The Patriot Game

"The Patriot Game" is an Irish ballad that critically examines the posture of the IRA during the 1950s:

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.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• The
• Patriot
• Game
• Michael
• Collins
• Wind
• That
• Shakes
• Barley
• Ireland
• IRA
• Inderpendance
• Dominick
• Behan
• Dubliners

[scottiehypnosis01]

The British Government have killed for 100s of years, they now do it with the pen.

They kill with blessing of Europe,they say its fro freedom of people. The IRA killed for the love of there own country. The English go into our country's for profit,that is true Murder

[breandandoire]

Come all ye young rebels.....

[bjr43]

Where's the movie footage come from? In one version of the song I've heard, on the ending verse, quislings is replaced with bastards.

[LordSither1]

@DonRodrigon The Wind that Shakes the Barley is a great movie

[DonRodrigon]

@saulya Michael Collins (1996) and The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006)

[saulya]

what film are all these clips from?

[U570]

what are the movies shown?

[ludwigsongs]

Interesting extra verse... where's the source for that please?

[09Chip09]

@scottiehypnosis01 because the welsh and scottish dont want to run their own country. they could not afford it. question answered. have a nice day

[whitbyjet65]

@scottiehypnosis01 It's 'THEIR' not 'THERE'. Jeeze!

[scottiehypnosis01]

you know it makes me laugh, The IRA are in there own country fighting for the freedom of there own country, and they are fighting a army from another country that has taken over there country, put there people under there rule and slaughtered Irish people for fun ! Yes for fun, yet you call the IRA terrorists, cos they fight to run there own country. But lets also remember that the english have done the same to many countrys as history have told.

[theRebels3]

@KeithRS100 The IRA are a non sectarian army who have had many proud protestant men fight and die for the cause of Irish independence.

Sectarianism was a tool of the British used to drive a wedge into the heart of the Irish independence movement. It is a great tragedy that they have succeeded in painting the centuries of conflict in Ireland as a religious conflict rather than a struggle for independence.

Wolfe Tone - perhaps the greatest Irish rebel - himself was of the protestant faith.