26 + 6 = 1!
A brief history of the Irish Republican Army. As a matter of principle, I do support the re-unification of the Six Counties with Ireland proper. After reading a number of books such as Tim Pat Coogan’s IRA and knowing a good number of folks from Northern Ireland, I can unhesitatingly support the cause regardless of their socialist affiliations – especially now that the IRA is disavowing violence as a means to its end (unlike the Protestant paramilitaries and the RUC).
Irish Republican Jail Song
In Ireland’s fight for freedom boys, the north has played its part
Though freedom’s day has yet to dawn, we’ve never yet lost heart!
We’ll fight it out until the end – we’ll fight for we cannot fail,
We know we’ll win, although they have our lads in Crumlin jail.
We gave to Erin Eoin Row, we gave her Shane O’Neill,
And Tone and Cavehill made a vow that England still can fail.
Joe McKelvey did not die in vain; he was our northern gale,
And that’s another reason why they keep our lads in Crumlin jail.
So keep on the fight, you volunteers, for God is on our side.
No jail can break our brave young men, no prison clamp their pride.
For England knows, and England fears, our fearless northern gales;
And that’s another reason why we’ll free our lads from Crumlin jail.
For England knows, and England fears, the famous northern gales;
And that’s another reason why we’ll free our lads from Crumlin jail.