Boys of the Old Brigade Lyrics
Charlie and the BhoysMusic Video
Boys of the Old Brigade
Oh father why are you so sad on this bright Easter morn'
When Irish men are proud and glad of the land where they were born
Oh Son I see in memories view of far-off distant days
When being just a lad like you I joined the IRA
Where are the lads who stood with me when history was made
Oh Ghrá Mo Chroí, I long to see the boys of the old brigade
From hills and farms the call to arms was heard by one and all
And from the glen came brave young men to answer Ireland's call
It was long ago we faced the foe, the old brigade and me
And by my side they fought and died that Ireland might be free
Where are the lads who stood with me when history was made
Oh Ghrá Mo Chroí, I long to see the boys of the old brigade
[Instrumental]
And now my boy I've told you why on Easter morn' I sigh
For I recall my comrades all of dark old days gone by
I think of men who fought in glen with rifles and grenades
May heaven keep the men who sleep from the ranks of the old brigade
Where are the lads who stood with me when history was made
Oh Ghrá Mo Chroí, I long to see the boys of the old brigade
Where are the lads who stood with me when history was made
Oh Ghrá Mo Chroí, I long to see the boys of the old brigade
Song Details
Songwriter: Paddy McGuigan, a Belfast songwriter best known for his work with the folk group Barleycorn.
First recorded by: Barleycorn (early 1970s)
Song Brief: The song is told from the perspective of an aging veteran of the 1916 Easter Rising. As he sits by the fire, he recounts the "glory" of his youth to his son.
The lyrics contrast the "grey-haired" men of the present with the "young and fearless" soldiers they once were. It serves as a nostalgic tribute to fallen comrades, creating a bridge between Ireland's revolutionary past and the listener's future.
- The "Old Brigade": Refers specifically to the Irish Republican Army (IRA) units that fought between 1913 and 1921, particularly around the 1916 Rising and the War of Independence.
- IRA: Irish Republican Army; the revolutionary force that fought to end British rule in Ireland.
- Ó Ghrá Mo Chroí: “O love of my heart.”
Genre: Irish Rebel Song
Covers: The Wolfe Tones, Shamrog, Shea Doolin, Hair of the Dog, Eire Og, The Davitts, Athenrye, The Foggy Brew, The Town Pants.
Featured Artists: Charlie and the Bhoys
💿 Album: Twenty Five in a Row
Released: Sept 26, 2014
Country: Ireland
Format: CD, Digital Album
Label: Charlie and the Bhoys
