A chara,
I hope you are well.
You mentioned to me that you would love to hear some truly memorable Irish stories and the first one that came to mind when I was planning the Christmas recipes had to be the story of Orwin and Sebana, Ireland’s own Romeo and Juliet. Instead of being a work of fiction, there is far more than a hint of truth to this story. About fifty years after Shakespeare wrote his masterpiece, our Irish forbidden love story, somewhere between legend and truth unfolded. I wanted to share this with you as this story is simply magic.
The story took place in the 1650s during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland. This was the period of the re-conquest of Ireland by the Commonwealth of England, led by Oliver Cromwell.
Sebana was a Nugent, only daughter of the Black Baron who owned Ross Castle, a furious man and an English Royalist. Orwin was the head of the O’Reilly clan and an Irish rebel fighter. Their forbidden love was doomed from the start.
Orwin was wounded in battle and hid out in the ruins of his family castle, Crover Castle on Crover Island in Lough Sheelin, County Cavan. The castle had been cannonballed by Cromwell during the re-conquest of Ireland, destroying half of it.
Sebana was greatly confined to her father’s estate during the rebellion and was known to walk along the shores of Lough Sheelin in the evening. One night she heard music being carried through the night air over Lough Sheelin, coming from Crover Island. She rowed over to the island where she found Orwin, wounded and playing his harp. She kept visiting and gradually they fell in love. They knew that they had to keep their love a secret because he was in hiding.
Then Sebana caught a fever, possibly pneumonia from being out on Lough Sheelin at all hours and she spent a couple of weeks in her tower bedroom recovering. During those few lonely weeks, Orwin began to believe that she had abandoned him. Distraught, he died from his wounds and a broken heart. As soon as Sebana became well enough, she returned to Crover Island to find his lifeless body. Orwin’s ghost then appeared to her and asked her to bury him on the land around Ross Castle, so that she can see him from her bedroom window.
Sebana arranged his burial in a grave close to Ross Castle as he wished. Not long after she died of a broken heart. She was buried alongside him and now it is said that they now both haunt Lough Sheelin together. Today there is a plaque there in honour of their forbidden, tragic love. Her tower bedroom still stands, as does the ruins of Crover Castle, which was built in 1393 by Thomas McMahon O’Reilly during the O’Reilly reign.
In the 1800s, local poet Phil O’Connell captured the story in a truly beautiful poem and it is spreading around the world again through the artbook of local talented artist Kim Gaffney. What I find so endearing about this story is that local artist Kim only came to art recently in life and works in community palliative care, providing end of life care. I am sure she knows much about both love encompassing all, even in death.
I wanted you to enjoy the beautiful poem about this story so that it doesn’t slip through the passage of time.
Orwin and Sebanna Wild shone the moon o'er Sheelin's wave And silent night involved the world When Orwin left his secret cave Where round his home the white wave curled From splendid home and festive halls By wars oppressive power driven Alone he mourned his early fall Nor felt a hope save chat of heaven Within a solitary isle By Sheelin’s murmuring waves surrounded The ruins of a Gothic pile Received him joyless and confounded Lonely he wandered on the shore And sighed for friends in battle falling Again he sees them drenched in gore And fondly each dear name recalling "Where are the brave" he sadly cried Dear lovely Erin once thy glory In vain to save thee have they died Nor lives one bard to grace thy story Mighty O'Neill are thine eyes closed That keenly blazed in battles danger Weak is that arm so long opposed To Erin's foes her great avenger Near what lone river are ye laid Ye great O'Donnell of the mountains Or do ye roam like me dismayed Or mourn by the moon light fountains Green is thy grave, without a stone Enclosed by the blue rolling waters Yet long shall thy dear name be known In the sad songs of Erin's daughters Nation of heroes art thou quelled And does the chain of bondage humble Those who so long the thistle held Where died the lion trembled Thus mused he when the morning owl Flew fearless round the woe-warn strangers Who startled as the watch dogs howl For on the shore seemed threatening danger But yet one feeling sheared his heart While every other hope departed All powerless love's infusing dart Gives life one charm though broken-hearted Far o'er the waves high on the shore Proud Ross displays its lofty towers Where she who cheered his mone heart's core Oft wandered in its peaceful bowers Sebana was the fair one named The proud Black Baron's only daughter For tender love and fondness famed Yet lovers in vain besought her In seasons mild twas her delight To wander through her native bowers In the calm silence of the night And muse away the harmless hours Once as along the foam crowned shore Beneath the moon's pale silver glowing She stood to hear the waters roar And well responding boatmen rowing The waves where still the rowers sang DIed softly on the distant billow And all was silent as the tongue Of him who sleeps on Death's cold pillow When sudden to her raptured ears Came sound more sweet more to inspire Each enchanted soul that human care Had e'er drawn from the trembling wire The sound seemed from an angel's band So sweetly soft so deeply moving Then rising in the Zephyr bland Their strains unceasing in wild notes roving Transfixed by the enchanting song She leaned upon a bending willow Till the last notes in echoes rung Came softly o'er the silent billow Urged by curiosity to know From whence the magic sounds proceeded She called her page oft wont to row Her little boat, when pleasure needed The well known voyage was not far Soon on the lonely island landed When from the castles windows' glare The twinkling light with moon beams blended Afraid yet anxious to advance She wandering stood nor dared to enter Till a face shone by the flickering glare Seemed to invite the maid to enter 'Twas Orwin and who else Could show a face to female fancy dearer Where struggling valour appeared to glow By pensive sadness rendered fairer Amazed she stood, till Urwin's eye Chanced on the lonely blushing stranger In mingled terror and surprise To him each face seemed fraugh with danger Starting he seized his two edged sword Yet paused to beauty's soveriegn power And such light as did the place afford Gave light to love in danger's hour "Whence" he cried "fair fearless maid Come you now so unexpected By chance alone has't thou strayed Or hast disguise thy course directed "O Pardon" cried the trembling fair "A foolish maid", whose steps unguided had by curiosity to dare What caution and prudence "would have chided" My father lands the woods of Ross In me behold his only daughter Where it your days you choose to pass You'll meet a friend who will not falter "One instant now dear lovely maid Let be request, which, if denied me To quick destruction soon betrayed A dungeon gloom till death will take him For O In me you see the man Who last opposed proud Cromwell's power My armies slain, my glories gone A fugitive within this tower Thy father is on Cromwell's side My life is gone if once discovered 'Tis now in time since chance did guide Thee to Orwin's cover "Orwin" exclaimed the smiling maid Her glistening eyes in gladness beaming And art thou he so fierce in war So terrible in red fields streaming When warriors filled my father's hall Oft have I heard that name repeated Whereon thy foes oft extol The fame as such thy deeds related There lives one, a brother too Whose grateful heart will love thee ever SInce saved in battle's rage by you Where foemen's spears did round him quiver Dost thou forget that fateful day You stood to save Lough Ougthers Castle When Cromwell's armies in array Along the shores did thundering rattle Before O'Neill where Briton's fled Foremost you pursued with slaughter A dying foe you homeward led Borne by you through the water That foe who did you kndness share And owes his life is my fond brother Come then to Ross and meet him there Nor thy name be known to other She wiged in vain then bade adiew Resolved next evening to return While confidence on both side grew And more than friend ship's flame did burn The boat again with evening came Well stored with all the place required The sparkling faggots bright did flame While all sat round the blazing fire The dinner laid, the cheerful wine Restored once more the Chieftain's spirit And once again did sprightly shine Each innate charm he did inherit That ample heart, by fortune's frown Contracted, now again expanded That noble soul long blending down Burst forth with native graces blended Again he touched the sounding string In tender strains of magic sweetness They sand the songs of Erin's Kings And deep deplored her fallen greatness They sand of sorrows all his own His luckless wars his toils and danger His friends all fallen, he alone left alone, alone, a stranger He ceased and found the maid in tears Deeply she felt his plaintive story And tender pity for his care Burst forth in silent oratory While there they sat the ardent page Of each alternate fondly stolen More firmly laid the struggling flame That deep in either heart had fallen The unfelt hours stole swiftly by Reluctantly again they parted Sweet was the language of the eye Which modesty but half averted And from that time when chance was kind They oft enjoyed the stolen hours Till Orwin once his care resigned To rove within her father's bowers And here they sat and vowed eternal truth And every solemn promise plighted That till the latest day of both Their fates henceforth should be united The dew fell fast the air was chill The rising wind, the dark woods shrouded Black night hung low on every hill The noisy waves the rocks resounded The happy hours unfelt had passed And late it was when both returned The morn gained the mainland waste The sinking stars but faintly burned Sad Orwin sought the dreary isle Sebana gained her silent chamber Alternate wept and sighed and smiled As she each recent scene remembered She sought her bed to soothe her mind Cold, pallid, trembling and exhausted Whereby a fever low confined Long dreary days and nights she wasted In vain sad Orwin's on the shore In wild impatience sadly straying Many a wistful look cast o'er The evening shades around him playing Hours, days and weeks slow passed away No bounding boat came o'er the waters More wrecked each succeeding day Then fickle and inconstant thought her Again of every hope bereft Each grief returned with keener anguish One pang wakes many Careless of life he wildly roved His senses fled his vigour wasted And scarcely talked of her he loved And raved of joy too quickly blasted At length death's kind hand set free That soul long plunged in hopeless sorrow Bleached in the passing gale he lay The victim of misfortune's arrow Nor know Sebana half her woe To hope, to health and strength recovered Now sought the shore at evening's close To meet again her long lost lover Night fell and darkness closed each vale The soft moon on the waters beaming That lightly ruffled to the gate In silvery sparkles brightly beaming Lonely she wandered on the shore And sand those songs that Orwin taught her And many a lingering look cast o'er Across the lonely waster of water At length so moving o'er the strand Came Orwin and stood close beside her But, oh! nor spoke nor took her hand Nor even sought by looks to chide her He hung his head, half turned his face Nor sighed nor broke the fearful silence Unusual fear her soul oppressed While down her cheek the cold sweat glide She saw his face 'twas wild and pale His hollow eyes were sunk and glazing his uncombined locks flee to the gale And blue the lips once sweetly pleasing "Ah! Speak" she cried I faint in fear O! why so changed, so sad so gloomy Say can'st thou doubt a heart so dear Alas methought you better knew me "Beloved Sebana" he softly said Calm thy sad heart in patience hear me Love bids me hope dear faithful maid That e'en in death you no fear me For O of earth no more I breathe Cold lies my corpse in yonder bower For thee I burst the bonds of earth To meet thee at the silent hour For thee I died, ans till for thee My bosom fells its former fire E'en now from human frailties free Love yet survives though life expires Then cheer my soul and be not sad My wakeful care shall watch thee ever Till thou be mingled with the dead Then, then in bliss no more we sever And one last favour let me ask And O forgive the fond desire Which kind hope say the lonely task Who will not deem so much required To lay my corpse with the earth In that loved sport where first you told me Your heart was mine which gave hope birth That e'en in death's last pang console me There let me rest in peaceful death By all but thee unknown Unheeded and lost alike to glory's breath From honour, rank, and fame degraded And when the bloom of early Spring Refresh my grave with genial showers The grateful offerings wilt thou bring And strew my clay cold bed with flowers And then e'er long you will be laid And there will meet the lovers On our grave their vows be paid And shed their tears our cold bed over Assisted by her faithful page His wish fulfilled his grave is covered Short she withstood keen sorrows rage Small time survived her sleeping lover Her days were few upon the hill And many those who knew deplored them Now both one lonely grave do fill Each rolling year blooms flowers o'er them And oftime in the dead of night Is seen the proud Black baron's daughter By the side of Orwin gliding bright And roaming o'er Lough Sheelin's water
Beir bua agus beannacht,
Róisín Hynes
Sliocht sleachta ar shliocht bhur sleachta.
Thank you so much. This story was new to me.
This was lovely. Thank you.