Up like a bird and high over the city
Three men are missing I heard the warder cry
It must have been a bird that flew into the prison
Or one of those new Ministers" said the warder from Mountjoy
Early one morning as the branchmen they were sleeping
A little helicopter flew in from the sky
Down into the yard were some prisoners were walking
"Get ready for inspection" said the warder in the 'Joy
Up like a bird and high over the city
Three men are missing I heard the warder cry
It must have been a bird that flew into the prison
Or one of those new Ministers" said the warder from Mountjoy
Down in the yard through the pushing and the shoving
Three of the prisoners they climbed upon the bird
And up and away she went into the grey skies
"I think someone escaped" said the warder in the 'Joy
Up like a bird and high over the city
Three men are missing I heard the warder cry
It must have been a bird that flew into the prison
Or one of those new Ministers" said the warder from Mountjoy
Alone, all alone by the wave-washed strand
And alone in a crowded hall
The hall it is gay and the waves they are grand
But my heart is not here at all
It flies far away by night and by day
To the times and the joys that are gone
But I never will forget the sweet maiden I met
In the valley near Slievenamon
It was not the grace of her queenly air
Nor her cheek of the roses' glow
Nor her soft black eyes nor her flowing hair
Nor was it her lily-white brow
'Twas the soul of truth and of melting ruth
And the smile like a summer's dawn
That stole my heart away one soft summer's day
In the valley near Slievenamon
In the valley near Slievenamon
Oh I am a merry ploughboy
And I plough the feilds all day
'Till a sudden thought came to my mind
That I should roam away
For im tired of this civilian life
Since the day that I was born
So im off to join the IRA
And im off tomorrow morn'
And were all off to Dublin in the green (in the green)
Where the helmets glisten in the sun
Where the bayonets clash
And rifles crash
To the echo of the thompson gun
I'll leave aside my pick and spade
I'll leave aside my plough
Oh ill leave aside my horse and yoke
For no more I'll need them now
And I leave aside my Mary
She is the girl I do adore
And I wonder if
She thinks of me when she hears that canon roar
And we're all off to Dublin in the green (in the green)
Where the helmets glisten in the sun
Where the bayonets flash and the riffles crash
To the echo of a Thompson gun
And we're all off to Dublin in the green (in the green)
And where the helmets glisten in the sun
Where the bayonets flash and the riffles crash
To the echo of a Thompson gun