The Column

Arise, arise, hear th call of the land,
To arms, to arms, fight for the foreign threat.
Blood, blood, spill our Irish blood,
Honour, honour, for freedom we fight.

With their knowledge of war and social ideals
They set sail for the chaos in Spain.
A country divided by political strife,
Devastated by political gain.

The Irish Brigade were already there,
And had far greater numbers than they,
They fought for the church that was wholly corrupt,
Ans supported the Catholic way.

Arise, arise, hear th call of the land,
To arms, to arms, fight for the foreign threat.
Blood, blood, spill our Irish blood,
Honour, honour, for freedom we fight.

The column consisted of working men,
Led by their leader Frank Ryan.
A noble band of 80 souls
Faced the firing line

Countless died in the searing Spanish heat,
At Jarama many Irish men fell.
The Republican brothers were in retreat,
The threat they could not quell.