In the music of Ireland, Irish rebel songs refer to folk songs which are primarily about the various rebellions against English (and later British) Crown rule. Songs about prior rebellions are a popular topic of choice among musicians which supported Irish nationalism and

republicanism Republicanism is a political ideology centered on citizenship in a state organized as a republic. Historically, it emphasises the idea of self-rule and ranges from the rule of a representative minority or oligarchy to popular sovereignty. It ...

. In the 20th and 21st centuries, Irish rebel songs focus on physical force Irish republicanism in the context of

the Troubles The Troubles ( ga, Na Trioblóidí) were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998. Also known internationally as the Northern Ireland conflict, it is sometimes described as an "i ...

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

History

The tradition of rebel music in

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

date back to the period of English (and later British) Crown rule, and describe historical events in

Irish history The first evidence of human presence in Ireland dates to around 33,000 years ago, with further findings dating the presence of homo sapiens to around 10,500 to 7,000 BC. The receding of the ice after the Younger Dryas cold phase of the Quaterna ...

such as rebellions against the Crown and reinforcing solidarity amongst the

people of Ireland The Irish ( ga, Muintir na hÉireann or ''Na hÉireannaigh'') are an ethnic group and nation native to the island of Ireland, who share a common history and culture. There have been humans in Ireland for about 33,000 years, and it has been co ...

. As well as a deep-rooted sense of tradition, rebel songs have nonetheless remained contemporary, and since 1922, the focus has moved onto the nationalist cause in

, including support for the

IRA Ira or IRA may refer to: *Ira (name), a Hebrew, Sanskrit, Russian or Finnish language personal name *Ira (surname), a rare Estonian and some other language family name *Iran, UNDP code IRA Law *Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, US, on status of ...

and

Sinn Féin Sinn Féin ( , ; en, " eOurselves") is an Irish republican and democratic socialist political party active throughout both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The original Sinn Féin organisation was founded in 1905 by Arthur Gri ...

. However, the subject matter is not confined to Irish history, and includes the exploits of the Irish Brigades, who fought for the Republican side in the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebelión, lin ...

, and also those who participated in the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. There are also some songs that express sorrow over war (from a Republican perspective), such as ''Only our rivers run free'', and some have been covered by bands that have tweaked lyrics to be explicitly

anti-war An anti-war movement (also ''antiwar'') is a social movement, usually in opposition to a particular nation's decision to start or carry on an armed conflict, unconditional of a maybe-existing just cause. The term anti-war can also refer to pa ...

, such as the cover of ''The Patriot Game'' by Scottish band

The Bluebells The Bluebells are a Scottish indie pop, indie new wave music, new wave band, active between 1981 and 1986 (later briefly reforming in 1993, 2008–2009, 2011 and 2018). Career The Bluebells performed jangle pop, jangly guitar-based pop not dis ...

. Over the years, a number of bands have performed "crossover" music, that is, Irish rebel lyrics and instrumentation mixed with other, more

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' (G ...

styles.

Damien Dempsey Damien Dempsey (born 9 June 1975) is an Irish singer and songwriter who mixes traditional Irish folk contemporary lyrics that deliver social and political commentaries on Irish society. Damien sings in his native, working class accent in the Eng ...

is known for his pop-influenced rebel ballads and bands like

Seanchai and the Unity Squad Black 47 was an American Celtic rock band from New York City, formed in 1989 by Larry Kirwan and Chris Byrne, and derives its name from a traditional term for the summer of 1847, the worst year of the Great Famine in Ireland. History Beginn ...

and

Beltaine's Fire Beltaine's Fire was a five-member hip hop/ folk-rock/ Celtic fusion collective from the San Francisco Bay Area in California fronted by Emcee Lynx. Their music evolved considerably over the years. Starting out as a mix of "traditional Irish ...

combine Rebel music with

Political hip hop Political hip hop is a subgenre of hip hop music that was developed in the 1980s as a way of turning hip hop into a call for political and/or social action and a form of social and/or political activism. Inspired by 1970s political artists su ...

and other genres.

Contemporary music

Irish rebel music has occasionally gained international attention. The Wolfe Tones' version of ''

A Nation Once Again "A Nation Once Again" is a song written in the early to mid-1840s by Thomas Osborne Davis (1814–1845). Davis was a founder of Young Ireland, an Irish movement whose aim was for Ireland to gain independence from Britain. Davis believed that song ...

'' was voted the number one song in the world by

BBC World Service The BBC World Service is an international broadcasting, international broadcaster owned and operated by the BBC, with funding from the Government of the United Kingdom, British Government through the Foreign Secretary, Foreign Secretary's o ...

listeners in 2002. Many of the more popular acts recently such as , , Athenrye, Shebeen, and are from

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

. The Bog Savages of San Francisco are fronted by an escapee from

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdo ...

Long Kesh Long may refer to: Measurement * Long, characteristic of something of great duration * Long, characteristic of something of great length * Longitude (abbreviation: long.), a geographic coordinate * Longa (music), note value in early music mens ...

prison who made his break in the September 1983 " Great Escape" by the IRA. Music of this genre has often courted controversy with some of this music effectively banned from the airwaves in the

Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern side of the island. A ...

in the 1980s. More recently, Derek Warfield's music was banned from

Aer Lingus Aer Lingus ( ; an anglicisation of the Irish , meaning "air fleet" compare Welsh 'llynges awyr') is the flag carrier of Ireland. Founded by the Irish Government, it was privatised between 2006 and 2015 and it is now a wholly owned subsidiary ...

flights, after the Ulster Unionist politician

Roy Beggs Jr Roy Beggs Jr (born 3 July 1962) is an Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) politician, who was a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for East Antrim from 1998 until March 2022. Beggs is the son of the politician Roy Beggs, who was the UUP M ...

compared his songs to the speeches of

Osama bin Laden Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden (10 March 1957 – 2 May 2011) was a Saudi-born extremist militant who founded al-Qaeda and served as its leader from 1988 until Killing of Osama bin Laden, his death in 2011. Ideologically a Pan-Islamism ...

. However, a central tenet of the justification for rebel music from its supporters is that it represents a long-standing tradition of freedom from tyranny. Themes include "Arbour Hill", about

the place The Place may refer to: * The Place (London) The Place is a dance and performance centre in Duke's Road near Euston in the London Borough of Camden. It is the home of London Contemporary Dance School and the Robin Howard Dance Theatre, and former ...

; "Fergal O'Hanlon", about the man; "Northern Gaels"/"Crumlin Jail", about the prison; "The Ballad of Mairead Farrell", about the woman; "Seán Treacy", about the man; and "Pearse Jordan", about the man.

List of notable songs

* Alternative Ulster, 1978 *

Amhrán na bhFiann "" (), called "The Soldier's Song" in English, is Ireland's national anthem. The music was composed by Peadar Kearney and Patrick Heeney, the original English lyrics by Kearney, and the Irish-language translation, now usually the version heard ...

, (a.k.a. The Soldier's Song) – The National Anthem 1910 *

Belfast Brigade "Belfast Brigade" is an Irish folk song, to the tune of "Battle Hymn of the Republic". Context The song is about the Belfast Brigade of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), and in particular the 1st, or West Belfast battalion, during the Irish War ...

Back Home in Derry ''Back Home in Derry'' is an Irish rebel song written by Bobby Sands while imprisoned in HM Maze. The song has been covered by multiple artists, most notably by Christy Moore in his 1984 album Ride On, who sang it to a melody inspired by Gordon ...

, by

Bobby Sands Robert Gerard Sands ( ga, Roibeárd Gearóid Ó Seachnasaigh; 9 March 1954 – 5 May 1981) was a member (and leader in the Maze prison) of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) who died on hunger strike while imprisoned at HM Prison Maze ...

; to the tune of

The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald "The Wreck of the ''Edmund Fitzgerald'' is a 1976 hit song written, composed and performed by Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot to commemorate the sinking of the bulk carrier SS ''Edmund Fitzgerald'' on Lake Superior on November 10, ...

The Bold Fenian Men Down by the Glenside (The Bold Fenian Men) is an Irish rebel song written by Peadar Kearney, an Irish Republican and composer of numerous rebel songs, including " The Soldier's Song" (''"Amhrán na bhFiann''"), now the Irish National Anthem, an ...

a.k.a. Down by the Glenside *

The Broad Black Brimmer "The Broad Black Brimmer" is an Irish Republican folk song written by Art McMillen. The song narrates the story of a boy whose father died before he was born, fighting in the Irish Republican Army (IRA). The narrator is asked by his mother to try ...

Come All You Warriors "Come All You Warriors" (also known as "Father Murphy") is a ballad concerning the 1798 Rising. The narrative focuses on the predominant figure in the Wexford Rising, Father John Murphy of the parish of Boulavogue. The song was written within a ...

Come Out Ye Black And Tans Come may refer to: *Comè, a city and commune in Benin *Come (Tenos), an ancient town on Tenos island, Greece Music *Come (American band), an American indie rock band formed in 1990 *Come (UK band), a British noise project founded in 1979 **Come ...

*Connaught Rangers (a.k.a. The Drums Were Beating), about

the regiment The Special Air Service (SAS) is a special forces unit of the British Army. It was founded as a regiment in 1941 by David Stirling and in 1950, it was reconstituted as a corps. The unit specialises in a number of roles including counter-terro ...

* Erin Go Bragh * Follow me up to Carlow * Four Green Fields by Tommy Makem *

Give Ireland Back To The Irish "Give Ireland Back to the Irish" is the debut single by the British–American rock band Wings that was released in February 1972. It was written by Paul McCartney and his wife Linda in response to the events of Bloody Sunday, on 30 January that ...

God Save Ireland "God Save Ireland" is an Irish rebel song celebrating the Manchester Martyrs, three Fenians executed in 1867. It served as an unofficial Irish national anthem for Irish nationalism, Irish nationalists from the 1870s to the 1920s. Composition On 18 ...

* Go on home, British soldiers *

The Helicopter Song "Up and Away (The Helicopter Song)" was a number one single in the Republic of Ireland for the Irish traditional folk band the Wolfe Tones. Background Originally written by Sean McGinley from Castlefin, County Donegal, the song tells the story of ...

*Irish Citizen Army; about the organisation *Irish Volunteers; about the organisation *

Johnston's Motor Car ''Johnston's Motor Car'' is an Irish rebel song written by Willie Gillespie based on the commandeering in Ulster of a motor car belonging to Henry Maturin Johnston (1851-1932) by the Irish Republican Army (IRA). History The song is based on a real ...

*Join the British Army * My Little Armalite *

The Men Behind the Wire "The Men Behind the Wire" is a song written and composed by Paddy McGuigan of the The Barleycorn, Barleycorn folk group in the aftermath of Operation Demetrius. The song was recorded by the Barleycorn in Belfast (produced by Billy McBurney) and p ...

The Minstrel Boy "The Minstrel Boy" is an Irish song written by Thomas Moore (1779–1852) and published as part of his ''Irish Melodies''. Moore himself came to be nicknamed "The Minstrel Boy", and indeed it is the title of Leonard Strong's 1937 biography of ...

* Oró Sé do Bheatha 'Bhaile *

The Peeler and the Goat "The Peeler and the Goat" is an old Irish ditty that continues to be sung in taverns and pubs throughout the world. History Originally written by Darby Ryan of Bansha, Tipperary, over a century and a half ago, The Peeler and the Goat was inspi ...

* Roll of Honour *

Soldiers of '22 Brian O'Higgins ( ga, Brian Ó hUigínn; 1 July 1882 – 10 March 1963), also known as Brian na Banban, was an Irish writer, poet, soldier and politician who was a founding member of Sinn Féin and served as President of the organisation from 1 ...

* Sunday Bloody Sunday (by

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...

and

Yoko Ono Yoko Ono ( ; ja, 小野洋子, Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana ; born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese multimedia artist, singer, songwriter, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking. Ono grew up i ...

— the U2 song of the same name is "not a rebel song") *Tiocfaidh ár lá (a.k.a.

SAM Sam, SAM or variants may refer to: Places * Sam, Benin * Sam, Boulkiemdé, Burkina Faso * Sam, Bourzanga, Burkina Faso * Sam, Kongoussi, Burkina Faso * Sam, Iran * Sam, Teton County, Idaho, United States, a populated place People and fictional ...

song)) *

You'll Never Beat the Irish ''You'll Never Beat the Irish'' is the sixteenth album by Irish folk and rebel band The Wolfe Tones. This album was the first recorded and released by the band without founding member Derek Warfield, who had departed earlier the same year. Trac ...

Ambush At Drumnakilly The Ambush at Drumnakilly was a military confrontation that took place at Drumnakilly in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland on 30 August 1988 during The Troubles, when a detachment of the Provisional IRA (IRA) was ambushed by the British Army. Ba ...

Arthur McBride "Arthur McBride" (also called "The Recruiting Sergeant" or "Arthur McBride and the Sergeant") is a folk song (Roud 2355) probably of Irish origin, also found in England, Scotland, Australia, and North America. Describing a violent altercation wi ...

Banna Strand Banna Strand, (Gaeilge: Trá na Beannaí) also known as Banna Beach, is situated in Ballyheigue Bay. It is an Atlantic Ocean beach extending from Ballyheigue Beach at the Blackrock in the North to Barrow Beach at its southern edge, located in ...

(a.k.a. Lonely Banna Strand) *

Boolavogue Boolavogue, also spelt Boolavoge or Boleyvogue (), is a village 12 km northeast of Enniscorthy in County Wexford, Ireland. It is in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ferns. It has given its name to " Boolavogue", an Irish ballad commemorating t ...

*The Boy from Tamlaghtduff *

The Boys of the Old Brigade The Boys of the Old Brigade is an Irish rebel song written by Paddy McGuigan about the Irish Republican Army of the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921), and the anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising. Lyrics The song describes a veteran of th ...

The Boys of Wexford "The Boys of Wexford" (also known as ''The Flight of the Earls'') is an Irish ballad commemorating the Irish Rebellion of 1798 and, more specifically, the Wexford Rebellion. The aim of rebellion was to remove English control from Irish affairs and ...

The Croppy Boy "The Croppy Boy" is an Irish ballad set in 1798 rising relating to the despair of a doomed young "croppy" or rebel. Broadside versions Versions of the ballad first appeared shortly after the rising sung by street pedlars and there are several bro ...

* Dunlavin Green *

Dying Rebel "The Dying Rebel" (My Only Son was Shot in Dublin) is a popular Irish rebel song about a man finding a dying Irish rebel from County Cork in Dublin during the 1916 Easter Rising. Its age is uncertain, but it is still sung by contemporary Irish sing ...

* Éamonn an Chnoic (a.k.a. Ned of the Hill) * The Fields of Athenry *

The Foggy Dew (Irish ballad) ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

* Four Green Fields *Gerard Casey; about the man. *Ireland Unfree; named for the oration *James Connolly; about the man *Joe McDonnell; about the man * Kevin Barry *Martin Hurson; about the man *Men of the West; *Only Our Rivers Run Free; by

Mickey MacConnell Mickey MacConnell (born 1947) is an Irish musician and songwriter. Life and work MacConnell was born in Bellanaleck near Enniskillen in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. He is the youngest member of a musical family. He worked in Dublin for Ir ...

Pat of Mullingar Pat of Mullingar is an Irish rebel song has been sung and recorded by several folk artists and groups, including the Irish Rovers, Derek Warfield, and The Wolfe Tones. Lyrics You may talk and write and boast about your Fenians and your clans, And ...

The Patriot Game "The Patriot Game" is an Irish ballad with lyrics by Dominic Behan and a melody from the traditional tune " One Morning in May". History The song concerns an incident during the Border Campaign launched by the Irish Republican Army during the 19 ...

The People's Own MP ''The People's Own MP'' is an Irish rebel song about Bobby Sands, one of the Irish hunger strikers. The song was written by Bruce Scott and recorded by Christy Moore on the latter's 1984 EP ''Back Home in Derry'' and his 1986 album, ''The Spirit ...

* The Rising of the Moon *

Sean South Sean, also spelled Seán or Séan in Irish English, is a male given name of Irish origin. It comes from the Irish versions of the Biblical Hebrew name ''Yohanan'' (), Seán ( anglicized as '' Shaun/Shawn/ Shon'') and Séan (Ulster variant; angli ...

* Skibbereen *

Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six "Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six" is a political song by the Irish folk punk band The Pogues, written by Terry Woods and Shane MacGowan and included on the band's 1988 album ''If I Should Fall from Grace with God''. Structure The song is divi ...

* Take It Down from the Mast *Tom Williams; about the man. *

Tone's Grave ''Tone's Grave'', often referred to as ''Bodenstown churchyard'', was written by Thomas Davis (1814-1845), the Young Ireland leader, and published first in their newspaper "''The Nation''". It was written following his visit to the grave of Wolf ...

(a.k.a. Bodenstown Churchyard) *

There Were Roses "There Were Roses" is an Irish folk song based on a true story. It was written by the Northern Ireland folk singer and songwriter Tommy Sands. It was first recorded in 1985 by Robbie O'Connell, Mick Moloney and Jimmy Keane as the title track of ...

, by

Tommy Sands Thomas Adrian Sands (born August 27, 1937) is an American pop music singer and actor. Working in show business as a child, Sands became an overnight sensation and instant teen idol when he appeared on ''Kraft Television Theater'' in January 19 ...

The Valley of Knockanure ''The Valley of Knockanure'' is the name of several ballads commemorating a murder by the Royal Irish Constabulary that occurred during the Irish War of Independence at Gortaglanna (Gortagleanna) near Knockanure, County Kerry, Ireland. The best- ...

The Wearing of the Green "The Wearing of the Green" is an Irish street ballad lamenting the repression of supporters of the Irish Rebellion of 1798. It is to an old Irish air, and many versions of the lyric exist, the best-known being by Dion Boucicault. The song proclai ...

* The Wind that Shakes the Barley *

Women of Ireland A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female humans regardl ...

(a.k.a. Mná na h-Éireann)

Sunday Bloody Sunday (U2 song)

The 1983 U2 album ''War'' includes the song " Sunday Bloody Sunday", a lament for the Northern Ireland troubles whose title alludes to the 1972

Bloody Sunday Bloody Sunday may refer to: Historical events Canada * Bloody Sunday (1923), a day of police violence during a steelworkers' strike for union recognition in Sydney, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia * Bloody Sunday (1938), police violence agai ...

shooting of Catholic demonstrators by British soldiers. In concert,

Bono Paul David Hewson (born 10 May 1960), known by his stage name Bono (), is an Irish singer-songwriter, activist, and philanthropist. He is the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the rock band U2. Born and raised in Dublin, he attended M ...

began introducing the song with the disclaimer "this song is ''not'' a rebel song". These words are included in the version on '' Under a Blood Red Sky'', the 1983

live album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...

of the

War Tour War is an intense armed conflict between State (polity), states, governments, Society, societies, or paramilitary groups such as Mercenary, mercenaries, Insurgency, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violenc ...

. The 1988 concert film ''

Rattle and Hum ''Rattle and Hum'' is a hybrid live/studio album by Irish Rock music, rock band U2, and a companion rockumentary film directed by Phil Joanou. The album was produced by Jimmy Iovine and was released on 10 October 1988, while the film was distri ...

'' includes a performance hours after the 1987 Remembrance Day bombing in Enniskillen, which Bono condemns in a mid-song rant. In response,

Sinéad O'Connor Shuhada Sadaqat (born Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor on 8 December 1966; ) is an Irish singer-songwriter. Her debut album, ''The Lion and the Cobra'', was released in 1987 and charted internationally. Her second album, ''I Do Not Want What ...

released a song with the title "This is a Rebel Song", as she explains in her live album '' How About I Be Me (And You Be You)?''

Satire

During the

1990s File:1990s decade montage.png, From top left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope orbits the Earth after it was launched in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War ...

, Irish comedian Dermot Morgan lampooned both the Wolfe Tones and the

cliché A cliché ( or ) is an element of an artistic work, saying, or idea that has become overused to the point of losing its original meaning or effect, even to the point of being weird or irritating, especially when at some earlier time it was consi ...

s of Irish rebel songs by singing about the martyrdom of Fido, an

Alsatian dog The German Shepherd or Alsatian is a German breed of working dog of medium to large size. The breed was developed by Max von Stephanitz using various traditional German herding dogs from 1899. It was originally bred as a herding dog, for he ...

who saves his

master in the

Irish War of Independence The Irish War of Independence () or Anglo-Irish War was a guerrilla war fought in Ireland from 1919 to 1921 between the Irish Republican Army (IRA, the army of the Irish Republic) and British forces: the British Army, along with the quasi-mil ...

. During a search of the house by the Black and Tans, Fido hides his master's

hand grenade A grenade is an explosive weapon typically thrown by hand (also called hand grenade), but can also refer to a shell (explosive projectile) shot from the muzzle of a rifle (as a rifle grenade) or a grenade launcher. A modern hand grenade genera ...

by eating it. When Fido farts and the grenade explodes, the British comment: "Excuse me, mate, was there something your dog ate?!" In a

parody A parody, also known as a spoof, a satire, a send-up, a take-off, a lampoon, a play on (something), or a caricature, is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satiric or ironic imitation. Often its subj ...

of Thomas Osborne Davis' famous rebel song "

", the song climaxes with the words: "Another martyr for old Ireland, by

Britannia Britannia () is the national personification of Britain as a helmeted female warrior holding a trident and shield. An image first used in classical antiquity, the Latin ''Britannia'' was the name variously applied to the British Isles, Great ...

cruelly slain! I hope that somewhere up there I hope he'll be an Alsatian once again! An Alsatian once again! An Alsatian once again! That Fido who's now in ribbons will be an Alsatian once again!"

References