The struggle is over, the boys are defeated,
Old Ireland´s surrounded with sadness and gloom,
We were defeated and shamefully treated,
And I Robert Emmet awaiting my doom.
Hung, drawn and quartered, sure that was my sentence,
But soon I will show them no coward am I.
My crime is the love of the land I was born in,
A hero I lived and a hero I´ll die.

Bold Robert Emmet, the darling of Ireland,
Bold Robert Emmet will die with a smile,
Farewell companions both loyal and daring,
I´ll lay down my life for the Emerald Isle.

The barque lay at anchor awaiting to bring me
Over the billows to the land of the free;
But I must see my sweetheart for I know she will cheer me,
And wish her I will sail far over the sea.
But I was arrested and cast into prison,
Tried as a traitor, a rebel, a spy;
But no man can call me a knave or a coward
A hero I lived and a hero I´ll die.

Hark! the bell´s tolling, I well know its meaning,
My poor heart tells me it is my death knell;
In come the clergy, the warder is leading,
I have no friends here to bid me farewell.
Goodbye, old Ireland, my parents and sweetheart
Companions in arms to forget you must try;
I am proud of the honour, it was only my duty-
A hero I lived and a hero I´ll die.

In comes the captain's daughter, the captain of the Yeos,
Saying, "Brave United man, we'll ne'er again be foes.
A thousand pounds I'll give you, and fly from home with thee
And dress myself in man's attire, and fight for liberty!"
We are the boys of Wexford, who fought with heart and hand
To burst in twain the galling chain, and free our native land!

"I want no gold, my maiden fair, to fly from home with thee;
Your shining eyes will be my prize - more dear then gold to me.
I want no gold to nerve my arm to do a true man's part
To free my land I'd gladly give the red drops from my heart."
We are the boys of Wexford, who fought with heart and hand
To burst in twain the galling chain, and free our native land!

And when we left our cabins, boys, we left with right good will,
To see our friends and neighbours that were at Vinegar Hill!
A young man from our ranks, a cannon he let go;
He slapt it into Lord Mountjoy - a tyrant he laid low!
We are the boys of Wexford, who fought with heart and hand
To burst in twain the gaIling chain, and free our native land!

We bravely fought and conquered at Ross, and Wexford town;
And, if we failed to keep them, 'twas drink that brought us down.
We had no drink beside us on Tubberneering's day,
Depending on the long bright pike, and well it worked its way!
We are the boys of Wexford, who fought with heart and hand
To burst in twain the galling chain, and free our native land!

They came into the country our blood to waste and spill;
But let them weep for Wexford, and think of Oulart Hill!
'Twas drink that still betrayed us - of them we had no fear;
For every man could do his part like Forth and Shelmalier!
We are the boys of Wexford, who fought with heart and hand
To burst the twain the galling chain, and free our native land!

My curse upon all drinking! It made our hearts full sore:
For bravery won each battle, but drink lost ever more.
And if, for want of leaders, we lost at Vinegar Hill,
We're ready for another fight, and love our country still!
We are the boys of Wexford, who fought with heart and hand
To burst in twain the galling chain, and free our native land!

In the jail that held Mc Sweeney
In the prison where he died
Lies two daughters of old Ireland
And they fill my heart with pride
For I know that England wishes
That we´d let them die alone
But the voice of dear old Ireland
Cries for us to bring them home

Hear it ring on the air
It´s the voice of my country so fair
Can´t you feel can´t you see
Irishmen will set them free

Twas the love of dear old Ireland
Brought them to a prison hell
But the ghosts of Pearse and Connolly
Filled their lonely prison cell
Clarke and Plunkett stand beside them
Mc Donagh Mc Dermott and Wolfe Tone
And all the voices of old Ireland
Cry for us to bring them home

So I pray you men of Ireland
Don´t betray our daughters true
Proudly stand beside our heroes
Lest they die for me and you
Though the tyrant would deny us
We can break their hearts of stone
And all of Ireland will be singing
When we bring our daughters home

There´s an uniform that´s hanging in what´s known as father´s room
An uniform so simple in his style
It has no braid of gold or silk no hat with feathered plume
Yet the mother has preserved it all the while
One day she made me try it on, a wish of mine for years
"In memory of your father, son" she said
And when I put the Sam Browne on she was smiling with the tears
As she placed the broad black brimmer on my head

It´s just a broad black brimmer with ribbons frayed and torn
By the careless whisk of many a mountain breeze
An old trench coat that´s battle stained and worn
And breeches almost threadbare at the knees
A Sam Brown belt with buckle big and strong
A holster that´s been empty many´s a day
When men claim Ireland´s freedom the one who'll choose to lead them
Will wear the broad black brimmer of the IRA

It was the uniform been worn by me father long ago
When he reached me mothers homestead on the run
It was the uniform me father wore in that little church below
When oul Father Mac he blessed the pair as one
And after truce and treaty and the parting of the ways
He wore it when he marched out with the rest
And when they bore his body down that rugged heather braes
They placed the broad black brimmer on his breast

Yo ho ho, off we go
What do you know, it's nine in a row
Bye bye Rangers
Celtic's on the ball again, on the way to make it ten
Bye bye Rangers

You can talk about your great defenders
Sing and shout about your No Surrender
But let us give you this wee tip
We'll be there for the league and the cup
Rangers bye bye

Yo ho ho, off we go
What do you know, it's nine in a row
Bye bye Rangers
Celtic's on the ball again, on the way to make it ten
Bye bye Rangers

You can talk about your great defenders
Sing and shout about your No Surrender
But let us give you this wee tip
We'll be there for the league and the cup
Rangers bye bye

But let us give you this wee tip
We'll be there for the league and the cup
Rangers bye bye

Ballad of Bobby Sands, The

Unknown

Come gather round me one and all 
My song to you I'll sing, 
In memory of a brave young Irishman, 
Who would not concede defeat, 
From his stand would not retreat. 
I sing of the gallant Bobby Sands, 
Bobby Sands. 

Yes I sing of the late great Bobby Sands. 
He organised the hunger strike 
To win and change, reform, 
To stop the evil tyrants in their craze, 
To regain the five demands 
He took his young life in his hands 
For the betterment of comrades in Armagh 
And in the Maze 
Armagh and the H-Blocks of the Maze. 


They tried to break your spirit 
But no way could they succeed, 
The phoenix in your heart they tried to quell 
With their beatings, degradation, 
All in vain totheirfrustration, 
For the more they tried, the more you would rebel 
You would rebel, 
With dignity your principle did swell. 


But freedom was to come to you 
On a rain soaked Tuesday morn 
From the heavens tears of patriots were shed 
With the joy that you are free 
To walk with Tone and Connolly, 
Forever live the name of Bobby Sands 
We shall endear 
Your name, to foe shall always threaten tear. 
So to all you people 
My song to you I've sung 
In memory of a brave young Belfast man 
Who would not concede defeat, 
From his stand would not retreat. 
I sing of the gallant Bobby Sands, 
Bobby Sands. 
Yes I sing of the late great Bobby Sands. 

Black Velvet Band, The

Traditional


Well, in a neat little town they call Belfast, apprentice to trade I was bound 
Many an hours sweet happiness, have I spent in that neat little town 
A sad misfortune came over me, which caused me to stray from the land 
Far away from my friends and relations, betrayed by the black velvet band 

Her eyes they shone like diamonds 
I thought her the queen of the land 
And her hair it hung over her shoulder 
Tied up with a black velvet band 

I took a stroll down Broadway, meaning not long for to stay 
When who should I meet but this pretty fair maid comes a tripping along the highway 
She was both fair and handsome, her neck it was just like a swans 
And her hair it hung over her shoulder, tied up with a black velvet band 


Her eyes they shone like diamonds 
I thought her the queen of the land 
And her hair it hung over her shoulder 
Tied up with a black velvet band 

I took a stroll with this pretty fair maid, and a gentleman passing us by 
Well I knew she meant the doing of him, by the look in her roguish black eye 
A goldwatch she took from his pocket and placed it right in to my hand 
And the very first thing that I said was bad luck to the black velvet band 

Her eyes they shone like diamonds 
I thought her the queen of the land 
And her hair it hung over her shoulder 
Tied up with a black velvet band 

Before the judge and the jury, next morning I had to appear 
The judge he says to me: "Young man, your case it is proven clear 
We'll give you seven years penal servitude, to be spent faraway from the land 
Far away from your friends and companions, betrayed by the black velvet band" 

Her eyes they shone like diamonds 
I thought her the queen of the land 
And her hair it hung over her shoulder 
Tied up with a black velvet band 

So come all you jolly young fellows a warning take by me 
When you are out on the town me lads, beware of them pretty colleens 
For they feed you with strong drink, "Oh yeah", 'til you are unable to stand 
And the very next thing that you'll know is you've landed in Van Diemens Land 

Her eyes they shone like diamonds 
I thought her the queen of the land 
And her hair it hung over her shoulder 
Tied up with a black velvet band

The Boston Rose

Liam Reilly

Now the autumn leaves are falling and the tourists have all gone 
And the children they have all gone back to school 
And my life is as it was before I work eight hours a day 
But the companies still making all the rules 
And there's a girl in Massachusetts south of Boston town she said 
And her lovely face is with me all the day 
Sure I met her down in old Tralee golden hair upon her head 
And I took her heart as she stole mine away 

chorus 

Goodbye my Boston beauty farewell my Boston rose 
I'll wait for you I'll think of you no threat to you I'll pose 
Goodbye my Boston beauty farewell my Boston rose 
I wish that you were hear but I know that's the way life goes 
There's a song we sang all summer in the bars of Dublin Town 
I can hear it on the factory radio 
And the feelings I remember when I hear that simple tune 
Make me wonder if it really happened so 
For we laughed and loved together 'til the summer days were gone 
And she had to fly across the ocean wide 
So goodbye my Boston Beauty until we meet again I'll keep the fire burning deep inside 


chorus 

And some nights when I'm drinking and my friends are gathered round 
Well just for fun some one brings up your name 
Well I smile with the rest of them but I can't hear a sound 
I love you but to them it's all the same 
At night when I'm alone my love you come into my mind 
And visions flash upon that inward eye 
Well I watch the moon there up above and I leave this earth behind 
And I call to you as I go sailing by 

chorus

The Big Strong Man 

Traditional

Have you heard about the big strong man? 
He lives in a caravan. 
Have you heard about the Jeffrey Johnson fight? 
Oh, Lord what a hell of a fight. 
You can take all of the heavyweights you’ve got. 
We’ve got a lad that can beat the whole lot. 
He used to ring bells in the belfry, 
Now he’s gonna fight Jack Demspey. 

Chorus 

was me brother Sylvest’ (What’s he got?) 
A row of forty medals on his chest (big chest!) 
He killed fifty bad men in the west he knows no rest. 
Think of a man, hells’ fire, don’t push, just shove, 
Plenty of room for you and me. 
He’s got an arm like a leg 
And a punch that would sink a battleship (big ship!) 
It takes all of the Army and the Navy to put the wind up Sylvest’. 

Well, he thought he’d take a trip to Italy. 
He thought that he’d go by sea. 
He dove off the harbor in New York, 
And swam like a man made of cork. 
He saw the Lusitania in distress.(What did he do?) 
He put the Lusitania on his chest.(Big Chest) 
He drank all of the water in the sea, 
Then he walked all the way to Italy. 

Chorus 

He thought he take a trip to old Japan. 
They turned out a big brass band. 
You can take all of the instruments you’ve got, 
Like a lad sure he beat the whole lot. 
And the old church bells will ring (Hells bells!) 
The old church choir will sing (Hells fire!) 
They all turned out to say farewell to my big brother Sylvest’. 

Chorus 

Billy Reid

Unknown

This song is about Billy Reid of the 3rd Batallion, Belfast Brigade, who was gunned down on May 15 1971.

Chorus

All the radio said was another shot dead
And he died with a gun in his hand
But they never said why Billy Reid had to die
'Cause he died to free Ireland. 
I'll sing you a song of a terrible wrong,
When the flags all flew at half mast.
And a man he lay dead he'd been riddled with lead,
And he died on the streets of Belfast.

Chorus 

It happened one day when the bold IRA
Set out to fight for their land
With an old Thompson gun put the troops on the run
And return to their home was their plan.

Chorus 

While returning the guns Billy met British Huns
And when the fight had begun
His position was dire when his gun wouldn't fire
So he died with that old Thompson gun.

Chorus 

Allthough he lay dead he was kicked in the head,
By the hair they dragged him around.
But the still fear him yet and we can never forget,
How brave Billy Reid stood his ground.

Chorus

If you think he was right come and join in the fight,
And help us to free Belfast.
For the blood that he shed and allthough he lay dead,
In our hearts his memory will last.

Chorus

Boolavogue

Father Murphy



At Boolavogue, as the sun was setting
O'er the bright May meadows of Shelmalier,
A rebel hand set the heather blazing
And brought the neighbours from far and near.
Then Father Murphy, from old Kilcormack,
Spurred up the rocks with a warning cry;
"Arm! Arm!" he cried, "for I've come to lead you,
For Ireland's freedom we fight or die." 

He led us on 'gainst the coming soldiers,
And the cowardly Yeomen we put to flight;
'Twas at the Harrow the boys of Wexford
Showed Bookey's Regiment how men could fight
. Look out for hirelings, King George of England,
Search ev'ry kingdom where breathes a slave,
For Father Murphy of the County Wexford
Sweeps o'er the land like a mighty wave. 

We took Camolin and Enniscorthy,
And Wexford storming drove out our foes;
‘Twas at Sliabh Coillte our pikes were reeking
With the crimson stream of the beaten Yeos.
At Tubberneering and Ballyellis
Full many a Hessian lay in his gore;
Ah, Father Murphy, had aid come over
The green flag floated from shore to shore! 

At Vinegar Hill, o'er the pleasant Slaney,
Our heroes vainly stood back to back,
And the Yeos at Tullow took Father Murphy
And burned his body upon the rack.
God grant you glory, brave Father Murphy
And open heaven to all your men;
The cause that called you may call tomorrow
In another fight for the Green again. 

Bantry Bay

Unknown 

As I'm sitting all alone in the gloaming,
It might have been but yesterday.
That we watched the fisher's sails all homing,
Till the little herring fleet at anchor lay.
Then the fisher girls with baskets swinging,
Came running down the old stone way.
Every lassie to her sailor lad was singing,
Ah welcome back to Bantry Bay. 

Then we heard the pipers sweet note tuning,
And all the lassies turned to hear.
As they mingled with a soft voice crooning.
Till the music floated down the wooden pier.
Save you kindly, colleens all, said the piper
Hands across and trip it while I play.
And the tender sound of song and merry dancing,
Stole softly over Bantry Bay. 

As I'm sitting all alone in the gloaming,
The showdows of the past draw near.
And I see the lovely faces round me
That used to glad the old front pier.
Some have gone upon their last logged homing,
Some are left, but they are old and grey.
And we're waiting for the tide in the gloaming.
To sail upon the great highway.
To an isle of rest unending.
Called peacefully from Bantry Bay. 



Belfast Brigade

Unknown 

Craig Adams sent the Specials out to shoot the people down
He thought the IRA were dead in dear old Belfast town
But he got a rude awakening with the rifle and grenade
When he met the 1st Battalion of the Belfast Brigade.

Chorus

Glory, glory to old Ireland, glory, glory to this island
Glory to the memories of the men who fought and dies
"No surrender" is the war cry of the Belfast Brigade. 

The soldiers came from Holywood equipped with English guns
They had men by the thousands, ammunition by the ton
But when they got to Belfast they were seriously waylaid
By the Fighting 1st Battalion of the Belfast Brigade.

Chorus

We have no ammunition or no armoured tanks to show
But we're ready to defend ourselves no matter where we go
We're out for our Republic and to hell with your free state
"No surrender" is the war cry of the Belfast Brigade.
Chorus 

Come all ye gallant Irishmen and join the IRA
To strike a blow for freedom when there comes our certain day
You know our countries history and the sacrifice it made
Come join the 1st Battalion of the Belfast Brigade.

Chorus 


Boys of old Erin the Green, The

Unknown


You true hearted sons of Hibernia
I hope you'll attend for awhile,
To a song I am going to sing you
In praise of old Erin's green isle;
Concerning that terrible battle,
Where bloodshed and battery was seen,
With the beefeating bullies of England
And the boys of old Erin the Green.

Chorus

Hurrah for the sons of the Shamrock,
Who always victorious have been,
And where is the nation can equal
The boys of old Erin the Green. 

To cut down the English harvest
Some hearty gay fellows did go
From the Counties of Clare, Louth and Leitrim,
Roscommon, Kildare, and Mayo,
From Counties Tyrone, Cork and Cavan,
The boys of Tipperary were seen;
Each man had a twig of shillelagh,
That grew in old Erin the Green.

Chorus

Being dry they went into an ale house,
They joined to drink whiskey and beer;
Each man drank a favourite toast,
To his wife or sweetheart so dear.
And they sang of the land of their fathers,
Where oppression and suffering were seen,
Which caused many hundreds to wander
Away from Old Erin the Green.

Chorus

At length they all emptied their glasses,
For that being the hiring day,
To look out for work at high wages,
To the market place they took their way.
The English assembled in hundreds,
Where all sorts of weapons were seen,
Determined they were for to slaughter
The boys of Old Erin the Green.

Chorus 

The town it was took and retaken,
Three times in the course of that day;
"I'm afraid, boys, we're going to be beaten,"
Barney Murphy to them he did say.
"Never," cried Barney McCloskey,
McBrerty, McQuail, and O'Neill,
"Shall the English say that they conquered
The boys of Old Erin the Green."

Chorus 

They gave a cheer for old Ireland,
And forward once more they did go,
The town it was quickly retaken,
And quickly they banished their foe.
The beef-eating cowardly English,
From that day quite submissive have been,
For fear of another encounter with
The boys of Old Erin the Green.
Chorus