Highland Paddy
Cho: You are welcome, Highland Paddy
And by my side you'll surely stand
Hear the people shout for freedom
We rise in the morning with the Fenian band
One evening fair as the sun was shining
To Kilkenny I did ride
I did speak with Captain Brady
He'd a tall commander by his side
Oh sir I've come to fight for Ireland
For to drive the Saxon from our land
He laughed at me his eyes were shining
Ah but then he caught me by the hand
So in the morning we rose early
And just before the break of dawn
Blackbirds singing in the heather
Greeting us through the smiling band
And gather round ye men of Ireland
And raise your voices to the sky
Let the green flag fly forever
In the cause of freedom we'll fighting die
Oh in our town close by the river
On a lonely summer's day
I saw the captain sorely bleeding
Oh I knelt beside him and I heard him say
Oh fare thee well my Highland Paddy
Drive them from our countryside
Freedom is a word we cherish
And the bird was silent and this young man died
Oh all my life I will remember
Yes I'll remember night and day
Once I rode into Kilkenny
And I heard that noble Fenian say
'Highland Paddies' - explained in the sleevenotes to Finbar and Eddie
Furey's 'Four Green Fields' (1972) as Irishmen emigrated to Scotland, who
returned to fight for Ireland in the '98.
SKW
oct99
Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!