O' my name is Joe McDonnell From Belfast town I came
That city I will never see again
For in that town of Belfast I spent many happy days
I love that town in oh so many ways.
For it's there I spent my childhood and found for me a wife
And set out to make for her a life.
But all my young ambitions met with bitterness and hate
I soon found myself inside a prison gate.
And so you call me a terrorist
While you look down your gun
When I think of all the deeds that you have done,
You have plundered many nations
Divided many lands
You have terrorized their people
You ruled with an iron hand.
And you brought this reign of terror to my land.
Though those many months internment in the and the Maze
I thought about my land though out those days
Why my country was divided
Why I was now in jail
Imprisoned without cause or without trial.
And although I love my country
I am not a bitter man
I have seen cruelty and injustice first hand.
Then one fateful morning I shook bold freedom's hand
For right or wrong I tried to free my land.
May God shine on you Bobby Sands for the courage you have shown
May your glory and your fame be widely known.
And Francis Hughs and Ray McCreesh you died unselfishly
And Patsy O'Hara and next in line is me
And all who lie behind me may your courage be the same
And I pray to God my life is not in vain.
Oh but sad and bitter was the year of 1981
For everything I lost and nothing won.
That city I will never see again
For in that town of Belfast I spent many happy days
I love that town in oh so many ways.
For it's there I spent my childhood and found for me a wife
And set out to make for her a life.
But all my young ambitions met with bitterness and hate
I soon found myself inside a prison gate.
And so you call me a terrorist
While you look down your gun
When I think of all the deeds that you have done,
You have plundered many nations
Divided many lands
You have terrorized their people
You ruled with an iron hand.
And you brought this reign of terror to my land.
Though those many months internment in the and the Maze
I thought about my land though out those days
Why my country was divided
Why I was now in jail
Imprisoned without cause or without trial.
And although I love my country
I am not a bitter man
I have seen cruelty and injustice first hand.
Then one fateful morning I shook bold freedom's hand
For right or wrong I tried to free my land.
May God shine on you Bobby Sands for the courage you have shown
May your glory and your fame be widely known.
And Francis Hughs and Ray McCreesh you died unselfishly
And Patsy O'Hara and next in line is me
And all who lie behind me may your courage be the same
And I pray to God my life is not in vain.
Oh but sad and bitter was the year of 1981
For everything I lost and nothing won.
Contributed by Alessandro - 2006/10/6 - 15:13
Language: English
Una versione più lunga
Oh, me name is Joe McDonnell, from Belfast town I came
That city I will never see again
For in the town of Belfast, I spent many happy days
I love that town in oh-so many ways
For it's there I spent my childhood and found for me a wife
I then set out to make for her a life
But all my young ambitions met with bitterness and hate
I soon found myself inside a prison gate
And you dared to call me a terrorist while you looked down your gun
When I think of all the deeds that you had done
You had plundered many nations, divided many lands
You had terrorized their peoples, you ruled with an iron hand
And you brought this reign of terror to my land
Through those many months internment in the Maidstone and the MazeI thought about my land throughout those days
Why my country was divided, why I was now in jail
Imprisoned without crime or without trial
And though I love my country, I am not a bitter man
I've seen cruelty and injustice at first hand
So then one fateful morning, I shook bold freedom's hand
For right or wrong, I'd try to free my land
And you dared to call me a terrorist while you looked down your gun
When I think of all the deeds that you had done
You had plundered many nations, divided many lands
You had terrorized their peoples, you ruled with an iron hand
And you brought this reign of terror to my land
Then one cold October's morning trapped in a lion's den
And I found myself in prison once again
I was committed to the H-blocks for fourteen years or more
On the blanket, the conditions, they were poor
Then a hunger strike we did commence, for the dignity of man
But it seemed to me that no one gave a damn
But now I am a saddened man, I've watched my comrades die
If only people cared or wondered why
And you dared to call me a terrorist while you looked down your gun
When I think of all the deeds that you had done
You had plundered many nations, divided many lands
You had terrorized their peoples, you ruled with an iron hand
And you brought this reign of terror to my land
May God shine on you, Bobby Sands, for the courage you have shown
May your glory and your fame be widely known
And Francis Hughes and Ray McCreesh, who died unselfishly
And Patsy O'Hara, and the next in line is me
And to those who lie behind me, may your courage be the same
And I pray to God my life is not in vain
Ah, but sad and bitter was the year of 1981
For everything I've lost, and nothing's won
That city I will never see again
For in the town of Belfast, I spent many happy days
I love that town in oh-so many ways
For it's there I spent my childhood and found for me a wife
I then set out to make for her a life
But all my young ambitions met with bitterness and hate
I soon found myself inside a prison gate
And you dared to call me a terrorist while you looked down your gun
When I think of all the deeds that you had done
You had plundered many nations, divided many lands
You had terrorized their peoples, you ruled with an iron hand
And you brought this reign of terror to my land
Through those many months internment in the Maidstone and the MazeI thought about my land throughout those days
Why my country was divided, why I was now in jail
Imprisoned without crime or without trial
And though I love my country, I am not a bitter man
I've seen cruelty and injustice at first hand
So then one fateful morning, I shook bold freedom's hand
For right or wrong, I'd try to free my land
And you dared to call me a terrorist while you looked down your gun
When I think of all the deeds that you had done
You had plundered many nations, divided many lands
You had terrorized their peoples, you ruled with an iron hand
And you brought this reign of terror to my land
Then one cold October's morning trapped in a lion's den
And I found myself in prison once again
I was committed to the H-blocks for fourteen years or more
On the blanket, the conditions, they were poor
Then a hunger strike we did commence, for the dignity of man
But it seemed to me that no one gave a damn
But now I am a saddened man, I've watched my comrades die
If only people cared or wondered why
And you dared to call me a terrorist while you looked down your gun
When I think of all the deeds that you had done
You had plundered many nations, divided many lands
You had terrorized their peoples, you ruled with an iron hand
And you brought this reign of terror to my land
May God shine on you, Bobby Sands, for the courage you have shown
May your glory and your fame be widely known
And Francis Hughes and Ray McCreesh, who died unselfishly
And Patsy O'Hara, and the next in line is me
And to those who lie behind me, may your courage be the same
And I pray to God my life is not in vain
Ah, but sad and bitter was the year of 1981
For everything I've lost, and nothing's won
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"In 1981, Irish republican volunteers in a British jail on Irish soil undertook a fast to the death to retain their status as political prisoners. The British government demanded they be classified as criminals. Ten men died on the doorstep of the British government in one of the most turbulent periods in the tragic history of Anglo-Irish relations. This ballad tells the tragic story of one of these great men, Joe McDonnell."
(dal sito dei Wolfe Tones)
This song was written by the Wolfe Tones paying tribute,to a brave young Irish soldier who died in the H-blocks of Long Kesh, aged just 30, after 61 days on hungerstrike.He died in agony defying the British govenment's attempts to criminalise Irish republican prisoners.He died so that others coming after him would be recognised as political prisoners.
Joe McDonnell (attivista) - Wikipedia