Irish Hymn

I received an unusual and absolutely delightful custom order: a customer requested an Irish hymn for an Irish Catholic priest. I did my best to make it look like a page from the Book of Kells: the initial “A” is borrowed directly from Kells.

Irish Hymn in Celtic Calligraphy
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The text in Irish is:
Ag Críost an síol
Ag Críost an fómhar
I n-iothalainn dé
go dtugtar sinn
Ag Críost an mhuir
Ag Críost an t-iasc
i liontaibh dé
go gcastar sinn
O fhás go haois
is ó aois go bás
do dhá láimh a Críost
anall tharainn
O bhás go críoch
ní críoch ach ath-fhás
I bPárrthas na nGrást go
rabhaimíd
O fhás go haois
is ó aois go bás
do dhá láimh a Críost
anall tharainn
O bhás go críoch
ní críoch ach ath-fhás
I bPárrthas na nGrást go
rabhaimíd

And in English:
Christ’s is the Seed
Christ’s is the Harvest
Into God’s barn
May we be brought.
Christ’s is the sea
Christ’s is the fish
In the nets of God
May we be caught.
From Birth to age
and from age to death,
May your two arms, O Christ,
be around us.
From Death to the end
Not the end but a rebirth,
In the Paradise of Graces
May we be.
From Birth to age
and from age to death,
May your two arms, O Christ,
be around us.
From Death to the end
Not the end but a rebirth,
In the Paradise of Graces
May we be.