"The Last Rose of Summer" is a poem by the Irish poet Thomas Moore. He wrote it in 1805, while staying at Jenkinstown Park in County Kilkenny, Ireland, where he was said to have been inspired by a specimen of Rosa 'Old Blush'. The poem is set to a traditional tune called "Aislean an Oigfear", or "The Young Man's Dream", which was transcribed by Edward Bunting in 1792, based on a performance by harper Denis Hempson (Donnchadh Ó hÁmsaigh) at the Belfast Harp Festival.

Laura Wright - The Last Rose Of Summer：

English lyrics:

'Tis the last rose of summer,
 Left blooming alone;
 All her lovely companions
 Are faded and gone;
 No flower of her kindred,
 No rosebud is nigh,
 To reflect back her blushes,
 Or give sigh for sigh. 

I'll not leave thee, thou lone one!
 To pine on the stem;
 Since the lovely are sleeping,
 Go, sleep thou with them.
 Thus kindly I scatter,
 Thy leaves o'er the bed,
 Where thy mates of the garden
 Lie scentless and dead. 

So soon may I follow,
 When friendships decay,
 And from Love's shining circle
 The gems drop away.
 When true hearts lie withered,
 And fond ones are flown,
 Oh! who would inhabit
 This bleak world alone? 

⇒ 1798 Wales - Hela'r 'Sgyvarnog (Hunting the Hare)

⇐ 1786 Scotland - O Logie o' Buchan

⇑ Best Folk Songs in the World

⇑⇑ Best Music in the World