Digital Tradition Mirror

The Irish Free State

(This score available as ABC, SongWright, PostScript, PNG, or PMW, or a MIDI file)
Pennywhistle notation and Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

The Irish Free State

I went to see David, to London to David,
I went to see David, and what did he do?
He gave me a Free State, a nice little Free State
A Free State that's bound up with Red, White and Blue.
     I brought it to Dublin to show to Dail Eirann
     I brought it to Dublin, and what did they do?
     They asked me what kind of a thing was a Free State,
     A Free State that's tied up  with Red, White and Blue.

"Three quarters of Ireland a nation," I told them,
"Tied on to the Empire with Red, White and Blue;
And an oath they must swear to King George and Queen Mary
An oath they must swear to the son-in-law new.
     I'm teaching them Irishand painting their boxes
     All over with green, sure, what more can I do?
     Yet they tell me they want just an Irish Republic
     Without any trimmings of Red, White and Blue!
Note: An ode to the settlement of the Anglo-Irish War of 1918-21,
a settlement that forced De Valera out of office and set the
stage for  much of the current troubles.
From Galvin, Irish Songs of Resistance
RG

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!