Irish Song Lyrics 
from www.traditionalmusic.co.uk 
My Father Once Said to Me Mark Westphal 
In 1916, in the year of our Lord Fighting came to Ireland like it never had before For freedom comes to those who fight for its day So I picked up my rifle and joined the IRA 
My great grandfather once said to his son The brits will leave before this year is done This war will soon be in the past and Ireland will be free at last Cause it won't be long until we've won That's what my great grandfather said to his son 
A free and united Ireland was our only desire And the best of the British Army couldn't put out that fire But a deal with the devil was soon put forth Freedom for the South and nothing for the North 
Well, this didn't seem really right with me For Ireland is one from sea to sea And the IRA said our job's not done So off to the North I went with my gun 
My grandfather once said to his son The brits will leave before this year is done This war will soon be in the past and the North will be free at last Cause it won't be long until we've won That's what my grandfather said to his son 
We fought in the fields, we fought in the streets And the English knew we couldn't be beat We fought with rifles, we fought with rocks And sent many a soldier home in a box 
The fight has been long and many have fell And we weep for the rebels who starved alone in a cell For the price of our freedom is paid with blood of those IRA men who have died in the mud 
My father once said to me All of Ireland will soon be free These troubles will be in the past and the North will be free at last Cause it won't be long until we've won That's what my father said to his son 
Is life so sweet or is peace so dear? That the weight of chains are easy to bear For freedom comes to those who fight for its day So pick up your rifle and join the IRA 
Now I am a father and I have a son The brits are still here, they haven't gone And Ireland bleeds every year For in the North there is death and fear Until it's free, I'll keep my gun 
That's what I'm going to tell my son