Dublin City (Union)
(Donagh McDonagh)

In Dublin City in nineteen thirteen,
The boss was boss and the employed a slave
The women worked and the child grew hungry
Till Larkin came like a mighty wave
The worker cringed when the boss man thundered
and seventy hours was his weekly chore
He asked for little and less was given
Lest given little he would ask for more

Then on came Larkin in nineteen thirteen
A mighty man with a mighty tongue
The voice of labour, the voice of justice
And he was gifted and he was young
God sent Larkin in nineteen thirteen
A labouring man with a Union tongue
He raised the worker and gave him courage
He was the hero, the worker's son.

In the month of August the boss man told us
No union man for him would work
We stood by Larkin, we told the boss man
To fight, to starve, Oh, we would not shirk
Eight months we fought and eight months we starved
We followed Larkin through thick and thin
But foodless homes and weeping children
They broke our hearts and we could not win

When Larkin left us we seemed deserted,
The sky was black for our workless men
Till Connolly came with new hope and counsel,
His slogan was "We'll rise again"
In Dublin City in nineteen sixteen
The British Army they shelled the town
The burned the buildings they took our leaders
The Harp lay crushed 'neath the bloody crown

They shot McDonagh and Pearse and Plunkett
They shot McDermott and Clarke the brave
From bleak Kilmainham they took Ceannt's body
To Arbour Hill and a quicklime grave
And last of all our seven captains
A dying man, they shot James Connolly
The voice of freedom, the Sword of Labour
He gave his life that men might be free

MR
apr97