Play MIDI
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