[Verse]
No time to climb trees or to hurl or to dance,
Growing up in the '70, was given no chance,
Your parents worked hard to buy their own home,
To raise a family, watch the roots grow.
Sadly comfort and safety was too much to ask,
For a Catholic family in loyalist Belfast,
A cruel life, watch your young sisters bleeding,
Your home petrol bombed, see your mothers heart breaking.
Your brother took a job in the shipyard in town,
Bullets in his lunch from those loyal to the Crown,
Murdered for his creed, didn't come home that day,
For turning up to work what a price to pay.
[Chorus]
Brave Teddy O'Neill, for Ireland gave all,
For justice and freedom, you answered her call,
Your name is engraved with our patriots true,
Terence Teddy O'Neill, we'll not forget you.
[Verse]
In the Belfast Brigade, proudly Teddy took a stand,
While on active service became a wanted man,
Our fearless freedom fighter, with a heart made of gold,
His seeds of freedom blossomed as he watched his daughter grow.
He jumped out a window to escape from the raid,
The Brits fired after him, they wanted Teddy dead,
Finally captured after five years on the run,
Interrogated and tortured, they couldn't break our son.
"We're letting you out to kill you" the RUC did sneer,
But Teddy held his head up high, though he knew his time was near,
Summer in Belfast, when rose petals fall,
Police open fire with no warning call
[Chorus]
Brave Teddy O'Neill, for Ireland gave all,
For justice and freedom, you answered her call,
Your name is engraved with our patriots true,
Terence Teddy O'Neill, we'll not forget you.
[Verse]
As Teddy lay wounded, was shot at close range,
Were these the fatal shots? Could his life of been saved?
Was first volunteer buried in Milltown with pride,
Joe McDonnell, Bobby Sands, forever by your side.
For truth and justice will always campaign,
Those shoot to kill victims, Britain's bloody shame,
Ballymurphy and Derry, Gibraltar, Loughgall,
Like Teddy O'Neill, for Ireland gave all.
[Chorus]
Brave Teddy O'Neill, for Ireland gave all,
For justice and freedom, you answered her call,
Your name is engraved with our patriots true,
Terence Teddy O'Neill, we'll not forget you,
Terence Teddy O'Neill, we'll not forget you.