Thomas Moore (1779-1852) was an Irish poet.

He was born at

Dublin and educated at Trinity College. He was a friend and classmate of Robert Emmet. He visited America, spending two years here. His poems are musical.

1

Those evening bells! those evening bells!
How many a tale their music tells,
Of youth, and home, and that sweet time
When last I heard their soothing chime!

2

Those joyous hours are passed away;
And many a heart, that then was gay,
Within the tomb now darkly dwells,
And hears no more those evening bells.

3

And so 't will be when I am gone;
That tuneful peal will still ring on,

While other bards shall walk these dells,

And sing your praise, sweet evening bells!

HELPS TO STUDY

Notes and Questions

For what do you think the bells

which the poet praises were ringing?

Of what did they speak to him?

What words in the first stanza tell you that the bells rang sweetly and softly?

Francis Mahony (1804-1866) was an Irish poet and journalist. He was born at Cork and was educated for the priesthood in Paris and Rome. Afterward he gave up his calling and became a magazine writer. He wrote under the name of "Father Prouty."

1

With deep affection

And recollection

I often think of

Those Shandon bells,

Whose sound so wild would,
In the days of childhood,

Fling round my cradle
Their magic spells.

2

On this I ponder

Where'er I wander,

And thus grow fonder,

Sweet Cork, of thee,

With thy bells of Shandon,

That sound so grand on

The pleasant waters

Of the river Lee.

3

I've heard bells chiming
Full many a clime in,
Tolling sublime in

Cathedral shrine,

While at a glib rate

Brass tongues would vibrate;

But all their music

Spoke naught like thine.

4

For memory, dwelling
On each proud swelling
Of thy belfry, knelling
Its bold notes free,

Made the bells of Shandon
Sound far more grand on

The pleasant waters

Of the River Lee.

5

I've heard bells tolling
Old Adrian's Mole in,
Their thunder rolling

From the Vatican,

And cymbals glorious
Swinging uproarious
In the gorgeous turrets
Of Notre Dame;

6

But thy sounds were sweeter

Than the dome of Peter

Flings o'er the Tiber

Pealing solemnly.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson, (1809-1892) was an English poet. He was born in Lincolnshire and studied at Trinity College, Cambridge. He was poet laureate of England, succeeding Wordsworth. He devoted himself to poetry. His poems are noted for their beauty of expression.

1

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,

The flying cloud, the frosty light;
The year is dying in the night:
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

From "In Memoriam."