Patriot Game, The

DESCRIPTION: "Come all you young rebels and list' while I sing, For the love of one's land is a terrible thing." 16-year-old O'Hanlon wanted to fight England and "free" Ulster. Now he lies with his body "all holes." He wishes he had accomplished more
AUTHOR: Dominic Behan
EARLIEST DATE: 1962 (copyright)
KEYWORDS: Ireland IRA political death war
FOUND IN: Ireland
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Behan-IrelandSings, #68, "The Patriot Game" (1 text, 1 tune)
DT, PATGAME1*
Roud #18464
SAME TUNE:
With God On Our Side (by Bob Dylan, and available in many pop songbooks)
NOTES [47 words]: Behan reports that this was inspired by the death of one Feargal O'Hanlon in 1957. It has been preserved mostly by pop folk singers (who seem to have adapted the message with regularity), but there are a handful of semi-traditional collections, so perhaps it belongs in the Index. - RBW
Last updated in version 5.1
File: Beha068

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