Bleak was the year of ‘81 March the first the very day When a young soldier of the IRA Took on an empire and tempted fate From within the confines of a H block gate
Their fight for status was not 5 years long They protested in unity to put right this wrong No monkey suit would these men wear A British government refused to wonder nor less did care A mere prison blanket became their soldiers uniform And to no prison rules would they confirm It was hoped they’d break beneath such strain So the war in Ireland, Britain could contain
The cells filled up as the months dragged by In squalor and dirt these men did lie Strip searched and beaten, abuse at them hurled Met with a wall of silence to an outside world Their strength in numbers, they opted then to show it They elected as their leader a young Belfast poet Their methods of protest, he would prove were in vain Their 5 Just demands, he would see them gain
Lying comatose and helpless on a sheepskin rug In peaceful prayer were clasped the hands Of that heroic man Bobby Sands It was 1am on the 5th May He had entered into his 66th day When the news spread around and the riots started That from this earth he had departed One hundred thousand turned out at Milltown To express their anger at the crown This method of protest he was forced to choose Was then taken up by the gallant Francis Hughes Nor from there was it to cease As from south Armagh, joined Ray McCreesh
O’Hara, Lynch and Joe McDonnell The British government were to systematically kill Along with Hurson, Doherty and McElwee Who gave their all, for you and me The tenth and last was Mke Devine Lest we forget as in our hearts to them We build a shrine
Gone from us now-but they did not forget Those courageous blanket men who in H block cells did rot The Freedom of Ireland, their ever motivating dream Which could not be suppressed beneath a Thatcherite regime For though their deaths – they brought to life The renewed Republicanism soul On fatal protest in 1981 When political status was these men’s goal
THE H BLOCK STRUGGLE
ReplyDeleteBleak was the year of ‘81
March the first the very day
When a young soldier of the IRA
Took on an empire and tempted fate
From within the confines of a H block gate
Their fight for status was not 5 years long
They protested in unity to put right this wrong
No monkey suit would these men wear
A British government refused to wonder nor less did care
A mere prison blanket became their soldiers uniform
And to no prison rules would they confirm
It was hoped they’d break beneath such strain
So the war in Ireland, Britain could contain
The cells filled up as the months dragged by
In squalor and dirt these men did lie
Strip searched and beaten, abuse at them hurled
Met with a wall of silence to an outside world
Their strength in numbers, they opted then to show it
They elected as their leader a young Belfast poet
Their methods of protest, he would prove were in vain
Their 5 Just demands, he would see them gain
Lying comatose and helpless on a sheepskin rug
In peaceful prayer were clasped the hands
Of that heroic man Bobby Sands
It was 1am on the 5th May
He had entered into his 66th day
When the news spread around and the riots started
That from this earth he had departed
One hundred thousand turned out at Milltown
To express their anger at the crown
This method of protest he was forced to choose
Was then taken up by the gallant Francis Hughes
Nor from there was it to cease
As from south Armagh, joined Ray McCreesh
O’Hara, Lynch and Joe McDonnell
The British government were to systematically kill
Along with Hurson, Doherty and McElwee
Who gave their all, for you and me
The tenth and last was Mke Devine
Lest we forget as in our hearts to them
We build a shrine
Gone from us now-but they did not forget
Those courageous blanket men who in H block cells did rot
The Freedom of Ireland, their ever motivating dream
Which could not be suppressed beneath a Thatcherite regime
For though their deaths – they brought to life
The renewed Republicanism soul
On fatal protest in 1981
When political status was these men’s goal
Stephen Cassidy, Dún Dealgan