[Verse]
Come listen, all me true men, to my simple rhyme,
For it tells of a young man cut off in his prime,
A soldier and a statesman who laid down the law,
And who died by the roadside in lone Béal na Bláth.
When barely sixteen to England crossed o'er,
For to work as a boy in a government store,
But the volunteer's call he could not disobey,
So he came back to Dublin to join in the fray.
[Chorus]
At Easter 1916, when Pearse called them out,
The men from the Dublin battalion roved out,
And in the Post Office, they nobly did show,
How a handful of heroes could outfight the foe.
[Verse]
To Stafford and jails, transported they were,
As prisoners of England, they soon made a stir,
Released before Christmas and home once again,
He branded old comrades together to train,
Dáil Éireann assembled our rights to proclaim,
Suppressed by the English you'd think it a shame,
How Ireland's best and bravest were harried and torn,
From the arms of their loved ones and children newborn.
[Chorus]
At Easter 1916, when Pearse called them out,
The men from the Dublin battalion roved out,
And in the Post Office, they nobly did show,
How a handful of heroes could outfight the foe.
[Verse]
For years, Mick eluded their soldiers and spies,
For he was the master of clever disguise,
With the Custom House blazing she found twas no use,
And soon Mother England had asked for a truce.
Oh, when will the young men a sad lesson spurn.
That brother and brother they never should turn?
Alas that a split in our ranks ere we saw,
Mick Collins stretched lifeless in lone Béal na Bláth.
[Chorus]
At Easter 1916, when Pearse called them out,
The men from the Dublin battalion roved out,
And in the Post Office, they nobly did show,
How a handful of heroes could outfight the foe.
[Verse]
Oh, long will old Ireland be seeking in vain,
Ere we find a new leader to match the man slain,
A true son of Gráinne, his name long will shine,
Oh, gallant Mike Collins, cut off in his prime.
[Chorus]
At Easter 1916, when Pearse called them out,
The men from the Dublin battalion roved out,
And in the Post Office, they nobly did show,
How a handful of heroes could outfight the foe.