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The Battle of Granard 
The Battle of Granard (Air: "The Rising of the Moon") 
Down by Sheelin's vale at sunset, Fierce as demons in their wrath, Spread a band of English troopers Fire and carnage marked their path. 
Midnight shines, and blazing rooftree Lit the darkness of the night, From the shores of fair Lough Gowna To the slopes of Granard's height. 
Maid and mother fell before them, All in wrath and vengeance smote, And in pride the foeman's legion Onward sped to Granard's Moat. 
We marched that morn from Creenagh To oppose them on their way, And by river, lake or mountain Made we neither stop or stay. 
Till a band of English troopers Crossed our path at Edgeworthstown And we piked the last red foeman As the evening sun went down. 
Early in the dewy morning, As the day began to dawn Towards the ancient moat of Granard We were proudly marching on. 
High o'erhead us waved our banner In its beauty fair and free, Borne by men from Carrickmoira And the plains of Killashee. 
From the banks of Cloonart river And from Cleaney's village green, Hast'ning onwards to the onset Many a gallant youth was seen. 
As we reached the heights of Granard Right before us formed in line, We could see the English legion And their spears and banner shine. 
For a moment's space we halted As we came within their view, Then a deadly thirst for vengeance Filled our bosoms through and through. 
With a shout that loudly echoed To the far-off Shannon shore, Through the red ranks of the foeman In a furious rush we tore. 
With that rush our gallant pikemen Leaped against their foremost line, And their blades drank deep in vengeance For many a bloody crime. 
Fast and deadly ev'ry weapon Found a Saxon foeman's breast, As our fierce and maddened pikemen Through their columns thickly pressed. 
Granard's ancient moat was reddened By the blood of friend and foe, Well we met them with their bayonets With our pike their sabre-blow. 
Backwards pressed against the valley Bravely fighting to the last, But again our gallant pikemen Gathered round them fierce and fast. 
Morning saw their haughty standard In its pride and glory wave; Evening saw the foeman's legion Crushed and sunk in one red grave. 
And where stood the ranks of Britain By the light of morning's dawn, O'er their graves in proud defiance Erin's rebel banner shone. 
Longford long shall tell the story, How her children bravely stood In that fight for Erin's glory Brave and stern as freemen should. 
And their deeds shall nerve their brothers When they grasp the freeman's brand, To go forth, to fall or conquer For the rights of motherland. 
XX APR99