From the collection of

"ANCIENT GHOSTS AND GREEN HEART SONGS"

Songs of Family, Faith, and Heritage

*skull picture: C. 2006 Roisin Art

Directory of Hymns

Buiochas le Dia

Celtic Grace

Dawning of Christ

Celtic Compline

Celtic Consecration

Celtic Offertory

Dance of the Lord

Holy Communion

Blessings on this Child

Mary of the Gaels

Mary Our Priestess

Morning Glory

When Autumn Leaves Fall

Our Own

Samhain

Seasons of Life

Song of the Birds

This Bread and This Wine

Ciaran A Chara!

Buiochas

Buíochas le Dia!

I rise early in the morn

to see the lark soar high at dawn

and give thanks to my God that I was born!

Sings my soul: "Buíochas le Dia!"

The warmth and the glow of the sun's golden ray

fills my heart with love on this beautiful day

and I fall to my knees compelled to pray!

Sings my soul: Buíochas le Dia!

I'm surrounded by life in the woods and the air

and I cherish our Mother, this Earth that we share

for it fills me with passion and visions so fair!

Sings my soul: Buíochas le Dia!

The blessings of life in the oceans and streams

and on mountains and hills are the stuff of God's dreams

and they tell me our world is far more than it seems!

Sings my soul: Buíochas le Dia!

Copyright 1995 Cáit Finnegan

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Celtic Grace

Celtic Grace

We thank you Lord with all our hearts

For this meal set before us which Your Love imparts

For Your Love which touches us in every way

through family and friends far or near this day.

O Lord keep us mindful of those in need

that we not sucumb to sinful greed

And when we have shared in this meal that You bless

Bid us go forth and share our gifts with those who have less.

Copyright 1997, Cáit Finnegan

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THE DAWNING OF CHRIST

The dawning of Christ covers the land

In the Light of His Light, we now understand

His Glory reflected in all that we see

The air that surrounds us, the Earth beneath me

The fire that warms us, the depth of the sea

The angels of heaven, the creatures we see.

All things are made through Him, O this I believe

And with Him and in Him, what God has conceived.

The Dawning of Christ hails a new day

That I might begin to live a new way

To go a step farther than I have before

To know in my heart the Christ I adore.

I know Christ in others who pass by my way

In those who will leave me, in those who will stay.

I know Christ in others who speak well of me

Or see me or hear me, it's Christ that I see.

Our people have always known God, in their hearts

And now, with Christ's coming, God's Grace to impart,

We're called to love others, uniting as one.

With Christ our new Dawn, all darkness is done.

Oh Christ of all nations, through Whom all things come,

You! My salvation! God's only Son,

Creator and Spirit, I worship as One!

Your people now greet You! Our day is begun.

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CELTIC COMPLINE

1

The quiet darkness blankets the land

and God's infinite glory seems right at my hand

As I look to creation can my heart understand

the vastness of stars or the small grain of sand?

2

For the mighty Love that creates this world

And the ongoing Love that sustains

can reach to the end of the universe

while it touches our hills and our plains.

1

And as night embraces all those who sleep

or measures the moments of the vigil we keep

we confess our day and rejoice or weep

as we give to our God all we sow, all we reap.

2

As the moonlight shines on a darkend town

or glistens on ocean waves

or gently pushes its light through the trees

or kisses the mouths of caves

1

As dogs may howl to greet the moon

And children nestle to their mother's croon

or the last "I love you" is said too soon

still, the lark in its nest prepares its new tune.

2

For the circle of life begins where it ends

though the night seem as dark as a tomb

for our Faith and our Hope are grounded in Love

thus the dark night becomes a womb.

1

For Love will bring forth a light for our day

to bless and to guide all we do, all we say.

This Love will bring forth a Light for our way

that we may not stumble and our path may not stray.

1 & 2

So we sleep now in peace trusting in Love

while commending all to God's care

embracing the darkness with Faith, Hope and Love

secure that our God is there.

Copyright 1996, Cáit Finnegan

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CELTIC CONSECRATION

Come Holy Spirit to our chosen one

and help him continue this work you've begun,

as Christ the Good Shepherd, God's only Son,

shared the great Love of the Ancient One.

O come Holy Spirit! Renew in us here

the Faith that our fathers and mothers held dear.

And grant to this soul friend the words we should hear

that through his sound teaching we'll know that You're near.

Great God bless this shepherd! O Christ be his Friend

And stay near to him 'til his journey's end.

We pray Holy Spirit Your Wisdom to send

that he guide with care the flock he will tend.

Anoint him dear Christ to serve You each day

to preach and to teach, to work and to pray

As You taught Your people, in the ancient way

of God's love for all. O this Christ, we pray.

O Holy of Holies, all creation

glorifies You, in all that You've done.

Praise to the Great God! Praise to the Son!

Praise to the Spirit! Our God is One.

© 1997, Cait Finnegan

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CELTIC OFFERTORY

Bring your gifts to the Lord and His altar of stone

As He opens His arms and welcomes His Own.

God's strength like an oak now shared with each one

through Christ we become a daughter or son.

No blood sacrifice required today

No cruel appeasement, for Love is the Way.

We bring bread and wine, symbolic of life

that is shared out of Love, the new sacrifice.

And we offer to You, O God of our clan

each thought, word and deed of each woman or man.

And with all creation, we raise up our prayers

O Christ our salvation, take our joys and cares.

And the fire that lights the altar we dress

both warms us and guides us as we praise and bless.

And the blessed holy water that mingles with wine,

a symbol of life that brings life divine.

And once we have eaten this meal that we share

Christ be thou our vision we see everywhere

Christ be in our neighbor. Christ be in our heart.

Christ be in our loved ones, both near and apart.

Christ be our intention as we kiss in peace

Christ be in our wills let all warring cease.

Christ be on this altar now, in bread and wine

as we share together in this sacred sign.

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DANCE OF THE LORD

(Liturgical Irish Dance)

O God we come before You

with our gifts of bread and wine,

trusting that You'll be with us

in this Your sacred sign.

And we dance before this covenant,

as David did before,

rejoicing at Your love for us,

the God that we adore!

We trust You for our daily bread

providing for each day

and now we come before You Lord,

to listen and to pray.

And we raise our voices up in joy

and faith that You are near.

O Holy One accept the praise

of all Your people here.

So bless this bread and bless this wine

that all of us may feast

at the Banquet set before us,

where the greatest is the least.

And as kindred hearts unite us, Lord,

that we may all be one

with You and with the Spirit

and with Your only Son.

All glory to the Mighty One

Creator God above!

And glory to the Spirit, She

Who fills the world with Love!

And glory to the One Who died,

setting sinners free

to live once more in love with God!

O glory to all Three!

Copyright 1997, Cáit Finnegan

(Liturgical Irish Dance)

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HOLY COMMUNION

Filled with this Bread and this Wine that You give

Renewed life flows through us, that we all might live.

As heaven and earth are intwined in this meal,

In Awe here before You, O God, do we kneel.

Yet You call us friends and bid us to rise

In new life with You, our eternal Prize,

And that life is stronger, O Ancient of Days,

As we grow together in Your loving ways.

As sisters and brothers we come before You

Seeking Your strength for all we need do

To welcome the stranger as friend in Your Name

To care for the hungry the poor and the lame.

Your breath is the air that we breathe deep within

Your pulse is the Love saving us from our sin

And You come in this earthly food that we eat

That by this humble act all our pride You defeat.

So we eat and dink deep of this Bread and this Wine

That crosses all boundaries of space and of time,

Communion in Your faithful Love to the end,

In Your life, death and rising, our sin You transcend.

Copyright 1997 Cáit Finnegan

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BLESSINGS ON THIS CHILD

Blessings on this child of yours

O Blessings on this child!

Welcome him through open doors

And bid him stay awhile.

Pass our Faith in Christ to him

Creation as God's feast,

Speaking more of Love than sin

That he may know God's peace.

Love him deeply, let him know

His home is in your heart

The time will come when he will go

But you'll not be apart.

Blessings on this child of yours

O Blessings on this child!

Welcome him through open doors

And bid him stay awhile.

The bonds you build with him today -

A house that's built on stone,

Will bind you each in such a way

He'll never be alone.

He'll know your love and you'll know his

For all eternity!

He'll know God's Love for what it is -

A loving family.

Blessings on this child of yours

O Blessings on this child!

Welcome him through open doors

And bid him stay awhile.

Copyright 1996, Cáit Finnegan

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Mary Of The Gaels

MARY OF THE GAELS

O Mary of the Gaels, dear Abbess of Kildare

Our Irish Queen of Charity, Anamchara ever fair!

We pray to you our Bride, be with us as our guide

And if our Faith should falter, be here Bridget, at our side.

Help us always to remember the poor we may not see

And keep us ever mindful of the gift that we may be.

Be our soul friend ever faithful, that we may not depart

From Faith in Christ, just as you taught from your own Celtic heart.

Dear Bridget, walk among us as the friend you've always been

And help us to renew our Faith and turn away from sin.

Help us take the yearnings from the depths of Celtic souls

and turn them into loving acts, every sorrow to console.

Oh keep us ever mindful of this heritage we bear

of this Celtic Faith in God most high, dear Bridget of Kildare.

And let us not be troubled or left swaying like a reed

But return to our Celtic roots and the Faith that is our creed.

Copyright 1996, Cait Finnegan

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MARY OUR PRIESTESS

Mary our mother, our model, our friend!

They tell us to be like you

but what is their purpose? What is their end?

Are we all to dress in blue?

I look to you Mary when life is a joy

knowing you laughed with your little boy.

And I run to you Mary when I need a friend

aware of the love and the comfort you send.

Yet Mary I see you not weakened by men

or put in your place, but showing us when

a woman's strong love is the strength that we need

when weakened by power, aggression and greed.

Mary our mother, our model, our friend!

They tell us to be like you

but what is the purpose? What is the end?

To bring Christ to the world like you!

Mary we're told that we can't bless the bread.

We're told we are privileged to bake it instead.

They'd stone us for indecent things that we'd do

to bring Christ to the world and be just like you.

Where is the angel defending her honor

against those who'd heap such ridicule on her?

For Mary is she, pregnant with grace,

raising the bread in the priest's place.

Copyright 1995, Cáit Finnegan

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Morning Glory

Morning Glory

or

Breakfast in the Wood

Diamonds in the trees

glistening in the breeze,

the morning dew resting

with such ease upon the leaves.

Spirits, like fog, from the grass ascend,

as birds to the basket of seeds descend,

The dawn announcing the night now ends,

the breakfast bell tolls for our woodland friends.

Quietly, they come,

their pace a gentle drum,

passing through the green wood

ferns they strum, God's song they hum.

The neighboring rooster's wake up call

from the cool crisp night, the herald of Fall,

proclaims a new day as he sits on the wall

near the barn where the bay mare stirs in her stall.

Baptizing anew

Holy Water dew

Mystical druids see

God's Own view, and I do too.

Copyright 1996 Cáit Finnegan

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When Autumn Leaves Fall

When Autumn Leaves Fall

O the green and the gold and the story they hold

Of the circle of life, the young and the old.

O they capture the days of the Sun's golden rays

Of Spring and Summer, and children at play.

And the Wisdom they teach in the sermon they preach

"Spend your days loving all those in your reach."

For they herald the snow and the cold that will blow

The changes in life above and below.

O the geese can be heard, the flight of the bird,

And the fur thickens to keep warm the herd.

And the wisdom of years knows well the end nears

For this circle of life, its course never veers.

Even death is a part, tho' it breaks the heart,

And so all life must end for new life to start.

The October winds call reminding us all

Of the changes in life, when Autumn leaves fall.

We know love never ends, for God calls us friends.

And death never conquers; our souls Christ defends.

We stand now in awe! Who cannot adore

The God Who creates all this and more?

Copyright 1996 Cait Finnegan

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Our Own

Lord Jesus, bless our family

As we gather here today.

We have come to Your house together

For to celebrate and pray.

You've blessed us through these years, Lord,

As we've lived with our joys and our pains.

We give thanks for the love of each other

And we pass it on again.

We thank you for our Faith, Lord,

and the heritage we bear.

Let us pass to our sons and our daughters

this richness that we share.

For though we are first generation,

or second or third or more,

we carry the pride and tradition

of those who first came to this shore.

So today, as we honour love, Lord,

we ask blessings on our own.

Let us learn from their many years, Lord,

to hold sacred our family and home.

For their marriage pays homage to You, Lord,

as does Love for their family and friends.

Bless our joy as we share in this day, Lord,

let this love we share never end.

Copyright 1995, Cáit Finnegan

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Samhain

Oh Samhain the feast of our ancient ones!

Today we remember, as daughters and sons

all those who have died, who've passed through the veil,

we pray for their souls beyond the pale.

And we are united in love's holy bond.

Communion with those who have gone beyond

the borders of this world, yet still they draw near

to love and to pray for those they hold dear.

United in Christ, the souls of the just,

though ashes to ashes and dust to dust,

continue to live the eternal life,

praising our God, beyond this world's strife.

And we praise our God on this holy Earth,

made so from the start, renewed by His Birth,

Life, Death and Rising, Ascending on high.

This world was renewed, when our God drew nigh.

Remember their love, pray for their peace

and look to the day when this world will cease.

We look to the promise of resurrection

new Heaven, new Earth with God's Holy Son.

And pray for God's mercy. Compassionate One,

forgive, in Your love, the evil we've done.

We join with the saints awaiting the Day

of God's final Judgement. May Love have Its way!

Copyright 1996 Cáit Finnegan

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Seasons of Life

I feel older as I light the fire

My burdens and hopes, all my desires

seem to lie so heavily on my heart

as signs of my Fall and Winter now start.

This the first fire of this new season

Is not the cause, nor is it the reason

For somehow this hearth, this symbol of home

gives me security, warmth as I roam.

With each new beginning building on old

I run to my hearth, I run from the cold

from all that's unknown, from things yet to be,

questions unanswered, worrying me.

But God leads my way, and makes straight my path

and I must admit, I've known not God's wrath.

So though I am older, I bless this flame,

bless this new season, in God's Holy Name.

Copyright 1996, Cáit Finnegan

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Song Of The Birds

There's a boundless flight of my heart this night

and a glorious vision to fill my sight

as the song I hear ringing in my ear

is Creation singing our God is near.

Is it angel wings I hear all around?

From the Earth and the sky I can hear the sound

proclaiming the reason I live in love;

it's the lark and the blackbird, the phoenix and dove!

The lark flew high at the break of dawn

telling the world that the King was born.

Then the blackbird cried at ev'ning tide

his mournful song that the King had died.

Then phoenix soared from the ashes, to rise,

so clear to the fools, confounding the wise.

Then the dove decended to open minds

cooing peace to their hearts and the love that binds.

Now my soul soars high upon Eagle's wings

filled with Faith, Hope and Love and a heart that sings

with the lark and the blackbird, the phoenix and dove

to tell of the King and the coming of Love.

Copyright 1996 Cáit Finnegan

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THIS BREAD AND THIS WINE

I offer this Bread and this Wine to My friends

And I bid you to eat and to drink once again

And I beg you remember Me everytime you do,

And to never forget I am always with you.

How often I've longed for to hold you so close,

To draw you all to Me as a hen draws her brood,

For My heart breaks within Me with Love for you all

And I am the One to lift you when you fall.

And if you should ask for forgiveness as you rise,

You need only look ever deeper in My eyes,

To know that I love you and always will forgive,

And freely share My life, that you all may live.

Eat, drink and be merry, rejoicing with Me

For your Father in heaven rejoices with thee

As you go forth from here loving everyone you see,

knowing God's Spirit will go forth with thee.

So I offer this Bread and this Wine to My friends

And I bid you to eat and to drink once again,

And I beg you remember Me everytime you do,

And to never forget that I'm always with you.

Copyright 1998, Cáit Finnegan

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Ciaran A Chara

Ciaran, a chara! We look to you,

Soul Friend to all who turn to you.

Pray now that all we say and do

Flows from Christ's love, just like you.

Friend to all creatures everywhere;

the deer, and the hound, the great black bear,

the cat, and the boar, the fox in his lair

the great mighty horse, the birds of the air.

Pray for us, Ciaran, as we gather here.

Pray for our souls and those we hold dear.

Pray for this fellowship that we draw near

to God in all creatures, and each of us here.

Ciaran, a chara! Help us to be

respectful of all on the land, in the sea,

and guide us in love compassionately,

love of our God in all that we see.

Each generation the story is told

passing it down new from the old

that Faith of our fathers and mothers we hold,

a Treasure to us more precious than gold.

Ciaran, a chara! Dear friend pray

that we keep Faith with each new day

Praising the Spirit, God's Life-giving Ray!

Praising our God and Christ Mac De!

Copyright 1997 Cáit Finnegan

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"ANCIENT GHOSTS AND GREEN HEART SONGS"

Songs of Family, Faith, and Heritage

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(the picture of the skull above was taken at the catacombs in Paris by Roisi#n Grenier and is copyright 2006 Roisi#n Art)