Patriot Game
words and music by Dominic
Behan Come
all ye young rebels, and list while I sing,
For the love of one's country
is a terrible thing.
It banishes fear with the speed of a flame,
And
it makes us all part of the patriot game. My
name is O'Hanlon, and I've just turned sixteen.
My home is in Monaghan, and
where I was weaned
I learned all my life cruel England's to blame,
So
now I am part of the patriot game. This
Ireland of ours has too long been half free.
Six counties lie under John
Bull's tyranny.
But still De Valera is greatly to blame
For shirking
his part in the Patriot game. They
told me how Connolly was shot in his chair,
His wounds from the fighting
all bloody and bare.
His fine body twisted, all battered and lame
They
soon made me part of the patriot game. It's
nearly two years since I wandered away
With the local battalion of the bold
IRA,
For I read of our heroes, and wanted the same
To play out my part
in the patriot game. [extra
verse I found]
I don't mind a bit if I shoot down police
They are
lackeys for war never guardians of peace
And yet at deserters I'm never let
aim
The rebels who sold out the patriot game And
now as I lie here, my body all holes
I think of those traitors who bargained
in souls
And I wish that my rifle had given the same
To those Quislings
who sold out the patriot game.
Chords:
KEY D
verse:
D G C D
D A7 D
chorus:
C G D D
Background:
Tune: "One Morning In May", or "With God on Our Side".
This song was written by Dominic Behan, brother of Brendan. It tells the
story of Fergal O'Hanlon from Ballybay, Co Monaghan, who tried to abolish
the border between the Six Counties and the Republic. He was killed during
the Brookborough attack at the age of 17. The song has become world famous.
Undoubtedly one of the best ballads ever to come out of the Irish struggles.
During our first year
together, we were introduced to a wide variety of music. One of the first
tapes someone lent me was a tape of I.R.B. tunes. Well the very first
task we had to figure out was what I.R.B. stood for? Irish Republican
Brotherhood. The Irish Republican Brotherhood was formed on Saint Patrick's
Day in 1858. It was an underground organization designed to remove the
English from Ireland.
The
song was recorded by numerous artists including Bob Dylan and the Kingston Trio.
Our version came from
the aforementioned I.R.B. compilation. I think it may have been the Wolfe Tones
who sang it, but I'm not sure. In any case, it was the first rebel song we learned,
and still one of our most popular.
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