tal 45

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

EDITORIAL COMMENT

INTERVIEW WITH FORMER ANCROBBEN ISLAND PRISONER

TOMMY BURNS

FROM THE BARRAS TO BARRA

CUT OUT, FOLD & MAKE YOUR OWN CD JEWEL CASE INSERT

TAL MERCHANDISE

LET THE PEOPLE SING POSTER(Centre Pages)

SPECIAL FEATURES ON

SONGS, BANDS &AND ARTISTS

GOD SAVE IRELANDTHE FOGGY DEW

SCOTLAND’S SHAMEJAMES CONNOLLY

BOYS OF THE OLD BRIGADEPROTESTANT MEN

THE WEARING OF THE GREENCOME OUT YE BLACK & TANS

BALLAD OF BILLY REIDTHE LEGEND

AIDAN McANESPIESEAN SOUTH OF GARRYOWEN

LULLABY TO HEAVENROLL OF HONOUR

ESCAPES TO FREEDOMLIKE RUNNING UP HILL

MISE ÉIRELET THE PEOPLE SING

TAL BOOKS, BM BOX 266, LONDON, WC1N 3XX2

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TOMMY’S CHAMPIONSHIP DREAMThis issue of TÁL will not concern itself too much with what’s been happening on the field of play for the obvious reason that this is a special issue of the fanzine that has been built around the free CD. Suffice to say it was a fantastic end to a somewhat wobbly season that saw us take the SPL title from under the noses of rangers in the final weeks of the season. Only 6 weeks before we had looked down and truly out of the race for the league, but misfortune also followed our greatest rivals in the final weks and it was with some resilience and determination that our players rallied to the cause and won the league on that fantastic Thursday night at Tannadice.But the title win was also tinged with sadness after one of our true legends Tommy Burns succumbed to the cancer that had plagued him for the last couple of years. There is an obituary for Tommy elsewhere in this magazine, so I will not dwell too long here on it. Only to say that the way the league ended with a Celtic win was the kind of stuff that Tommy’s dreams were made of.

Freebie CD - What’s Going On?Yes, you’re right... You just paid £3 for this magazine and got one of the best compilations of Irish rebel music that 3 0r 4 times that amount could not buy you anywhere else... And you even got something to read while listening to it!The idea of the free CD was something that our Editorial Group mulled over for quite a while. Initially we simply wanted to produce a 4 track EP that would feature medleys of songs that we felt reflected the political and cultural heritage of our club and its fans. However, after a bit more discussion and sounding out of some of the folk bands our ambition grew and we decided to go for an altogether bigger project with the CD spearheading the cultural fight-back at Celtic via the Let The People Sing campaign.We costed the whole operation and put the idea to our online forum members. In a relatively short space of time we were able to raise the money to fund the project through the donations of our online forum members. Individuals as well as supporter clubs made generous contributions to make this happen. It is only through their efforts that you are able to enjoy this fanzine and the CD that came with it. We would like to thank every person and group that made a donation to the LTPS Fund. Your commitment to this project has been fantastic. Go raibh maith agat a cairde.Finally we would like to thank all of the participating bands, musicians and artists that took part in the project. Everyone that we approached to be involved responded positively to the idea, some of them recording new tracks and new arranmgements of songs especially for the CD.The tremendous response of the musicians meant that we could have produced a CD of 30 songs, but in the end we

could only fit 18 songs on to the disc. We’d like to thankthose bands and artists who wanted to be part of theproject but whose material we could not use this timearound. We are of a mind to repeat this venture again in2009 and indeed we already have two-thirds of the materialnecessary for a Let The People Sing Volume 2.In no particular order we’d like to thank the following:Padraig Mór, Gary Og, Shebeen, Declan McLaughlin,Seanchai, Derek Warfield, Claymore, Damien Quinn, TheBog Savages, Clan Carney, Tullamore Tree, Mike Fox,Blarney Pilgrims, The Irish Brigade, Spirit of Freedom, TheWakes, Terry O’Neill, Adelante, Mise Éire, The TÁLiBand.Not all of the above appear on the CD (and some donatedmore than one track) but their contribution and support forthe project was solid and we hope that they will stick withus for Volume 2 next year. Go raibh maith agat.

Celtic & Ireland in Song & StoryAn invaluable companion and inspiration throughout thisproject has been the book written, edited, compiled byRaymond Daly and Derek Warfield. All Celtic supporterswho genuinely love the club and who share an interest inits history and development off the park among the sup-porters, as well as on it, should be compelled to purchasea copy of this book. It consists of an almost definitivehistory of our club through the songs and ballads thatbecame popular with the Celtic supporters on the terracesand stands during the game, and in the pubs and clubsafter the match. I say ‘an almost definitive history’ becauseRay Daly assures me that he is already working on asecond book on the same theme.Throw the book open at any page and be amazed at thewealth of knowledge that it instantly provides, whether it bethe lyrics of a particular song, the story behind that songand the general - and at times somewhat fraught relation-ship - between a section of Celtic supporters that are highlypoliticized and politically motivated, in complete contrast to those rogues and political appointees such as John Reid, whose hypocrisy with ragrd to at-temots to ‘leave his politics at the door’ considering the fact that many regard the man himself as a war criminal responsible fior the deaths of thousands of innoceant s in Iraq and Af-ghanistan while a cabinet minister in the Blair Gov-ernment.

www.celticsongbook.com

ON a recent trip to Robben Island, TÁL Fanzine’s South African correspondent Eddie Mac met the legendary ANC fighter and former political prisoner Thulani Mabaso. Over a few days Thulani outlines his life and his part in the struggle to liberate his country. He also gave interesting insight into the cur-rent state of affairs in South Africa, with anti-social violence on the increase and tensions between ethnic groups at boiling point...

Thulani Mabaso, a tall dark unassuming man, wait-ing in the Mandela Gateway the port for the ferry across the Island. Long before tourists paid for the privilege to go there and visit the prison where Nelson Mandela one of the most famous people in the world spent a great part of his 27 years imprisonment, Thulani was also a prisoner here and spent 6 years of an 18 year prison sentence on the Island. By far Thulani is an inspiration to a fellow man. In our meet-ings he told me of his upbringing, realisation of the struggle he was going face for the early part of his adult life, the mission which he carried out success-fully but would be convicted of, interrogation at the notorious John Voster Square police department, time in prison in Johannesburg, Pollsmore and, of course, Robben Island . After our last meeting the previous week, xenophobic attacks on economic immigrants and refugees have hit the townships of Cape Town. I met up with Thulani - he lives in the township of Khayelitsha - and asked his views of the situation and what he and his ANC comrades are doing to try to calm the rising tensions.

Where were you born and was your childhood and early teen years like growing up. Thulani Mabaso: I was born and raised in Kwazulu Natal, my family were farmers my grandfather had live stock. It was nice until we were evicted and sent to live in a pur-pose built township. I was a young man and could not un-derstand, it broke my grandfather’s heart and he eventually died of stress related to the enforced move by the authorities. There were no toilets in the township I lived in and one tap between around 1000 people. Growing up there was harassment from the police. If the people wanted to leave the township they would require a “DOOM PASS” which would give black people permission to travel. So yes things were hard but there was good unity in the community. At what age did you join the ANC military movement? Thulani: I became aware and joined at around 16 years. I was angry and wanted to make a change, people could not keep living the way we were.

The holding cell at the port of Robben Island

TÁL interviews Thulani Mabaso former ANC Political Prisoner of Robben Island dubbed “The Black Bobby Sands” by his comrades because of the Hunger Strikes he took part in

while incarcerated by the fascist apartheid regime of South Africa.

Now is the time!

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Edd Mc: What kind of training were you given and where?

Thulani: There was training camps in neigh-bouring countries near the borders. I met Joe Slovo, a Lithuanian man who was one of the founders of Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation) the armed wing of the ANC. I learned how to use AK47, hand pistols but the area I was

good at was explosives, there was lots of practical prac-tice as well as lectures. I was made head of a unit, which was made up myself and six others. The bomb attack on the South African Defence Forc-es?

Thulani: Yes, as head of my unit I was given my mission by my commanders. Only I out of my unit knew what it was to do. I had to infiltrate the South African Defence Force. I got a job there and gained the trust of the people working there over time. The night before the attack I was nervous and could not sleep. I had done all my planning. The attack happened on a Wednesday. The reason was, there was children’s nursery that finished at 12 every Wednesday so the attack was set for 3 pm, it was the pol-icy of the MK to have no killings in an attack. The day of the attack I brought two limpet mine bombs to the building, which between floors 2 and 5 housed the intelligence units of the authorities. As I went through the gates - I had the bombs in army shoe boxes - the gate-man Mr Wilkinson, a World War 2 veteran, let me through no problem as he liked me and we were friends, but told me that he needed new boots… my heart stopped! I placed the bombs either end of the building to cause max-imum destruction I left . I ask a lady to make the warning call for me I instructed her in what to say. I took up a vantage point on a bridge to watch the explosion with my binoculars. It was set for 3pm but as it hit 3 no explosion but si-rens all over the place. 3.01pm – bang! - the noise and vibration was very loud. As leader of my unit I walked back to the scene to account the casualties - 57 in total - and report back to my commanders. How did you feel at the time of your arrest? Thulani: I wanted to kill myself. I went for a meet at 7pm but by 7.01pm no-one showed. As I was driving away the authorities pounced. I had a grenade and tried to pull the pin but couldn’t in the confusion of everything that was going on. I was badly beaten at the scene and then bought to John Voster Square.

How were you treated in Interrogation?

Thulani: I was beaten, kicked, had a hankie stuffed in my mouth; my mouth taped, handcuffed, legs tied, stripped and watered down with a plastic bag over my head. Then I was given electric shocks with some sort of prong: All over my body, including my testicles, and nearly suffocat-ing with the plastic bag. Also, I was forced to eat my own excrement by a black police officer on the orders of Cap-tain Zillie. I was hung out of the 10th floor and told thye would drop me and they would say I tried to escape. I was beaten so much it did not hurt . Edd Mc: In interrogation what were your feelings?

Thulani: With the beatings I received eventually I felt no pain , I tried to commit suicide by taking an over dose with the medication I was given for my injuries received by pretending to swallow the tablet and when I had enough took them all . How many years were you sentenced to?

Thulani: I was sentenced to 18 years but PW Botha wanted me sentenced to death Were you sentenced straight to Robben Island?

Thulani: No I was first in prison in Johannesburg for two years but I was moved to the Island because the political prisoners were influencing the common criminals. When did you find out you were being transferred to Robben Island?

Thulani: They took me out my cell and put me into a back of a van didn’t know were I was going , I was transported from Jo’burg to Cape Town and not allowed to stop and use a toilet . (The Journey time traveling by road is nearly a day). We stopped in an area called Colsberg, where we stopped for the night at a prison. I slept on a cold floor. The next day they gave me my breakfast which was por-ridge with bread, coffee and other things all stuffed in the bowl , but understand that I was hungry I needed to eat.

Were you the only prisoner on the ferry to the Island? Thulani: When I arrived at the port for Robben Island I was put in an holding cell and joined by 5 other prisoners that arrived from the eastern cape.

The boat to the Island

Thulani in the communal cell he shared with 69 other in-mates, explaining the sleeping conditions.

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Did you know of the other prison-ers that traveled with you to the Is-land and did you chat with them on the way over? Thulani: Didn’t know who these guys were just said our hello’s and found out what prison we were all from. I didn’t want to say too much as I didn’t know if you could trust them. What happened when you arrived on the Island? Thulani : Arrived there and was put into isolation C section for a couple of months before getting put in the com-munal cell which would house up to 50 to 60 prisoners. Did you have any knowledge what was happening in Ireland and their struggle? Thulani : Yes very much, I remember information being smuggled in about the bomb in Brighton that went off, we had a debate about and talked about planning that went into such a mission. We also had hunger strikes here. I was on hunger strike 5 times and gained the name “THE BLACK BOBBY SANDS” from my comrades. We would strike for better food and traveling con-ditions for our family’s across to the Island. How did you get on with Prison warders? Thulani: Some warders you got on with you were able to educate them on the struggle. I use to clean the offices and one day an officer asked if I wanted anything and answered a newspaper. He didn’t give me it, but a packet of Rothmans and although I didn’t smoke I gave them to the lads that did. After that I had gained his trust and one day, “Did I like chicken mayonnaise sandwich?” I said yes al-though I’d never had one and he told me it was in the 3rd drawer in his office. As I went to the office I was suspi-cious, maybe he was trying to poison me, but opened it and found a newspa-per. Although, it was in Afrikaans, which was better because their papers were not censored and I could find out

exactly what was happening on the outside, so from then on ‘chicken may-onnaise’ was the code for the newspa-per. Did sport play a major factor in the prison? Thulani: Yes we had football teams, rugby, played tennis & volleyball, but they were all privileges. We also had an ‘Olympic Games’ on the Island which was fun, with sport it unified us . When were you released from Rob-ben Island? Thulani: I was transferred to Polls-more prison (famed on Ross Kemps’ Sky 1 programme Gangs) initially be-fore my release I was one the last groups of prisoners to be released, the government at the time tried to use me as bargaining bait for South African soldiers being held in Angola , but Mandela visited me and assured me there was to be no deal done. What happened when you were re-leased from prison in 91? Thulani: I was met by representatives of the ANC and driven to an airport for a flight to Durban where the ANC held there first conference in South Africa and Mandela was elected party presi-dent . What effects did your arrest and conviction have on your family?Thulani: Well at the time of my arrest my girlfriend at the time was harassed, beaten and raped until she had a men-tal break down, I did not know about this until after my release and wanted to see her but her family wishes were they did not want me to see her. My father was shot when he was coming to visit me, he was paralysed and blinded and the men that shot him were never convicted. Some of the wealthiest business men in South Af-rica now were given amnesty. Any regrets on the path you chose in life? Thulani: I am proud of what I fought for but would just like recognition of mine and my comrades achievements we helped change the way of life in this country but now seemed to be forgot-ten 14 years later. Last question Thulani. You’re now a guide on the Island, how does it feel to go to work in a place where you spent some of your bleakest years? Thulani: I wake up wishing didn’t have to go, but what happened in this coun-

try has to be told so it will never hap-pen again and people can learn from it.

A week later myself and a friend took Thulani to the Irish Association of South Africa breakfast meeting. When we met him he was telling us he only got to his house at 3 a.m. that morning because he was helping to control the situation that was rising, which he called Xenophobia. He had to help immigrants to safe houses and work together with the police force to stop the rioters and looters against the for-eigners in the township in which he lived.

In the Township where Thulani lives he is a respected member of the commu-nity. Whilst in our company his phone rang continually with calls about what was going to happen. He told us when he went back they were going to move the foreigners such as Nigerians, So-malians and Zimbabweans to safe places. In the evening, they would set up road blocks close all the shebeens (pubs) at 7p.m and try to control the situation and stop it getting out of hand. I asked him what would happen if the crowd came at them with weap-ons, he answered me simply – ‘meet fire with fire’.

Thulani is the kind of man that can in-spire people. He has known hardship most of his life. Since being released he has taken his experience from his time as an MK soldier and prisoner and tried to explain to the rest of the world. He was asked to the USA by a senator in April but on arrival he had a welcom-ing party of the FBI and was yet again interrogated about the past and searched. He was kept under watch during his month long stay, but to my amazement he shrugs it off with a smile that says it all to me about the man who’s name mean ‘s “quiet” - Thu-lani Mabaso.

The ANC slogan of the struggle SE KUN JALO KE NAKHO

Now is the time!

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COMRADES: Thulani with TAL’s reporter Edd Mac

FREEDOM: Thulani Mabaso leaves jail with a clenched fist salute to the flag of the ANC.

TOMMY BURNS R.I.P.Although it’s now two months since the death of Tommy Burns, this s the first opportu-nity that TAL has had to pay its respects publicly to a true Celtic hero and legend.The Term ‘legend' is often conferred too lightly in the world of football, but in the case of Tommy Burns, you could not apply a more apt term to describe the man. From Bhoyhood to youth player to first team regular to manager and coach, Tommy epitomised everything that it is to be a Celt. The man would literally have walked those million miles that we used to sing about for a Celtic goal.

I am not often moved to tears but I found it extremely to difficult to watch any of the news coverage and tributes without shed-ding a few tears each time for TB. A basic goodness shone out of every pore of that man and it almost seems like an injustice that such a good person who spread so much joy and happiness around him should be taken from us at such a rela-tively early age. I will always cherish the memories I have of Tommy as a player; there were few more committed battlers for the Celtic cause, but also he was a fine footballer with a beautiful left pin that scored many a crucial goal from his attack-ing midfield position. He quite literally lived and breathed this great club of ours.

I was brought up in my early years in the Calton (my first primary school was, like Tommy's, St Mary's Primary) before our tenement was demolished and my family moved to the Haghill area. By the time I started secondary school at St Mungo's Academy, Tommy was already breaking through the ranks at Celtic. He was well-known among all the lads at school, espe-

cially the bhoys that were still living in the Calton area.

During the summer holidays, cos my ma and da worked full-time, I was ‘child-mind-ed’ (to use the modern term) by my auntie who lived in the high flats at Helenvale Street between Celtic Park and the Train-ing Ground behind the CSA Club on Lon-don Road. The players used to turn up early in the morning at Celtic Park, get changed and then jog along London Road to the training ground. There would always be a posse of wee bhoys from the high flats waiting for them passing by... this was when there was Lisbon Lions still in the squad, plus guys like Kenny Dalglish and later on, the young Tommy Burns. I always remember that the players would always stop if a kid asked them something about the next match, or for an autograph. My memory of guys like Jinky, King Kenny and TB was standing watching as they passed, being completely in awe of them. They'd come by with their studs clicking on the concrete pavement and always say "Awright Wee Man..." as they passed.

Years later, before TB came back as man-ager of Celtic, I was standing selling TÁL at Hampden (pretty sure it was a cup final match) and Tommy Burns and other mem-bers of his family came by, he stopped to buy a fanzine and I said "It's ok Tommy, you don't have to pay..." and gave him one. He said. "Thanks very much Wee Man..." As he walked away, I shouted, "You've been calling me Wee Man for 25 years..." and he shouts back, "Aye, but you've been wee for more than 25 years!"

When he took over as manager he was always available to the fans, just as he was when he was a player. I remember him sitting down with me and my mate when we were following Celtic on a pre-season tour of Germany in 1995 while he was manager. We'd asked him and the players to sign a 'Celtic Fans Against Fascism'

T-shirt and Tommy said that he didn't seethe point as he didn't think the club had anyreal problem with racism or fascism. Weagreed with him, but pointed out that it wasimportant to remain vigilant about it byreinforcing the traditions of the club and itsown immigrant roots. We pointed out theexperience of the black rangers playerMark Walters in his first match againstCeltic and the disgraceful racist behaviourthat many of our supporters had engagedin as an example of complacency at theclub with regard to racism.

Next thing he's sitting having a politicaldiscussion with us and then he turns roundand says, "Ok lads, you've convinced meto sign it - give me the T-shirt and I'll get afew of the players to sign it as well."

That's the kind of guy he was, never dis-missive, never aloof, always prepared to sitdown with the supporters to discuss andargue the issues with them. Tommy knewwhat it was to be a Celtic supporter be-cause he held the club deep in his heart,just like all of us.

I may have over the years watched betterplayers play for the hoops, but I saw veryfew that wore their heart on their sleeve theway that Tommy did. That he was held insuch high affection by opponents as wellas supporters speaks volumes. A diehardCelt that gave no quarter to the opposition,yet there was also something deeply hu-man about the man that affected all aroundhim. It was interesting just how muchTommy’s death affected the rangers man-agement team, all of whom had workedwith Tommy in some capacity or other ateither Celtic (in the case of Kenny McDow-all) or Scotland (as with Smith and Mc-Coist).

There’s no doubt that something profoundhappened in that last week of the seasonwith Tommy’s funeral taking place only twodays before the league showdown with usagainst Dundee United and rangers awayat Aberdeen. The spirit of our plyers waslifted and there was little doubt at the endof that match at Tannadice who the playershad been playing for that night.

Gordon Strachan also deserves somemention with regard to the way he handledthe tragedy of Tommy’s death alongsidethe pressure of the final ‘winner takes all’match of the season. His eloquence andcomposure during the press conferenceafter Tommy’s death had been publiclyannounced raised him a hundred fold inthe eyes of this particular Celt. Strachannot only handled the death of his closefriend with dignity, he also held his playerstogether throughout and turned their griefinto a positive outcome in terms of winningthe league. It’s no lie to say that I felt morethen a little guilty and ashamed of theheadline of our previous issue which hadquestioned Strachan’s management abilityand suggested that it might be “Time ToGo?” Sorry Gordon.

By Talman

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By Timothy Daniel Sullivan(Perfromed by Derek Warfield)

God save Ireland, said the heroesGod save Ireland, said they allWhether on the scaffold high

Or the battlefield we dieOh, what matter when for Erin dear we fall

High upon the gallows tree swung the noble hearted threeBy the vengeful tyrant stricken in their bloom

But they met him face to facewith the courage of their race

And they went with souls undaunted to their doom



Climbed they up the rugged stairrang their voices out in prayer

Then with England's fatal cord around them castClose beside the gallows tree kissed like brothers lovingly

True to home and faith and freedom to the last



Never till the latest day shall the memory pass awayOf the gallant lives thus given for our land

But on the cause must go, amidst joy and weal and woeTill we make our Isle a nation free and grand



God Save Ireland-The Song of the Manchester Martyrs was for many years the unoffical anthem of the Fledgling Republic before being replaced by Amhrán na bhFian -The Soldiers Song. The Manchester Martyrs were Irish nationalists executed for killing a policeman during an escape. William O'Mera Allen, Michael Larkin, and William O'Brien were hanged in Manchester, England on November 23, 1867. The noble hearted three were caught having participated in the rescue of two officers in the Irish Republican Brotherhood, Colonel Thomas J. Kelly and Captain Timothy Deasy. Kelly and Deasy were both Fenians who played important roles in the failed Fenian Rising of 1867. Kelly had been declared the chief executive of the Irish Republic at a secret republican con-vention, and Deasy commanded a Fenian brigade in County Cork. On September 18, 1867, both men were being transferred from the courthouse to the county jail on Hyde Road, Manchester. They were handcuffed and locked in two separate compartments

inside a police van escorted by a squad of 12 mounted police-men. The van contained six prisoners in all,including women. Asit passed under a railway arch, a man darted into the middle ofthe road, pointed a pistol at the driver and called on him to stop.At the same time, a party of about 30 men leapt over a wall at theside of the road, surrounded the van and seized the horses, oneof which they shot. The unarmed police offered little resistanceand soon fled. In a scene reminiscent of Glasgow's own 'smashing of the van',rescuers after a vain attempt to burst open the van with hatchets,sledgehammers, and crowbars, called upon Police SergeantBrett, who was inside the van with the prisoners, to open the door.One of the rescuers placed his revolver at the keyhole of the vanto blow the lock, at the moment Brett put his eye to the keyhole tosee what was going on outside. The pistol was fired and the bulletpassed through his eye into his brain and killed him. The doorwas opened when one of the women prisoners took the keys fromBrett's pocket, and passed them through the ventilator to theFenians outside. Kelly and Deasy escaped, never to be recap-tured. The Manchester Irish community was viciously targeted by thepolice in the wake of the escape,and many arrests were made. Attheir Committal some of those arrested were discharged, notbecause no one could be found to swear against them, butbecause of the number of witnesses who could swear to theirinnocence. When asked if they had anything to say before sentence waspassed, each of the accused made a closing speech. Allen statedhis innocence, and that he was prepared to "die proudly andtriumphantly in defence of republican principles and the liberty ofan oppressed and enslaved people". Larkin said he felt that he had received a fair trial, and that hiscounsel had done everything they could in his defence. O'Brien claimed that all of the evidence given against him wasfalse, and that as an American citizen he ought not to be facingtrial in a UK court. He then went on at length to condemn theBritish government, the "imbecile and tyrannical rulers" of Ireland,until he was interrupted by the judge, who appealed to him tocease his remarks: "The only effect of your observations must beto tell against you with those who have to consider the sentence.I advise you to say nothing more of that sort. I do so entirely foryour own sake." One of their co-accused, O'Meagher Condon, also made aspeech, during which he exclaimed, "God save Ireland!" At this,all the accused repeated "God save Ireland!" William O'Mera Allen, Michael Larkin, William [Gould] O'Brien,Thomas Maguire and O’Meagher Condon, were found guilty andsentenced to death, again crying "God save Ireland" from thedock after sentence was pronounced. Maguire was pardoned anddischarged and O’Meagher Condon's sentence was commutedon the eve of his execution. O'Brien, Larkin, and Allen werepublicly hanged - the last public executions in England at NewBailey Prison in Salford, and then buried in quicklime in Strange-ways prison,Manchester. The events and their legacy were im-portant in shaping physical force Irish Republicanism. The Manchester Martyrs are currently buried in Blackley Ceme-tery Manchester despite progressive moves by the NGA to bringthem home to Ireland.* TÁL is most grateful to the legendary balladeer DerekWarfield for allowing us to use his version of this classicsong on the Let The people Sing CD. We could think of nobetter song and no better balladeer to start off the album.Derek’s lifetime in music is too long and varied to list here.Suffice to say that he has gone from strength to strengthsince parting company with The WolfeTones.

www.derekwarfield.com

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Brisbane based “tree-o” Tullamore Tree is without a doubt the finest Scots/Irish folk band on Australian soil. “The Tree”as they are affectionately known Down Under, rose to sudden prominence in the late 1990s as the Irish pub scenestormed Brisbane by force. However rather than playing “perfect jigs and reels that tend to blend into each other after more than a few Guinness’s,”as lead singer Scruffy likes to put it, the band focused on more traditional rebel ballads, as well as some classic rockthrown in for good measure.Over the years, Tullamore Tree has played to a wide ranging audience. From the average Aussie down at the pub to thelegendary Finbar Furey who has taken in a number of their gigs, although that may have something more to do with theboys latching him onto a cask of red than their musical talents! Scruffy moved to Australia many moons ago, although he is a regular visitor back to Glasgow, even managing tosomehow slip one past the Celtic PLC and sing “Fields of Athenry” live at Celtic Park at a match against Livingston a fewyears ago.

Words & Music By Rev. C. O’Neill(Performed by Tullamore Tree)

As down the glen one Easter morn to a city fair rode IThere Armed lines of marching men

in squadrons passed me byNo pipe did hum nor battle drum

did sound its loud tattooBut the Angelus Bell o'er the Liffey's swell

rang out through the foggy dew

Right proudly high over Dublin Town they hung out the flag of war

'Twas better to die 'neath an Irish sky than at Suvla or Sud-El-Bar

And from the plains of Royal Meath strong men came hurrying through

While Britannia's Huns, with their long range guns sailed in through the foggy dew

'Twas England bade our wild geese go, that "small nations might be free";

Their lonely graves are by Suvla's waves or the fringe of the great North Sea.Oh, had they died by Pearse's side

or fought with the gallant Cathal BrughaTheir graves we'd keep where the Fenians sleep,

'neath the shroud of the foggy dew.

Oh the night fell black, and the rifles' crack made perfidious Albion reel

In the leaden rain, seven tongues of flame did shine o'er the lines of steel

By each shining blade a prayer was said, that to Ireland her sons be true

But when morning broke, still the war flag shook out its folds in the foggy dew

Oh the bravest fell, and the Requiem bell rang mournfully and clear

For those who died that Eastertide in the spring time of the year

And the world did gaze, in deep amaze, at those fearless men, but few,

Who bore the fight that freedom's light might shine through the foggy dew

As back through the glen I rode again and my heart with grief was soreFor I parted then with valiant men

whom I never shall see moreBut to and fro in my dreams I go

and I kneel and pray for you,For slavery fled, O glorious dead, when you fell in the foggy dew.

It is hard to imagine that Father Charles O’Neill knew that upon fin-ishing his tribute to the fallen Volunteers of the 1916 Irish rebellion, his song would resonate with Republicans for decades to come.

Born on the 20th of September, 1887, O’Neill was a parish priest in Kilcoo and Newcastle, County Down. Legend has it that in 1919 heattended a sitting of the first Dáil Éireann (translated as “Assembly ofIreland”).

O’Neill was shocked by the number of names on the rollcall that uponbeing called were met with the response: “faoi ghlas ag na Gaill,” or“locked up by the foreigner.” As a direct result, O’Neill penned tomoving ballad as his personal tribute to those that had sacrificed somuch during the Easter rebellion.

Effectively the song is both a tribute to those who had fallen and alsoa rousing call to arms. O’Neill states: “Twas better to die 'neath an Irish sky than at Suvla or Sud-El-Bar”.

Suvla refers to a bay at Gallipoli peninsula, Turkey, which was usedas a landing point for the British IX Corp during their offensive inWorld War I. The British IX Corp also contained the 10th (Irish) division.

Sud-El-Bar, or Seddülbahir in Turkish, was the landing site for the 1st

Battalion of the Royal Munster Fusiliers. They travelled by theGlaswegian built SS River Clyde, which became beached and turnedinto a bloody death trap, with many Irishmen losing their lives toTurkish guns. “Their lonely graves are by Suvla's waves or the fringe of the great North Sea.”

It is with obvious disdain that O’Neill refers to Britain as “perfidious Albion”. Perfidy is described as an “act of deliberate treachery or deception”. Albion is the oldest known name for the island of Britain.Interestingly term perfidious has been used to describe Britain forcenturies, with instances found back as far as the 13th Century. It seems Fr O’Neill was most certainly a man of history.

It should be noted that other versions, most likely including theoriginal, replace “Cathal Brugha” with “Valera true” in obvious refer-ence to the former Taoiseach of Ireland, Éamon de Valera.

The song has been covered by many artists since it was penned, TheWolfe Tones, The Dubliners, Sinéad O'Connor and of course Tullam-ore Tree to name but a few. “I honestly think you’d have to go a longway to find a more spectacular and inspiring song than the FoggyDew,” says Jock Penderleith mandolin player of Tullamore Tree.“Each time we play it, shivers run up and down my spine, the lyricsare superb”.

Fr Charles O’Neill died on the 8th of May, 1963, and his grave can befound in Newcastle cemetery, behind the old church in the main streetof town. Despite his passing, he along with those “valiant men,” live on forever each and every time a rousing rendition of this rebel balladis sung.

By Matty Bhoy

9

Words & Music by Charlie FehillyPerformed by the Blarney Pilgrims

When Dublin rose up in 1916The Orangemen reared up on the Clyde

The Irish in Glasgow they needed a friendAnd bold John McLean took their side

When they brought the sad news to John’s prison cell

Of how his old comrade had diedJim Connolly tied to a chair and shot dead

John hung his poor head and cried

The Irish Tragedy - Scotland’s DisgraceAnd Scotland must share the blame

Anti-Irish bigotry - this is Scotland’s ShameThis is Scotland’s Shame

When the Tans and the Auxies sailed over the sea

Bringing terror to Ireland’s countrysideJohn said all Scotsman bearing arms on that shore

Should join the republican side



Now the Irish in Glasgow must never forgetMust always honour the name

Of the Scottish Republican SocialistGlasgow’s own John McLean



It was an absolute delight when, after discussing the ideas behind the Let The People Sing project, my old friend Charlie from the Blarney Pilgrims offered to write and record a song especially for the CD. Charlie gave me some clues as to what would be the theme of the song, but when the recording arrived I had no idea that it would contain this gem of a song, which is sure to become a classic and be copied and recorded by other Irish and Scottish republican balladeers. The peoples of Scotland and Ireland hold an obvious affection in Charlie’s heart. One country repre-sents the land of his birth, whilst the other is the land of his forebears; the Ireland to which he has now returned to live and work.

I first came across Charlie way back in the late 1980’s/early 1990’s during the anti-poll tax campaign when he and his then musical partner would play short sets in the Scotia Bar and at fund raisers for the independent anti-poll tax groups. Even pre-Pilgrims Charlie was a highly politicised guy who

had a clear sense of his own cultural and political identityand a deeply intellectual approach to both his politics andhis music.

Within a couple of years the Blarney Pilgrims werelaunched and became a permanent fixture in the now sadlydeparted McNee’s Showbar on Glasgow’s Southside. Idon’t think that it is any exaggeration to say that the Blar-ney Pilgrims became the template by which all other rebelfolk bands that followed them worked. The Pilgrims pavedthe way for the flourishing Irish rebel folk scene that was togrow throughout the 1990’s and into the new Millenium.

One of my most enjoyable experiences with the Pilgrimswas accompanying them on a short tour of Germany in1992, a tour that was organised by a very good friend ofTAL’s from the FC St Pauli fan scene. It was during thistour that the Pilgrims became the first Irish rebel band toplay in Rostok, East Germany, in the immediate aftermathof the racist attacks on the asylum seekers hostel that werebroadcast worldwide. The Pilgrims, as always, took theside of the oppressed and played to a young crowd in ananti-fascist youth centre, an oasis in the city of Rostok atthat time. The tour also included gigs in Berlin, Hamburgand Bochum.

The Blarney Pilgrims continued to play the Irish, Scottishand English Celtic and Rebel Music circuit for another 10years, until, Charlie and Louise decided to return to theirroots in Ireland, where they now play as a very popular andbusy duo in the pubs, clubs and hotels of the rebel counties

Do not fear though because the good news from speakingwith Charlie recently is that the Blarney Pil-grims are far from dead and indeed Charlie is enthusiastic about keeping the name and music of the Pilgrims alive for many more years to come.

This specially re-corded song about the political comrade-ship between John McLean and James Connolly, and the commonality of the struggles of the Irish and Scottish peoples proves that Charlie’s song-writing is as sharp as ever... And that Louise’s backing vocals are as still as sweet.

By TALMAN

10

John McLean was jailed in April 1916 for agitating against the car-nage of World War 1The date reads 9th May 1916, the same day James Connolly faced his "trial" for "treason" in Dublin.

Words & Music by Unknown(Performed by Gary Og)

A great crowd had gathered outside of KilmainhamTheir heads all uncovered they knelt to the groundFor inside that grim prison lay a brave Irish soldier

His life for his country about to lay down

He went to his death like a true son of IrelandThe firing party he bravely did face

Then the order rang out: "Present arms and fire"James Connolly fell into a ready-made grave

The black flag was hoisted, the cruel deed was overGone was the man who loved Ireland so well

There was many a sad heart in Dublin that morningWhen they murdered James Connolly, the Irish rebel

God's curse on you England, you cruel-hearted monster

Your deed they would shame all the devils in hellThere are no flowers blooming,

the shamrock is growingOn the grave of James Connolly, the Irish rebel

Many years have gone by since the Irish RebellionWhen the guns of Britannia they loudly did speak

And the bold l.R.A. they stood shoulder to shoulderAs the blood from their bodies flowed down Sackville Street

The Four Courts at Dublin, the English bombardedThe spirit of freedom they tried hard to quell

But above all the din rose the cry "No Surrender"'Twas the voice of James Connolly, the Irish rebel

ABOUT GARY OGGary Óg was born in Glasgow in 1978 and has been play-ing music professionally since he was just 16 years of age. Gary’s first band was the iconic Éire Óg which he fronted for a period of seven years. Gary then formed Partisan which was also another hugely successful band on the influential Glaswegian music scene. Since 2001 Gary has been performing solo and has re-leased two albums, both of which have been tremen-dously received. “Gary Óg Live in Glasgow” captures the raw energy that his shows are famous for. “Songs of Re-bellion” shows another side to his craft with some haunt-ingly tender ballads that keep the listener glued.Gary’s influences range from John Lennon to Bob Dylan to Bob Marley and everywhere in between. He has an affinity for songs that represent people that have been oppressed and have struggled against that oppression. The passion that is created during his performances can not be forgotten by those who have witnessed him live. Gary’s trademark gravely voice and enthusiastic guitar style has seen him garner fans from all corners of the globe. Numerous tours to Ireland, the United States, and Australia have seen Gary’s stature grow to a new level.When TAL initially approached Gary about the project, his enthusiasm was obvious. “For far too long the voices of the political Celtic fan have been censored and silenced, both by the Establishment and our own club”, he said. “I am proud of my politics as I know are lots of others, not just those involved in this project, but all throughout the Celtic family. I believe this to be a positive step, one in the right direction, and ultimately the beginning of the fight back. Stand up, be proud and Let the people sing!”

By Matty Bhoy

DiscographyÉire Óg

Live At The Brazen HeadLive At Tully’s

Gary ÓgLive In Glasgow

Songs Of Rebellion

11

Words & Music by Paddy McGuigan(Performed by The Bog Savages)

Oh, father why are you so sadOn this bright Easter morn’

When Irish men are proud and gladOf the land that they were born?Oh, son, I see in mem’ries few

Of far off distant daysWhen being just a lad like you

I joined the IRA.

Where are the lads that stood with meWhen history was made?

A Ghra Mo Chroi, I long to seeThe boys of the old brigade.

From hills and farms a call to armsWas heard by one and all.

And from the glen came brave young menTo answer Ireland’s call.

‘T wasn’t long ago we faced a foe,The old brigade and me,

And by my side they fought and diedThat Ireland might be free.



And now, my boy, I’ve told you whyOn Easter morn’ I sigh,

For I recall my comrades allAnd dark old days gone by.

I think of men who fought in glenWith rifle and grenade.

May heaven keep the men who sleepFrom the ranks of the old brigade.



About The Bog SavagesCalifornia-based and including a republican former pris-oner in their line-up the Bog Savages are a name to watch out for on the Irish rebel music scene. Band mem-bers from Belfast and San Francisco. The Bog Savages play classic and original Irish rebel songs in San Fran-cisco and Northern California.

2008 is started off strong on all fronts. From "strength tostrength" as our leaders would say. We're the only bandsupporting Black 47 at their Santa Cruz appearance inMarch, and will be supporting them in San Francisco at theRed Devil Lounge. The Bog Savages will also be playingat the St. patrick's Day Parade festivities at the CivicCenter Plaza on Saturday, March 15. The Bog Savageswill be one of the featured groups in the March 2008 "SanFrancisco Irish Fest," playing at the boisterous BlackthornTavern on Sunday. March 16. Most importantly, our debutalbum will be released shortly.

Going further back, the band has been highlighted onKRON television news, played at the 2006 San FrancisoSt. Patrick's Day Parade, and headlined the premier Irishmusic venues in Northern California including Ireland's 32,the Abbey Tavern, the Dog's Bollix, the Blackthorn Tavern,Fiddler's Green, and the Irish Cultural Center. 2006 alsosaw the Bog Savages as a supporting act for the renownedBlack 47 at the Red Devil Lounge which was a fantasticnight for the sold-out crowd. Since then we have workedhard at group development and have been in the studioworking steadfastly.

The Bog Savages have a new album out and it is filled withclassics like Go On Home British Soldiers, Back Home inDerry, Follow Me Up to Carlow, and Belfast Man, anoriginal tribute to hunger striker Bobby Sands who died in1981 after being elected to Parliament while in Long Kesh- a British prison on Irish soil.

The band’s own words reflect their political commitment:

“Love Ireland as much as you love yourself, orpreferably moreso, and remember that love is anaction verb. Irish Republicanism is againstfacism, racism, and sectarianism.”

www.bogsavages.com

12

PROTESTANT MENWords & Music by The WolfeTones

(Arranged & Performed by Padraig Mór)

It was back in history's page, the story's told of a Napper Tandy brave and bold

With his scarlet and green, he then was seen with his big long gun his fighting men

And they beat at the drum, they fired their gun and they shook the English establishment

And the Lords and the Peers they then put fears and Grattan got his Parliament

So here's to those great Protestant MenWho gave their lives to free our land

All the people sang their praises thenFor those brave United Irishmen

In Belfast town there lived a man

and his name was Samuel NeilsonA minister's son, Presbyterian,

and the paper called the Northern StarThere was Henry Joy, the Green Volunteers and Thomas Russell and McCabe and McTeirAnd to them was known a man Wolfe Tone

and they formed the first United Men



So you sow your laws with dragons teeth and soon

you'll see that you've sowed the seeds of bigotryBe Englands fool divide they'll rule

so they set to break the United MenAnd they killed them in the fields and some in jail

and some upon the Gallows highWhen Willie Orr died his very last cry

was "Unite and fight brave Irishmen"



Cast dissensions to the wind let all men lend

to the common name of an IrishmanFor across history’s page to rant and rage

men crossed the pails of bigotryThere was the men of '98 no sadder fate, Lord Edward, Tone and the brothers Sheres

It was Emmet's plea in 18 and 3 when he tried to set our country free



Although not a song that ever found its way on to the terraces orstands at Paradise it is well known and much loved because itespouses our Irish Republicanism and anti-sectarianism as wellas any song ever could. Regular readers of TAL Fanzine willrecall the recent article which recognised and celebrated thecontribution of Protestants such as Wolfe Tone, Napper Tandy,Roger Casement, Henry Joy McCracken and many others to thecause of Irish freedom. That these free thinkers fought to freeIreland from the divisions carefully fostered by an alien govern-ment could not and should not go unrecognised as we continueto fight for the ideals that they died for, and thanks to the WolfeTones who wrote 'Protestant Men’, they won't. And let us notforget the contribution of great Protestants such as Stein, Dal-glish, McPhail, McGrain, Gemmell and many others to the causeof Celtic either.

By Holloway Gael

ABOUT PADRAIG MÓRPadraig Mór is another genuine living legend of the Glasgow Irishrebel music scene. A more engaging big fella you could not hoppe to meet, Pat has done just about everything himself and willadmit to most of the deeds committed by others. The Horse as heis affectionately known was one of the original pioneers of thelocal rebel music scene. I can remember the times when, pre-Pilgrims, it was Big Pat and another duo called The Peatdiggersthat entertained local republicans and the Celtic supporters withtheir ballads and battle tunes. Pat has played solo and with manydifferent band and combinations over the years. He is to republi-can music what a gifted ‘utility player’ would be to The Bhoys. His generosity and willingness to offer help to fellow republicanswas amply demonstrated when he was approached to contributetracks to the LTPS CD. Pat, as you’d expect, immediately saidYES.... But that wasn’t the end of it. Chancing my arm I told Patthat there were two tracks in particular that we really needed forthe CD, but that we couldn’t find any previous recordings of thesesongs by artists from the local rebel scene. Pat immediatelyobliged by offering to record the songs especially for the CD. Thatsums up Pat’s attitude, generosity of spirit and sense of politicalsolidarity. BIG MAN - WE ARE NOT WORTHY!Here is a good wee excerpt from Pat’s own website that gives aninsight into when, where and how he discovered his musicaltaste, abilities and influences... BY TALMAN

“It was while spending the school summer holidays at my grand-father's home in County Donegal in 1975 that I was first intro-duced to Irish Folk/Rebel music by a cousin of mine who was alsodown on holiday from Belfast. He had recently acquired an albumby a group called "The Barleycorn" entitled "The Winds AreSinging Freedom". I was immediately smitten by the fervour,passion & the unquestionable love of their homeland that wasevident in every one of the tracks that these guys performed.

I'm pleased to say that the early 70's pop crap that I'd listened to up until then was immediately resigned to the bin & from that day to this I have never purchased (nor borrowed!) any album that has not been Irish of some description, be it Folk, Tradition-al, Rebel or otherwise.

People have said to me over the years that to display such a blinkered, one track taste in music is rather odd... if not down-right sad! Well that may indeed be the case but each to their own I say... & this is mine... SO THERE!!!”

www.padraigmor.net13

Words & Music: Traditional(New arrangement performed by The Wakes)

O Paddy dear, and did ye hear the news that's going round?

The shamrock is by law forbid to grow on Irish gound!

No more Saint Patrick's Day we'll keep, his colour can't be seen

For there's a cruel law against the Wearing of the Green."

I met with Napper Tandy, and he took me by the hand,

And he said, "How's poor old Ireland, and how does she stand?"

"She's the most distressful country that ever yet was seen,

For they're hanging men and women there for Wearing of the Green."

"So if the colour we must wear be England's cruel red

Let it remind us of the blood that Irishmen have shed;

And pull the shamrock from your hat, and throw it on the sod

But never fear, it will take root there, though underfoot 'tis trod.

When laws can stop the blades of grass from growing as they grow

And when the leaves in summer time their colour dare not show,

Then I will change the colour too I wear in my caubeen;

But till that day, please God, I'll stick to the Wearing of the Green

Formerly known as Murphy's Law, The Wakes have been on the music scene for just over a year now. Glasgow-Irishin word and deed, The Wakes embrace their culture, herit-age and surroundings in song. Covering all manner ofsubjects from immigration and unemployment, to uprisingand rebellion in Scotland, Ireland and beyond. Writing theirown songs as well as performing traditional ballads andtunes, The Wakes bridge the gap between the Irish wholanded here many years ago and those who live heretoday. . .

Although a relatively young band The Wakes have a vastamount of experience in their midst with Chris on bass andsax a classically trained musician who has recorded withrock and pop bands as well as played previously withCoatbridge rebels ADELANTE. James on whistles stilldoubles up on occasion with Adelante. Paul Sheridan isstill a young lad but already very well-known on the Glas-gow folk circuit from his occasional dalliances with She-been, as well as his excellent solo performances.

The band made a special live recording of their own ener-getic and modernised rendition of The Wearing of the Green for the Let The People Sing CD

The Wakes have also been back in the studio recentlyrecording the follow up to their very successful first album.Provisionally entitled NO IRISH NEED APPLY the CD iseagerly awaited by their growing army of fans.

The band can be seen regularly playing around the Glas-gow Irish circuit, especially at Failte in the city centre andfor Paul’s solo live performances check out The Tollboothat Glasgow Cross on a Sunday night.

By TALMAN

www.thewakes-band.com

14

The Wearing of the Green is a song that washugely popular among the Celtic support in the for-ties and fifties and relates to the efforts ofBritish soldiers in Ireland to crush any outward ex-pression of Irish identity whether religious, politicalor simply patriotic. This was very much the casewhen Irish Nationalists embraced the shamrock as anemblem of nationhood which led to a brutal crack-down by Crown forces. It is a song that should havea particular resonance for Celtic supporters in thehere and now given the murders of a number ofCeltic fans in the past twenty years who were killedfor no other reason than that they were wearing theircolours and cut down in cold blood for doing so.

By Holloway Gael

The Wakes

COME OUT YE BLACK & TANSWords & Music by Dominic Behan

(Arranged & Performed by Mike Fox)

I was born on a Dublin street where the loyal drums do beat

And the loving English feet they walked all over us,

And each and every night when me da would come home tightHe'd invite the neighbours outside

with this chorus:

Oh, come out you black and tans, Come out and fight me like a man

Show your wives how you won medals down in Flanders

Tell them how the IRA made you run like hell away,

From the green and lovely lanes of Killashandra.

Come let us hear you tellHow you slammed the great Parnell,

When you thought him well and truly persecuted,

Where are the sneers and jeersThat you loudly let us hear

When our heroes of ‘16 were executed.

Come tell us how you slewThem auld Arabs two by two

Like the Zulus they had spears and bows and arrows,

How you bravely you faced oneWith your sixteen pounder gun

And you frightened them poor natives to their marrow.

The time is coming fastAnd I think this day is near,When each shoneen traitor

He will run before us,And if there be a need

Sure our kids will say, "Godspeed!"With a verse or two of singing this fine chorus.

Dominic Behan, as with other members of the famousBehan Clan from Dublin, was a man of enormous wit,talent, humour and just enough self-destructiveness tomaintain the Behan name and its association with laughter,song, poetry and the occasional bit of hell-raising for goodmeasure.

Glaswegians who frequented the Scotia Bar in StockwellStreet may remember the many occasions that Dominic letrip with his songs and poems and stories.

Like his brother Brendan, Dominic also possessed anenormous talent for song-writing. Indeed, not long beforehis death, he penned a few very good tunes with themulti-talented McCluskey Brothers (formerly of top 20 popoutfit The Bluebells). The Bluebells even managed torecord a version of Dominic’s fantastic song The PatriotGame that raised some controversy at the time.

However, it is the rowdy, humorous, hell-raising of a songlike Come Out Ye Black & Tans that really demonstrates the whole gambit of the Behan mindset. The drunken Dubpatriarch returning home each night “tight” with drink andtaking his drink fuelled rage against the British out on hispoor neighbours. It’s a great song that no matter where itis performed and by who gets the feet stomping and thecrowd jumping.

Despite it being essentially a ‘drinking song’ it also encom-passes the hatred of the Irish people for the British Auxil-iary force, dubbed the Black & Tans because of their mix‘n match uniforms. The Black & Tans by and large com-prised of violent criminals who had been offered a choicebetween gaol and armed service in the pay of the TheCrown fighting the rebels in Ireland. The brutal and enthu-siastic way that the Tans went about their business, vio-lently oppressing the Irish people, is now the stuff offolklore, a folklore that Behan’s song brilliantly captures init’s anger and its humour. Essentially Behan is calling theTans for what they were... A gang of cowardly scum onlygaining courage and strength through numbers and appall-ing brutality against the weakest of their foes.

It is also one of those songs that kind of sums up thatcuriously Irish (or maybe it’s a Celtic mentality) of the blowhard who will fight anyone when under the influence ofalcohol, but who would probably run a mile from the realthing if it happened to confront him.

At the time of this recording Mike Fox was living andworking in the north-west of England (he has now returnedhome to Tuam to look after his elderly mother). He sentTAL a copy of his CD to review and I was blown away byMike’s unique arrangement of this song. It is quite simplythe best version of the song that I know of. I love the factthat he also manages to cleverly incorporate the chorus ofthe Irish Brigade’s Sam Song into it. Put the CD into yoursound system, turn the speakers up loud and feel yer bloodpump along with Mike’s fantastic delivery.

By TALMAN

15

Words & Music by Brian Lyons(Performed by Clan Carney)

I'll sing you a song of a terrible wrong,When the flags all flew at half mast.

And a man he lay dead he'd been riddled with lead,And he died on the streets of Belfast.

All the radio said was another shot deadAnd he died with a gun in his hand

But they never said why Billy Reid had to die'Cause he died to free Ireland.

It happened one day when the bold IRASet out to fight for their land

With an old Thompson gun put the troops on the runAnd return to their home was their plan.



While returning the guns Billy met British HunsAnd when the fight had begun

His position was dire when his gun wouldn't fireSo he died with that old Thompson gun.



Although he lay dead he was kicked in the head,By the hair they dragged him around.

But the still fear him yet and we can never forget,How brave Billy Reid stood his ground.



If you think he was right come and join in the fight,And help us to free Belfast.

For the blood that he shed and although he lay dead,In our hearts his memory will last.

The song ‘The Ballad of Billy Reid’ has been one of the favourites sung by Celtic Supporters. Honouring Volunteer Billy Reid for the sacrifice that he made.

The Ballad is strong and stirring and has always invoked strong passionate feelings of Pride and Patriotism. Pride that a fellow Irishman was so strong and courageous in the fight for Irish Freedom.

So who was Billy Reid? And what happened when he died with the gun in his Hand.

William ‘Billy’ Reid was born on 1st January 1939, in the New Lodge Area of Belfast. After leaving school Billy took up trade as a Joiner. An enthusiastic musician, he played the Trumpet and wrote his own songs. He was also a keen boxer, and fought for the local Holy Family Club.

Billy was a man with a great community spirit, often organising social functions for elderly people in the area. Such was Billy’s Commitment both to his Country and his Community he joined the

IRA becoming a Staff Officer in C Company 3rd Battalion of the Belfast Brigade. On 2nd February 1971, British soldiers cordonedoff the West Belfast area of Clonard, the area had previouslybeen the scene of a Loyalist pogrom where Homes belonging toCatholics were destroyed.

Homes were again being destroyed but this time it was by theBritish Army. Ferocious riots then ensued which spread all acrossBelfast, where the British Army came under sustained attack byboth gunfire and bombs.

During the course of the riots Bernard Watts aged 26 years oldwas shot dead by the British army in the Ardoyne area of NorthBelfast. It was during these times that the Community appealedto Billy Reid for help.

On the same date using a Machine Gun reportedly borrowedoutside the area, and under the command of Billy Reid , an IRAunit attacked a British Army patrol. In the ensuing battle GunnerRobert Curtis was killed and 3 other Soldiers were injured.

Gunner Curtis was the first British Soldier to have been killed inIreland since 1921. This attack was to be a turning point. TheBritish Government had to recognise the fact that they weredealing with formidable opponents in the IRA.

Indeed the Morning following the attack, the then Direct Ruler forthe North of Ireland Major James Chichester-Clarke, when inter-viewed on television agreed that Britain was at war with the IRA.

At one stage Billy was arrested and charged with being a memberof the IRA, he was also charged with having Guns, ammunition,masks, and other prohibited items at his home.

After being imprisoned for 16 Months when Billy attended Court,non of the prohibited items were produced. A voice from behinda red curtain then stated that he had seen Billy in a house wherearms had been kept.

A Special Branch officer named Harry Taylor then gave evidencethat Billy Reid’s Home in Little Distillery Street had been underobservation for some time. It was then pointed out to Taylor thatBilly did not live at Little Distillery Street and had never doneso. The farce then continued with Taylor stating that actually hedid not know why Billy Reid had been arrested at all. The voicefrom behind the curtain then advised the Court that they also hadno information as to the charges, and that they were simplyreading them off a sheet.

It is no surprise then that Billy Reid was found Not Guilty of theCharges. Billy continued to lead many daring, successful opera-tions against the Crown Forces.On the 15th May 1971, VolunteerBilly Reid and a number of comrades ambushed the British Army,on Academy Street in Belfast City Centre. Two Members of theBritish Army were wounded, together with one of Billy’sComrades. On that fateful Night ironically close to Curtis Street,Oglaich Billy Reid was shot dead. All the other members of hisunit later successfully returned to their base.

Whilst Billy Reid had died, the legend was born.

The song itself was written by ‘The Freemen’ and released 2Months after his death. It is a song which all Rebel bands at onetime or another have sung, but never to a silent audience, alwaysreciting the legendary chorus.At the recent anniversary of theVolunteer Billy Reid RFB, I had the opportunity to speak tomembers of Billy’s Family, in particular his Daughter Donna,herself a Celtic fan.

She herself re-iterated that the songs we sing are not sectarian,they are about our proud History, the celebration of our hero’sand heroin’s and the battles won. And with heads held high we shall continue to sing ‘The Ballad of Billy Reid’. By BFG

18

Words & Music by Dan Hannon(Performed by Terry O’Neill)

I went to see a legend just the other nightAt the Yankee Stadium, underneath the lights.

I heard a man speaking after years and years in jail.His name it was Mandela and he came to tell his tale.

The crowd they cheered him loudly, ah, but then the silence fell

As he spoke about the hard years in a South African cell.

And though he was free, his heart was feelin' the pain,

For his country and his people were still a part of that shame.

He said he hoped that we would join him and walk down freedom's path,

And these roads would be the hardest, oh, but they would be the last.And to join our hands together

so that we might be as one,And to bring ourselves to the cause

so his battle could be won.I went home to bed that evening, went to sleep and I had a dream.

I was standing in the pouring rain, in an Irish field of green.

And all around the headstones were the martyrs of the past.

I stood there in silence, and they spoke to me at last.

"Kevin Barry is my name, and I died in a cell.

They wanted the names of my comrades, oh, but this I would not tell.""And I am Roger Casement. I was shot in London townFor bringing German rifles

to the lonely Banna Strand.""James Connolly is my name.

The working people are my life.When they shot me down

in Kilmainham Gaol with strife.""And I am Padraic Pearse.

I was shot down by the foe.I read the proclamation

at the steps of the GPO."And the last voice that I heard says,

"My name is Bobby Sands,And it's good to hear Mandela's words

a-ringin' through the land."I want to hear them in Belfast,

in Derry and Tyrone.Maybe then those English soldiers

will know it's time to go home."I woke up in the morning.

I remembered them all.And who would believe that

they'd knocked down the Berlin Wall?And I said "Mandela, could this really be?

Maybe now we will see Ireland reunited and free.Maybe now we will see Ireland reunited and free

Terry ‘Cruncher’ O’Neill

Throughout our lives we all have iconic images in our mindswhich are representative of important periods of history.

For me, following the announcement of the IRA ceasefire in 1995the sight and sound of Cruncher standing next to Gerry Adams infront of hundreds of onlookers whilst he sang ‘Something Inside So Strong’ is such an iconic image.

This was an exciting time, for the first time the people had beengiven hope of a peaceful future for them and their Children. Butthis song also reminded them that in order to reach this futurethey all had ‘Something Inside So Strong’ to survive the horrors that they had, and also reminded them of the courage they hadalso shown in their resistance to these horrors, and also thedetermination in their fight for freedom.

Terence ‘Cruncher’ O’Neill was born in Belfast and has alwaysbeen a Republican activist. A versatile performer who is not onlya great Singer but also a talented actor.

‘Cruncher’ is one of those People who have a rare attributedenied to most of us. Everyone likes him and you never hear abad word said against him. Musically ‘Cruncher’ makes the guitarcome to life and with his unique voice and style he always playsto a packed house. He is virtually guaranteed to play somewherein Derry following the ‘Bloody Sunday’ commemoration March.

As well as ‘Something Inside So Strong’ Cruncher has appliedhis own inimitable style to other favourites such as ‘The Legend’,’Back home In Derry’ and ’Viva La Quinta Brigade’ Thesesongs sung with such passion you almost feel the pain of thoseinvolved.

A former member of the Irish Folk Group Tuan, which has toured extensively in Europe and America, his most notable collabora-tion is with Bik McFarlane. Both singing styles complimentingeach other and giving a greater emphasis to songs such as’Song for Marcella’

Whilst ‘Cruncher’ has always been a republican activist he hasalso been a staunch supporter of those oppressed in other lands,often playing at fund raising functions and visiting those in bothPalestine and the Basque Country.

For those fortunate to have seen the phenomenal One Man Show‘Paddy On The Road’ (The Times and music of Christy Moore)they will agree Cruncher has a formidable talent. For me at timesin the play ‘Cruncher’ was reliving his own experiences during theconflict and this made that both moving and poignant. He hasalso appeared in other productions such as the hilarious ‘Pulling Moves’ ‘Binlids’ and ‘Laughter of our Children’

Following the commemoration of a mutual friend last Year inPreston which Cruncher attended we later watched Celtic playingin the afternoon at the arranged function.

Cruncher was amazed at the songs being sung with pride whichwere clearly audible during the game. He agreed that they arefitting, and should continue to be sung. His life devoted to thestruggle, which he has kept alive in song and performance,Cruncher agrees that the LTPS project is a worthy one, keepingalive our History and our Culture in song.

By BFG

Discography

A Definitive Collection of Irish Ballads Something Inside So Strong (With Bik McFarlane)

Our Day is Here Terrorist or Dreamer

19

Our club has a proud tradition of vociferous support, the envy of football fans the world over, yet recently the PLC, pandering to the football authorities, has sought to suppress this support, wrongly categorising some of our songs, in a supposedly even handed way of dealing with the issue of sectarianism in football.

So what of these songs? They commemorate the lives, sacrifices, suffering and heroic deeds of the people from the very community that spawned the idea of Celtic F.C. They lament the shocking condi-tions endured by the Irish immigrant community in Scotland and the fact that they were there to escape “famine and oppression” at the hands of the planted British ruling classes in their own country. A “famine” where Ireland was a net exporter of food yet a million Irish people died of starvation and another million were forced to emigrate as the only chance of surviv-al. They celebrate the ongoing struggle to free their country and our beloved Celtic as a rallying point for those who believe in that struggle.

Aiden McAnespieAiden was twenty-three years of age, a keen gaelic foot-baller from Aughnacloy, a border town in county Tyrone. On 21st February 1988 he walked toward the local gaelic grounds for a match. He was shot dead in cold blood by a British soldier, a Greandier Guardsman. The Royal Ulster Contabulary investigation concluded that the death was accidental, the result of an accidental discharge from a heavy machine gun, although the guardsman who dis-charged that particular weapon was initially charged with manslaughter, a charge that was eventually dropped. He was eventually fined for misuse of his weapon and subse-quently discharged for medical reasons. The President of the Gaelic Athletic Association and the head of the Catholic Church in Ireland both called it murder.

Aiden had long claimed that he had been singled out by the security forces and had his life threatened. His father recalled being stopped by an armed British soldier over a year earlier and told “I’ve a bullet in this gun for your son Aiden”. So it would appear that the “accidental discharge”was, at best, a tragic coincidence, but more likely another example of the shoot to kill policy of the security forces of the time that claimed many lives, when arrest would have been an easy option.

Celtic fans identify with the people of the north of Ireland who suffered this way at the hands of the British security forces, for years our supporters have associated them-selves and have been associated with the ongoing repub-lican struggle. That will not change despite what the PLC board and their war-monger chairman might say.

By Daithi O

The Ballad of Aiden McAnespie (Words & Music by G. Cunningham)

Performed by Shebeen

Twas on a Sunday evening the sun was in the skyAs he walked his way to the Gaelic pitch never thinking he was

going to dieBut as he crossed the checkpoint the sound of gunfire cameThe news spread through the border town Aiden McAnespie

was slain

For years he was harassed by the forces of the crownAs he went to his work every day he left his native town

The soldiers swore they´d get him the reason no one can sayAnd sure enough they murdered him in cold blood that sunny

day

Oh why did you do it?Have you not the guts to say

You say it was an accident or even a ricochetBut like Loughgall and Gibraltar you´re lies are well renownedYou murdered Aiden McAnespie on his way to the Gaelic

ground

The people heard the gunfire they came from miles aroundThey saw that you man lying there dying on the ground

His flow of life was ebbing fast and people they tried their bestThat bullet wound it was far to deep it went right through his

chest



ground

Aidens life had ended it was time for judgement dayThe soldier he jumped down from the tower and the coward he

slipped awayGod´s curse on you Britannia for this cruel deed you´ve doneBut god will have his final say when your judgement day it

comes



ground

To say it was an accident is the greatest crime of allTo his heart-broken family the worst had `er befalled

A cross it marks the lonely spot where Aiden was gunned downAs he strolled on that sunny evening on his way to the Gaelic

ground



ground

20

The band Claymore, which consists of Danny and Mick and involves guest musicians such as the talented whistle player Katie when the lads play bigger venues, started life in 1993 as The Volunteers at a St Patrick’s Night event held in an upstairs bar on Glasgow’s Southside. With only 3 weeks notice, the two friends were asked by their mates in the football team to play a set for St Pat’s Night. Both fellas had been playing musical instruments since childhood, but had not played music seriously together before that point. They learned a set of 16 songs and hoped that the DJ booked for the evening would fill in for the rest of the night. However, their 16-song set went down a storm with the crowd and with the audience calling for more the lads went straight through the same set again... And again got a fantastic reception from the crowd. The DJ didn’t get a look-in. Whilst this was their first musical outing together, Mick himself had achieved no small amount of musical success playing with the legendary punk band The Exploited during the 1980’s.They decided, based on the reaction to their first gig and their political support for the Irish and Scottish republican struggles, that the band had a good chance of making the grade in the burgeoning Glasgow rebel music scene. 15 years later and with the name changed to Claymore the boys are still going strong with regular residencies and gigs playing to the Irish and Celtic supporter crowds. Most recently they played a gig run by TAL to help raise funds for the Let The People Sing CD and for a Celtic supporter in Belfast who was attacked by a loyalist mob and received severe head injuries. Claymore have produced one album - an absolute gem called Patriot Games - but have featured on many compilation albums such as the Gathering of the Bands to which they contributed 3 specially recorded songs. For a duo they produce an excellent sound and play their own unique interpretations and arrange-ments of rebel classics.The song that we chose for the LTPS CD is Sean South, be-cause of its historical link to Celtic’s republican-minded support-ers as a song that became very popular on the terraces, but also because this is one of the best interpretations of the song that you are likely to hear.One important component that makes Claymore tick as a band is that, first and foremost, they believe in the struggles that they sing about, and it is politics that keeps them going. “We couldn’t do it unless we believed in it. That aspect is very important to us,” says Danny.Danny recognises the role that football and Celtic plays in Glasgow’s Irish community, but he still feels that it’s important that the band strives to put a message across as well as entertain. Claymore achieve both. It was the death of Bobby Sands that largely inspired their political involvement as teenagers and for Claymore incorporating that Spirit of Resistance is fundamental.

The name Claymore has a double edge as well, because the band believe passionately in freedom, not only for Ireland but also for Scotland. “This is where we live and it’s important to politically relate to what is happening here as well as in Ireland.” A senti-ment long shared and endorsed by this fanzine.If you’re in Glasgow for a game then you can hardly avoid seeing Claymore somewhere in town on match days. They play a regular residency throughout the football season Friday nights and Sun-day tea-time in The Emerald Isle. Saturday home games they play immediately after the match in McConnell’s. Late Saturday nights they are back in the Emerald Isle (home games) and every second Sunday they play the Squirrell Bar. Do yourself a favour and seek out Claymore’s excellent CD Patriot Games. Better still, go see the band play live after a Celtic match. You won’t regret it.

Words & Music by Sean Costello(Performed by Claymore)

It was on a dreary new years day As the shade of night came down

A lorry load of volunteers Approached the border town

There were men from Dublin and from Cork, Fermanagh and Tyrone

But the leader was a Limerick man Sean South of Garryowen

And as they moved along the street Up to the barracks door

They scorned the danger they would meetThe fate that lay in store

They were fighting for old IrelandTo free their very own

And the foremost of this gallant bandWas South of Garryowen

But the sergeant spoiled their daring plans He spied them through the doorAnd with sten gun and with rifle

A hail of death did pourBut before that awful night was past

Two men lay cold as stoneThere was one from near the border

And one from Garryowen

No more he'll hear the seagull cry O'er the murmuring Shannon tideFor he fell beneath a northern sky

Brave Hanlon by his sideHe has gone to join that gallant band

Of Plunkett Pearse and ToneAnother martyr for old Ireland

Sean South of garryowen.

The story of Séan South and Fergal O’Hanlon is one thatwill be very well known to those Celtic supporters who didpart of their growing up in the old Jungle at Celtic Park. Itwas there that songs like Sean South, Billy Reid and theSoldier’s Song were given full voice by the ‘hardliners’ thatfrequented the middle of the Jungle. Indeed it was herethat me and many others learned the words of such bal-lads, only to have our youthful mistakes corrected when weeither moved up the social ladder into the pubs on theGallowgate, or from reading about the actual events thatinspired the songs. Something that we would still recom-mend to younger supporters today. It’s important not onlyto sing the songs, but also to take the time to learn the storybehind the song. Do your own research, educate yourselfand then join with other republicans in trying to makeprogressive change. All we want is the world!

By TALMAN

21

Lullaby To HeavenWords & Music by Creaney & Quinn

Performed by Damien Quinn

In Ireland’s fight for freedom many men have fallen,Their lives given proudly for the cause,

Those gallant lives given for their country,And to you now the story I will tell,

CHORUS

Won’t you sing them a song,Sing a Lullaby to Heaven,

Let your comrades know you understand,Won’t you sing them a song,

Sing a lullaby to heaven,Then our lads and lassies will sing along

Remember Peter Cleary and Fergal Caraher,Both were murdered by the forces of the crown,

We’ll speak with pride of Jim Lochrie and Sean Campbell,

In South Armagh these gallant men did dwell,

CHORUSIn North Armagh remember McIlvenna

Crossey, Burns, Toman & McKerrAnd from Tyrone McKearney, Carty & Connolly,

McNally, Ryan, Tony Doris too

CHORUS

Remember Bap Kelly and Jim BrysonSkipper Burns, Sean Savage and Billy Reid,

These men all hailed from the gallant Belfast Batallion,

So many more I cannot them all name

CHORUS

Let’s not forget the girls who died for Ireland,Pettigrew, Fitzsimmons & Maire Drumm,

From Portadown came young Julie DouganMairead Farrell in Gibraltar made her stand

CHORUS

Lullaby to Heaven is a beautiful haunting melody thatcommemorates by name just some of the IRA Volun-teers killed during the last phase of armed struggle.Damien Quinn, the co-writer of the song was amongthe first musicians to volunteer his support and serv-ices to the Let The People Sing project.

Every area where the IRA was most active and re-ceived casualties is visited and the fallen Volunteerscommemorated in song.

Like most other republicans Damien Quinn has beeninfluenced by the violent and often tragic events takingplace around him. The difference is that Damien docu-ments it by means of song.

The number of volunteers remembered in this songamounts to 24 and they are spread across the 6 Coun-ties. Songs like this have become important remindersas well as educators. Educators because the sheervolume of names contained in the song are a gentle

nudge in thedirection offinding outmore abouteach of thosenames andhow they be-came part ofthe struggle torid Ireland ofthe British oc-cupation. Re-minders because theyclearly point tothe ultimnatesacrifice thatmany havemade duringthat quest.

22

ROLL OF HONOURWords & Music by G. O Glacain(Performed by The Irish Brigade)

[chorus]Read the roll of honour

for Ireland's bravest menWe must be united in memory of the ten,

England you're a monster, don't think that you have won

We will never be defeated while Ireland has such sons.

In those dreary H-Block cages ten brave young Irishmen lay

Hungering for justice as their young lives ebbed away,For their rights as Irish soldiers

and to free their native landThey stood beside their leader -

the gallant Bobby Sands.

Now they mourn Hughes in Bellaghy, Ray McCreesh in Armagh's hillsIn those narrow streets of Derry

they miss O'Hara still,They so proudly gave their young lives

to break Britannia's holdTheir names will be remembered

as history unfolds.

[chorus]

Through the war torn streets of Ulster the black flags did sadly sway

To salute ten Irish martyrs the bravest of the brave,

Joe McDonnell, Martin Hurson, Kevin Lynch, Kieran Doherty

They gave their lives for freedom with Thomas McElwee.

Michael Devine from Derry you were the last to die

With your nine brave companions with the martyred dead you lieYour souls cry out "Remember,

our deaths were not in vain.Fight on and make our homeland

a nation once again !"

[chorus]

The momentous Irish Hunger Strike of 1981 which re-sulted in the deaths of ten brave and commited republican volunteers - 7 IRA members and 3 INLA members - is perhaps the single most affecting political moment of my lifetime... I have many friends and comrades who say ex-actly the same thing, that the Hunger Strike more than any other event propelled them into political activity.The Hunger Strikes of 1980 and 1981 were the culmina-tion of the prisoners defiance in the face of an intransigent British war machine led by the widely despised Margaret Thatcher - and before you ask, the answer is YES, after all these years, I STILL HATE THATCHER! But, even Thatcher cannot lay claim to being the architect of Britain;s strategy in Ireland and in the prisons in particu-lar. This policy of Ulsterisation and criminalisation started under a the Labour government of Harold Wilson and continued under his successor Jim Callaghan.Special category political status was removed from the republican POW’s entering the British prison system from 1976 onwards, and so began the steady move towards more protests and resistance inside the jails and an in-crease in the brutality of the prison regime, as directed by Westminster. The ‘no-wash’ or ‘dirty protests’ began where prisoners would refuse to wear the prison uniform that the Brits insisted on issuing them, preferring instead to wear only a blanket rather than give in to the state’s attempts to criminalise the republican struggle.The prisoners has 5 basic demands that would restore their rights as political prisoners of war again:* The right not to wear prison uniform* The right not to do prison work* The right of free association* The right to organise their own education and recreation* The right to one visit, one parcel and one letter per weekRelatively simple and perfectly reasonable demands for those engaged in a military political struggle against the British occupation of their country, but considered too much for the British. Labour gave way to the Tories and Thatcher, whilst the blanket protests gave way to the first hunger strike in 1980. Despite making promises about the restoration of political status, the Brits reneged on the deal and made a second hunger strike inevitable. It was this second Hunger Strike led by Bobby Sands that was to prove to be a political watershed for Irish republicanism in the modern era.

Gerry Glacain’s song Roll of Honour is a rousing tribute to the 10 hunger strikers who undertook a fast to the death in order to retain their status as political prisoners These men were not criminals, they were freedom fight-ers and it was fear of their unquenchable desire for free-dom that saw Thatcher allow them to die. That unquenchable thirst for freedom persists to this day among the Irish people and their political representatives. They did not die in vain and indeed it has been argued that it was the entry of Sinn Féin into the political arena during the Hunger Strike that paved the way for the politi-cal advances that the party made in the years to come.

BY TALMAN

23

Words by Tony Kelly, Music: Traditional(Performed by Spirit of Freedom)

There are many songs are sung about the Provos and their tales

The exploits of these gallant menwho broke out from the Jails

From Brixton down to Whitemoor GaolThe Kesh and Crumlin Road

Magilligan and Portlaoise GaolNo prison bars can hold

CHORUSOh the boys are running free,

the boys are running freeAnd the biggest break out of them all

Was back in 83

We had the Crumlin KangaroosJumping over walls

They didn’t like the football gameSo they dandered up the Falls

They put them on the Maidstone Ship Where the waters were so calm

Seven lads went overboardAnd off to shore they swam

CHORUS

Now the funniest sight you’ll ever seeIs a Provo birdy boy

Flying rebels high and dryFrom the warders in Mountjoy

Sure the craic was good when we heard the newsDown in Portlaoise Gaol

They’ve gone and blew a little holeAnd 19 men were bailed

CHORUS

From Magilligan and Musgrave ParkAnd the courthouse down in NewryThe Provos they were breaking outAnd the Brits were getting worried

They were digging tunnels everywhereWere masters of disguise

As women, teachers and the priestWere in refuge from state lines

CHORUS

So they shot their way to freedomBack in Nineteeen-Eighty-One

Eight lads they left the Crumlin RoadAnd headed on the run

They searched and searched far and wideNo Provos they could find

The Brixton Busters have long goneNo clues they left behind

CHORUS

Now one Sunday twenty years agoThe dinners they were late

The Provos they were planningto make their Great Escape

Far from the Blocks the cheer went up As they smashed out through the gate

Not one, not two, not three or fourBy God, there’s thirty-eight

CHORUS x 2

The Spirit of Freedom is an Irish Rebel band that wasformed in 1997. They are founder member and formerrepublican prisoner Tony Kelly from Free Derry and theMcNally Brothers, Tony and Marty from Tyrone. Tony isa talented and prolific songwriter, whiklst the McNallybrothers have brough their experience to the band fromtheir many years of performing with the legendary IrishBrigade.

Spirit of Freedom have performed all over the globefrom Germany to the States, from Denmark to Scotlandand from England to back home in Ireland. More recentinterest in the band has come from Norway.

Throughout the last 10 years the bands has grown fromstrength to strength and are now one of the most popu-lar folk bands on the republican circuit.

In addition they have also produced 5 albums on CDand another is due for release later this year.

Escapes to Freedom humorously celebrates the manylegendary escapes and breakouts from various Britishand Irish prisons by Irish Republican Prisoners of War.The tune is to the traditional ballad The Wearing of theGreen.

24

Declan McLaughlin was born in 1969 in Derry, Ireland; the first son for Hugh and Christine McLaughlin. Hugh McLaughlin was a bass player for a number of Derry’s show bands, in-cluding The Dyno-chords, Lee Roy Brown and the Gay

McIntyre Jazz Band. Christine McLaughlin worked in the shirt factories that are so synony-mous with Derry.

“Like most working class families they tried their hardest to give us the best they could in very troubled times. Both of them were very anti sectarian and showed us how to be open minded.”

After finishing high school Declan started playing in bands and describes music as his “saviour”. In 1992 he formed the Screaming Bin Lids with his friend, Paddy Nash. Hugh McLaughlin again played bass.

“I felt that the lack of political movement was something that needed addressed. The community in which I lived was, and still is, being denied freedom to control our own future. We are more or less slaves in are own streets. I met Paddy Nash around this time and he felt the same. We started playing around town.”

By 1996 the Screaming Bin Lids had run their race and by the summer of 1997 The Whole Tribe Sings had been born. “We recorded Missing You and headed for the United States. When we came back we were a different outfit. The time on the road had shown us that outside of the North of Ireland, we could achieve something more.”

Another massive tour to the US landed the Tribe a record-ing deal, but it all began to unravel. “Paddy was the first to go. The record company got nervous and instead of putting band into the studio, they held back. The tour was planned so we soldiered on. Then 9/11 happened and it was hard. I could see people trying to deal with the stuff I had grown up with. It was not a good time for the US. By the end of the tour they all had had enough.”

Decky has been playing solo since 2002, including a very successful tour to Australia, supporting Gary Óg in 2006. His debut solo album, No Big Deal, is available for free download from www.declanmclaughlin.com and should be in every music lovers’ collection. Another album is report-edly in the works and will be met with great anticipation.

Discography:

The Whole Tribe Sings:Missing You (EP)

Happy (EP)History Of Hard Luck

Declan McLaughlin:Bloody Sunday

No Big Deal

How many time must we do this to ourselvesBeen on our knees a million times asking for your help

Of all the answers that I don’t understandI could not draw that firing line

But I know where to stand

Nobody told me, must have heard it on the news,People who had nothing still had everything to lose,

It’s like running up hillIt’s like running up hill

In a corner of a graveyard a mother kneels to prayIn the memory of a son that slowly fades away

In this part of the graveyard the sun no longer shinesThere’s no fences or barbed wire

and still she’s doing time

Until she gets the answers to the questions that she asks

It’s hard to build a future when you’re haunted by the past


There’s a body in the paperThe world’s seen what you’ve done

There’s a body in the paperSomebody’s singing, dream the war is gone


And everybody gathered here on central driveThey’re marching in the shadow of

the truth you tried to hideAnd every step that’s taken is a breaking of your law

For your justice never added up to the murder that we saw

And time don’t make no difference to the people that still care

In thousands we march the streetsStill knowing that you’re there

It’s like running up hillIt’s like running up hillIt’s like running up hill

25By Matty Bhoy

Words & Music by Seanchai & The Unity Squad(Performed by Seanchai & The Unity Squad)

MISE EIRE, MISE EIREI LOVE THIS LAND

EVERY WOMAN EVERY MANMISE EIRE MISE EIRE

A WORKERS REPUBLIC,AN EVERLASTING PEACE

I AM YOUR SON, BESIDE THE LAGANWOLFE TONE AND THOMAS RUSSELL

BEGAN THE UNITED IRISHMANTHE RIVER FLOWS, FORCES OF NATURE

CARRY ALL IN ITS PATHTO THE PLACE IT¹S MEANT TO BE.

Chorus

I AM YOUR SERVANT, MOTHER IRELANDWHERE DAN BREEN AND SEAN TRACEY

SHOT THE COPPERS IN THE GLENPOBLACHT NA hERIN

WORKERS AND FARMERSYOU¹RE NOT ONLY FREE BUT GAELIC

NOT JUST GAELIC BUT ALSO FREE

Chorus

I AM YOUR SON, BESIDE THE CLYDEBROTHER WALFRID CAME TO THE GALLOWGATE

MAINTAINED OUR DIGNITYTHE RIVER FLOWS, FORCES OF NATURE

CARRY ALL IN ITS PATH,TO THE PLACE IT¹S MEANT TO BE

Chorus

MISE EIRE MISE EIRESIN ME NA

ANCHAILLEACH BHEARRAMOR MO GHLOIR:

ME A RUDCU CHULAINN CROGA.

MOR MO NAIR:MO CHLANN FEIN

A DHIOL A MATHAIR.MISE EIRE:

UAIGHNI ME NA ANCHAILLEACH BHEARRA.

ChorusI AM YOUR DAUGHTER, BESIDE THE SHANNON

WHERE MAIRE PEROLZ LED THE PEELERSA RIGHT MERRY DANCE

THE RIVER FLOWS, FORCES OF NATURECARRY ALL IN ITS PATH

TO THE PLACE IT¹S MEANT TO BE

ChorusI AM YOUR SON, BESIDE THE HUDSONJAMES CONNOLLY CAME TO ALBANYTOLD THE WORKERS TO ORGANISE

AND FROM HIS GRAVE EVOKED A SPIRITTOLD THE BOLD MIKE QUILLTO BURN THE JUDGES ROBE

ChorusI AM YOUR SON BESIDE THE LIFFEYPEARSE READ THE PROCLAIMATION

DECLARED OUR SOVEREIGNTYTHE RIVER FLOWS, FORCES OF NATURE

CARRY ALL IN ITS PATHTO THE PLACE IT¹S MEANT TO BE

Chorus X 2

26

It’s not often that a band has its own venue that it can depend upon toreach out to its fans, unless of course you’re talking about New York’sSeanchai & The Unity Squad. If there has ever been a band that can notbe pigeon holed, it’s surely the group that base themselves out of leadsinger Chris Byrne’s “Rocky Sullivan’s” pub in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Listening to a Seanchai album is as much a journey as it is an experi-ence. Whether it’s the reggae beats, hip hop rhymes or RachelFitzgerald’s hauntingly tender ballads, each track offers something fresh.

"I would describe our music as being unrepentant Irish-American music.The reason there is an Irish thing is because that is where our peoplecome from. I never considered being Irish as a hobby. We are notreduced to being entertainers. We are what we are - you can like us ornot. We are what we are," says Byrne, a former member of Black 47.

Seanchai’s back catalogue of albums is impressive, six in total and eachone joining ‘revolutionary politics with a revolutionary sound’. Their latestalbum, Irish Catholic Boy, is perhaps their finest piece of work yet.

Perhaps Seanchai & The Unity Squad are best surmised by best sellingauthor Pete McCarthy: “I'd been hoping for a band that might serve as asymbol of what Irishness has become in the intense crucible of urbanNew York and as I watch and listen it turns out that's exactly what I got.”

By Matty Bhoy

Seanchai DiscographyThere Will Be Another Day

Rebel Hip HopA Sunday At The Turn Of The Century

I Shamrock NYRebel Massive

Irish Catholic Boy

www.seanchai.com

Words & Music by The WolfeTones(Performed by Padriag Mór)

For those who are in loveThere's a song that's warm and tender.

For those who are oppressedIn song you can protest.So liberate your minds

And give your soul expression.Open up your hearts,

I'll sing for you this song.

Let the people sing their stories and their songsAnd the music of their native land

Their lullabies and battlecries and songs of hope and joy

So join us hand in handAll across this ancient landThroughout the test of time

It was music that kept their spirits freeThose songs of yours and of mine

It was back in ancient times,The bard would tell his stories

Of the heroes, of the villain,Of the chieftains in the glen.Through Elizabethian time

And Cromwellian war and furyPut our pipers to the sword,

Killed our harpers and our bards.





Ireland, land of song,Your music lives forever

In its valleys, in its mountains,In its hills and in its glens.

Our music did surviveThrough famine and oppression.

To the generations gone,I'll sing for you this song.





Let The People Sing is a song that needs little orno introduction among the Celtic support al-though it is somewhat ironic that whilst we arehappy to sing it many are reluctant to uphold itsdemands, these being the right to sing our'lullabies and battle cries and songs of hope andjoy'. For many years the Wolfe Tones played andrecorded LTPS and then Gary Og used it as partof a medley that includes: This land is your landand Take it down from the mast on the 'Live atthe Brazen Head' CD. It was this arrangementwhich endeared it to the Celtic support back inthe day and made it as popular as otherCeltic/Republican anthems such as Boys of theOld Brigade, Aidan McAnespie and Roll of Hon-our. However such is the climate of fear engen-dered by the PLC's crackdown on songs of Irishresistance that now we very rarely get beyond'This land'... In fact the Board have even gone sofar as to get a collaborator to record a bastard-ised version of LTPS which dubs Celtic Park forFree Derry, I ask you...

By Holloway Gael

27

On the 20th June a dozen members of the Green Bri-gade went for a well-earned end-of-season break to Barra in the Western Isles. Barra and it's neighbour Vatersay are the most southernly populated islands in the Outer Hebrides archipelago. The journey by land and sea took us from Glasgow to Oban by minibus and then 5 hours on the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry to Castlebay on Barra. Blessed by clear skies and calm seas the journey up the Sound of Mull and over the Minch was a pleasant one and some of the group saw some dolphins following the ship at one point.

A maritime event, in fact, was part of the reason for the group's choice of destination. In 1853 a commercial ship, the Annie Jane, carrying 453 passengers and crew left Liverpool bound for Quebec. Carrying mainly poor Irish emigrants the ship was dogged by problems and ended up drifting badly off course towards the southern part of the Hebrides. As the crew tried to make for the shallow Sound of Vatersay, a large wave knocked al-most 100 passengers overboard. The ship carrying iron rails for the Canadian railways broke up completely in the West Bay of Vatersay. 350 souls perished. The group visited the site of the disaster where the victims were buried in a mass pit and where a stone monument marks the spot. Flowers and the Irish national flag were left.

It was sad to see this monument because the place itself is absolutely beautiful. The beaches of West and East Bay come very close together, with a narrow strip of Machair in between. Arguably, this is the most beautiful spot in Scotland.

The group made their way back to Castlebay and en-joyed a second night of revelry with the locals, who are for the most part Celtic supporters. Barra and Vatersay along with Eriskay, South Uist and parts of Benbecula are catholic. Commonly thought to have been areas missed by the Reformation they were in actual fact

counter-reformed by an itinerant Irish priest. His workstopped at Benbecula when he died. North from herethe isles are staunchly Free Presbyterian. Footballaside, locals live harmoniously together, the commonbond being the strength of the Gaelic language, nativeto the islands for over 1500 years.

Barra is a place I would highly recommend for a week-end. If the thought of a 5 hour sailing puts you off thereare daily flights from Glasgow landing on the TraighMhor beach airstrip, an experience of a lifetime by allaccounts.

BY FIDEL

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