottage range
A landscape there appears in silvic pride
Transcendent beauty reigns on every side

See! to the left a superb rising ridge
O'er the river to the neighbouring bridge
Its verdant side so Interspersed by wood
Appears in silent beauty o'er the flood

But further see a mansion nobly stands,
Most beautiful in structure, and commands
A view above the trees delightful scenes
Amid young groves and shrubs of evergreen

Protracted beauty further does impose
Which I don't wish to follow but to close
Now further hence as prejudice impends
Description here of local beauty ends

In all I now described, I fail to note
The famous "Thubberorum" and the "Moat"
For both endured the ravages of time
The latter now a sandpit seems to undermind
With beautiful and green ascending mound
With thorn-based and spreading shamrock crowned
For young and old in town a cool resort
Where age can rest and youth indulge in sport

And from its summit can be seen for miles
The fragrant plains of Meath 's most fertile soils
But low beneath a precipice is made, that will
In time make ancient beauty fade.

Tis wrong to meddle with such ancient things
The artificial work of native kings
Through pagan ages far remote they served
The bones of warlike chiefs they have preserved

Such earthen monuments or grasses
Will mark the tombs and yet contain hereof
Native princes or chiefs or ancient bard
Such earthen mounds should there fore not be marred

For ages such were used through pagan reigns
Ere Scotia with her sons arrived from Spain
Who conquered all the old De Dannian tribes
On Feltown plains an ancient writ describes.

Long ere St. Patrick came to bless this land
With mitred brow and crozier in his hand
With influence persuasive and divine
He made the light of true religion shine

At Colp he landed last successful then
Where Mermon landed once and Heber Finn
On Easter's Eve St. Patrick came to Slane
He pitched his tent and fire to remain.

But soon from Tara's heights King Laoghaire
Saw the fire it at Slane against his law
St. Patrick with his priests at Laoghaire's call
In safety passed next day to Tara's Hall

And there the great apostle took his post
In front of Laoghaire and his pagan host
Converting all around some authors say.
Except the King himself who held his way
Thence faith and learning spread without complaint
Till Ireland was called the Isle of Saints.

He founded churches and religious  schools
May Irish offspring never quit their rules.
Fair Navan heart of Meath still holds the name
That always at election won the game.
Where Erin's sons in concord still agree
And where the great Parnell twice gained MP
A Patriot of Erin no mistake
Came forth in vigour for his country's sake.

He proved himself for years the first by far
As Irish patriots the leading star
He nobly stood his cause fighting against
Coercion with honest feud ...

Who tried in vain to quell oppressive laws
So fairly aimed against the Irish cause
Coercive laws for landlords made with plans
To devastate their populated lands

Their native homes which most on earth they prized
To see laid waste or else monopolised
By disaffected landlords led by hate
Who would the country still de-populate.