Here's a song of young lives lost before their times, Of four daring lads cut down in their prime In a land that longs for freedom and for peace It's a prayer that all the heartache soon might cease
Sometimes it's hard to find the words to say, When the cut's so deep the pain won't go away How much longer must we struggle, mourn and pray, Til we see the light of Freedom's dawning day?
In their boyhood years these lads learned at first hand: They were only second class in their own land, Stopped and searched by police each time they walked the streets And degraded by each foot-patrol they'd meet
To those RUC and soldiers it was fun, To intimidate our children with their guns But there's some young folk who won't take any more And there's some who want to even up the score
Barry O'Donnell was a thorn in England's side And he led his volunteers with dauntless pride Sean O'Farrell stood beside him all the while And we never will forget his roguesh smile
Countless times in action theses pair played their part That they couldn't hold them broke the soldiers' hearts But both lads knew they lived on borrowed time But they'd make their mark before they crossed the line
In Coalisland sqaure that February night Oh the sentries in the barracks all took fright For on the lorry coming straight ahead Was a unit of the East Tyrone Brigade
From that lorry's back the Irish flag flew high And the big machine gun pointed to the sky And when Barry with that gun began to shoot How those Brits there longed for transfers to Beirut
As the chaser bullets split the barrack wall Those bold volunteers they showed no fear at all As the lorry drove away the people cheered Letting knowing that their prize would soon be tears
It was the boldest deed that little town had known In the all the years of struggle in Tyrone But it was the saddest night that town would come to know For the S.A.S. lay waiting at Clonoe
It was not until they had the big gun down And the volunteers thought they were safe and sound That the SAS they opened up from every side And on that killing ground four brave lads died
We lost bold Peter Clancy on that night A volunteer who scorned Brittania's might Young Paddy Vincent died there by his side He lost his life for what he thought was right
WE SALUTE YOU BARRY, PETER, PADDY, SEAN THOUGH YOU'VE LEFT US, STILL YOUR MEMORY WILL LIVE ON FOR TO THE CROWN THE KNEE YOU'D NEVER BEND AND YOU WERE BOLD AND FEARLESS TO THE END
So come all of you who love your native land As for peace and freedom we march hand in hand Our brave volunteers have not been lost in vain From the ashes we can build our land again
Here's a song of young lives lost before their time...