Erin Go Bragh (2)

Trad

In London one day as I walked up the street
An impudent fellow I happened to meet
He looked in my face and gave me some jaw
Sayin’ what took you over from Erin Go Bragh

I know you’re a Paddy by the wink of your eye
Your framing misconduct has forced you to fly
You left your old country for breaking the law
And escape from the gallows in Erin Go Bragh

Oh, the Blackthorn stick that I held in me fist
Around his big body I gave it a twist
I silenced his tongue with a whack on the jaw
And showed him the game played in Erin Go Bragh

They all gathered round like a flock of wild geese
Is this Irish Paddy disturbing the peace
We’ll march him to prison for breaking the law
This quarrelsome villain from Erin Go Bragh

To the devil I’ll pitch ye, ye pack of sprissawns
For here comes Mike Brophy from Ballyknockan
And me mother’s first cousin, Mick Ryan from Portlaw
And big Paddy Kelly from Erin Go Bragh

The scrimmage we had would delight you to see
Good lord how we shook our shillelaghs with glee
We leathered them well and we laughed at their law
And we showed them the game played in Erin Go Bragh
Well, we leathered them well and we laughed at their law
And we showed them the game played in Erin Go Bragh

As sung by the Flanagan Brothers.

Excerpt from the Dungarvan Leader on April 6, 1990:
“In days gone be, Ireland was renowned for its tough men and its faction fights at Fairs and other ‘social’ gatherings. A lot of our rough customers were exported to Britain and stories of how many of them fared in ‘arguments’ and the like, were plentiful once upon a time. A couple of months ago going through some old G.A.A. papers, I found the following which illustrates the point I am trying to make.”

This song has also been seen named as The Game Played In Eireann Go Braigh.