willie McBride

[gatesycfc]

Three of these William McBrides fell in 1916; two were members of an Irish Regiment, the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, and died more or less in the same spot during the Battle of the Somme in 1916. One was 21, the other 19 years old. The 19-year-old Private William McBride is buried in Authuille British Cemetery, near Albert and Beaumont-Hamel, where the Inniskilling Fusilliers were deployed as part of the 29th Division

[MiniGil1992]

It wasn't for King or for England I died,

It wasn't for glory or the Empire's pride.

The reason I went was both simple and clear:

To stand up for freedom did I volunteer.

It's easy for you to look back and sigh,

And pity the youth of those days long gone by,

For us who were there, we knew why we died,

And I'd do it again, says Willie McBride.

[MiniGil1992]

Ask the people of Belgium or Alsace-Lorraine,

If my life was wasted, if I died in vain.

I think they will tell you when all's said and done,

They welcomed this boy with his tin hat and gun.

And call it ironic that I was cut down,

While in Dublin my kinfolk were fighting the Crown.

But in Dublin or Flanders the cause was the same:

To resist the oppressor, whatever his name.

[MiniGil1992]

Yes, they beat the drum slowly, they played the pipes lowly, And the rifles fired o'er me as they lowered me down, The band played "The Last Post" in chorus, And the pipes played "The Flowers of the Forest."

[MiniGil1992]

My dear friend Eric, this is Willie McBride,

Today I speak to you across the divide,

Of years and of distance of life and of death,

Please let me speak freely with my silent breath.

You might think me crazy, you might think me daft,

I could have stayed back in Erin, where there wasn't a draft,

But my parents they raised me to tell right from wrong,

So today I shall answer what you asked in your song.

[MrRastaJoe]

wtf ulster? gtf.

[Prodpete]

@jonjescabar

Eeeep

[jdxv7]

dis has nothing 2 do wif sum useless nazi gang

[chiefohara05]

Wonderful song.. shamed by the UVF imagery.

The men in the Somme were heroes the UVF are drug dealers

[SuperBoobles]

@chiefohara05 I have to agree bro..... My father was a "volunteer", He was a tail gunner in a Lancaster, at the age of seventeen. He wore his "UVF" pin with pride, until the terrorists adopted it. Sadly, he has passed away now, but in his day, to be an "Ulster Volunteer" meant something! Shame on the mindless killers who stole his Ideology, and those like him.... For they are the true heroes.

[FatBhoySlim]

Poor Willie would be burlin in his grave over this video. Great anti war song though.

[verdalek173]

jim currie is still goin tae shag the pope up his bighter if he comes tae glasgow! go on jim!!!!

[1798Greenflag1916]

You stupid bunch of inbred Orange bastards . It would take a brain dead lot like ye to completely miss the whole point of the song and fill it with sickening sectarian photos . Willie McBride would be spinning in his grave

[Prodpete]

@1798Greenflag1916

wat a dick

[1798Greenflag1916]

@Prodpete Theres a H in what Pete ;)

[TheDonrogers]

Ulster forever Surrender NEVER.....Dup Have sold us out.......KAI

[wandelbhoy]

Jimmie 1690...i am so glad you like listening to the Fureys....jaysus...you havent a clue have you

Tiocfaidh ar la

[jimmie1690]

@wandelbhoy  eat a fucking dick faggot

[Prodpete]

@wandelbhoy This video and song is dedicated to a hero, something your tiny sectarian mind could never appreciate.

[jimmie1690]

saxomajic, so dont fucking watch it retard!!! STUPID TAIG CUNT!!!

[saxomajic]

to use uvf banners and logo's is making me puke!!

Free Ireland! Give us back our teddy's head!!!

[oldchurch000]

just me

[blindingsun]

does anyone know of the Foster and Allen version and where i could aqquire it? please

[TokingOnCheese]

The Green Fields of France

[rosaesq]

who sings this version?

[barmbrackthecat]

sounds like the furey's

[NorthernSoulGer]

Jake Burns does a fantastic Version the Eric Bogle number

God bless the 36th

[orangenutcase]

i like dropkick murphys but this is good

[johnconner91]

This is good but I think I like the drop kick murphys version the best

[HolyLandTrueBlue]

WATP

[AndrewDeLong]

I get chills every time I hear this song. I usually listen to the Dropkick Murphys version, but really, any one will do. A small but fitting tribute to the fallen heros of our past. God rest their souls.

[Doniedaff]

This song isn't meant to be about heroes it is about the tragedy of young men, typically working class, being exploited for the sake of an immoral imperialist war. Being used as cannon fodder by upper class parasites who did no fighting themselves.

I'm sure Eric Bogle would be disgusted to hear his song being used for the purposes of British nationalism.

[AndrewDeLong]

While I'm inclined to agree with the latter half of your statement, I don't agree with the first. Yes, this song is about the needless toils of war, I get that. But to say that it isn't also a tribute to the fallen soldiers, of ANY war, is foolhardy. This song holds a dual meaning. 1) to expose, as you've already said, the needless bloodshed produced by war, and 2) to lay tribute to those victims (soldiers) of that bloodshed. I think along these lines, Eric Bogle would be just fine.

[laticspaul]

The UVF made the ultimate sacrifice for the British people in the first world war, and were betrayed by its own Government, a shame which we all carry with us. In the second World War, the men of Ulster and mainland Britain fought against the fascists whilst the Irish refuelled German U-Boats. Any Irishman criticising British Nationalism is on very shaky ground, after all, the Irish were Hitler's lapdogs.

[Doniedaff]

Ye do realise that this was written as an anti-war song not as a whoop de do for British Imperialism as seems to be implied here.

[xelallih]

You seem to have missed the point. The video shows men of the old UVF - who then went on to become the 36th(Ulster) Division who were decemated at the Somme in 1916.

[bluestarguy]

the 36th ulster div badge is a copy lol

yaa boy yee

[orangenutcase]

brilliant wee tune

lest we forget

R.I.P

[36thulster1912]

God bless the 36th Division

[bluestarguy]

GO ON YAA BOY YEE

NO SURRENDER

[oldchurch000]

WE ARE THE PEOPLE

[craigywv]

goodwork sir knight

[ProUnionist]

These men of all faiths and cultures, helped shape Britain into the great land that it is today, god bless those that paid the ultimate sacrifice, at the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them...LEST WE FORGET

Somme/Arass/Ypres/Passchendael­e 1914-1918

[mslondonloyalist]

Brilliant tribute to the Ulster 36 Division & all the brave men who fought & sacrificed their lives for our freedom at the Somme. Lest we forget.

[redhanddefender11]

Beautiful song, some wonderful images! Especially love the pictures at 1.28, 1.42, 1.52, 2.22 & 3.09. Brings a tear to my eye. First class work, my good friend!

[stgeorgereborn]

Thanks for posting - good song, good video. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten.

[ivo1120]

Great song,great video.Serbia fight together with Britain in WW1 and we lose more then 2100000 mens in army for freedom.

No surrender!Nema predaje!

[rutherglenbluebell5]

lest we forget battle of the somme 1st july 1916

[oldchurch000]

thaxs mate