Happy Discovery Day, Newfoundland

Yesterday was the Discovery Day holiday for 2016 in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, marking the (possible) discovery of Newfoundland by John Cabot on 24 June 1497. (It’s not clear where Cabot actually landed, whether on Newfoundland or the North American mainland, though in 1997 Canada and the UK decreed that it was Cape Bonavista in Newfoundland.)

In honor of the holiday, here is an anthem to the pink, white, and green tricolor of Newfoundland, written by Archbishop Michael Howley in 1902.  (This was part of efforts at that time to establish the tricolor, a flag originating in the Catholic community of St. John’s, as the flag of the island — an official status it has never had.)

The Flag of Newfoundland

The pink, the rose of England shows.
The green St. Patrick’s emblem, bright
While in between, the spotless sheen of
St. Andrew’s Cross displays the white.

Then hail; the pink, the white, the green.
Our patriot flag’ long may it stand.
Our sirelands twine, their emblems trine,
To form the flag of Newfoundland!

Fling out the flag, o’er creek and cragg.
Pink, white and green, so fair, so grand.
Long may it sway o’er bight and bay,
Around the shores of Newfoundland!

What’er betide, our “Ocean Bride”
That nestles ‘midst Atlantic’s foam
Still far and wide, we’ll raise with pride
Our native flag, o’er hearth and home.

Should e’er the hand of fate demand
Some future change in our career:
We ne’er will yield: on flood or field
The flag we honor and revere!

Fling out the flag, o’er creek and cragg.
Pink, white and green, so fair, so grand.
Long may it sway, o’er bight and bay.
Around the shores of Newfoundland!