The Irish Brigade - Ambush at Clonoe lyrics
[The Irish Brigade - Ambush at Clonoe lyrics]
Here's a a song of young
Lives lost before their time
Of four daring lads cut down in their prime
In a land that longs for
Freedom and for peace
It's a prayer that all the
Heartache soon will cease
Sometimes it's hard to find the words to say
When the cut's so deep the pain won't go away
How much longer must we struggle, mourn
And pray? 'Till we see the light
Of freedom's dawning day
In their boyhood years these lads
Learned at first hand
They were only second class in their own land
Stopped and searched by police each
Time they walked the street
And degraded by each foot patrol they'd meet
To those RUC 'n soldiers it was fun
To intimidate our children with their guns
But there's some young folk who
Won't take any more
And there's some who want to
Even up the score
Barry O'Donnell was a thorn in England's side
And he led his volunteers
With dauntless pride
Sean O'Farrell stood beside him all the while
And we never will forget his roguish smile
Countless times in action these
Pair played their part
That they couldn't hold them
Broke the soldier's hearts
But those lads knew they
Lived on borrowed time
But they'd make their mark before
They crossed the line
In Coalisland Square that February night
Oh the sentries in the
Barracks all took fright
For on the lorry coming straight ahead
Was a unit of the East Tyrone Brigade
From that lorry's back the
Irish flag flew high
And the big machine gun pointed to the sky
And when Barry with that gun began to shoot
Oh! Those Brit's longed for
Transfers to Beirut
As the tracer bullets split the barrack wall
Those bold volunteers they showed
No fear at all
As the lorry drove away the people cheered
Not knowing that soon their cries
Would soon be tears
It was the boldest deed that
Little town had known
In all the years of struggle in Tyrone
But it was the saddest night that
Town would come to know
For the SAS lay waiting at Clonoe
Was not until they had the big gun down
And the volunteers thought they
Were safe and sound
That the sas they opened up from every side
And on that killing ground
Four brave lads died
We lost bold Peter Clancy on that night
A volunteer who scorned Britannia's might
Young Paddy Vincent died there by his side
He lost his life for what
He thought was right
We salute you Barry, Peter, Paddy, Sean
Though you've left us
Your memory will live on
For to the crown, a knee you'd never bend
And you were bold and fearless to the end
So come all of you who love your native land
As for peace and freedom we
March hand in hand
Our brave volunteers have not
Been lost in vein
From the ashes we can build our land again
Here's a a song of young
Lives lost before their time
Of four daring lads cut down in their prime
In a land that longs for
Freedom and for peace
It's a prayer that all the
Heartache soon will cease
(Sometimes it's hard to find
The words to say)
Lives lost before their time
Of four daring lads cut down in their prime
In a land that longs for
Freedom and for peace
It's a prayer that all the
Heartache soon will cease
Sometimes it's hard to find the words to say
When the cut's so deep the pain won't go away
How much longer must we struggle, mourn
And pray? 'Till we see the light
Of freedom's dawning day
In their boyhood years these lads
Learned at first hand
They were only second class in their own land
Stopped and searched by police each
Time they walked the street
And degraded by each foot patrol they'd meet
To those RUC 'n soldiers it was fun
To intimidate our children with their guns
But there's some young folk who
Won't take any more
And there's some who want to
Even up the score
Barry O'Donnell was a thorn in England's side
And he led his volunteers
With dauntless pride
Sean O'Farrell stood beside him all the while
And we never will forget his roguish smile
Countless times in action these
Pair played their part
That they couldn't hold them
Broke the soldier's hearts
But those lads knew they
Lived on borrowed time
But they'd make their mark before
They crossed the line
In Coalisland Square that February night
Oh the sentries in the
Barracks all took fright
For on the lorry coming straight ahead
Was a unit of the East Tyrone Brigade
From that lorry's back the
Irish flag flew high
And the big machine gun pointed to the sky
And when Barry with that gun began to shoot
Oh! Those Brit's longed for
Transfers to Beirut
As the tracer bullets split the barrack wall
Those bold volunteers they showed
No fear at all
As the lorry drove away the people cheered
Not knowing that soon their cries
Would soon be tears
It was the boldest deed that
Little town had known
In all the years of struggle in Tyrone
But it was the saddest night that
Town would come to know
For the SAS lay waiting at Clonoe
Was not until they had the big gun down
And the volunteers thought they
Were safe and sound
That the sas they opened up from every side
And on that killing ground
Four brave lads died
We lost bold Peter Clancy on that night
A volunteer who scorned Britannia's might
Young Paddy Vincent died there by his side
He lost his life for what
He thought was right
We salute you Barry, Peter, Paddy, Sean
Though you've left us
Your memory will live on
For to the crown, a knee you'd never bend
And you were bold and fearless to the end
So come all of you who love your native land
As for peace and freedom we
March hand in hand
Our brave volunteers have not
Been lost in vein
From the ashes we can build our land again
Here's a a song of young
Lives lost before their time
Of four daring lads cut down in their prime
In a land that longs for
Freedom and for peace
It's a prayer that all the
Heartache soon will cease
(Sometimes it's hard to find
The words to say)