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When Fenians Fight For Freedom

Title: When Fenians Fight For Freedom
Additional Title:
First Line: Oh, I'm the boy that wears the green In spite of England's power;
First Line of Chorus: Roll on! Roll on! time will tell the tale,
Creator(s):
  • Tucker, Henry
  • Wood, Henry
Additional Names:
  • Budworth, J. H.
Publication Date: 1866
Instrumentation: Piano
Voice
Subject: Fenian Rising
Patriotic
WIMA Collections: Irish Fest Collection
ID: IF SL 00-845
Publisher: Wm. A. Pond & Co.
Publication Place: New York, NY
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Historical Notes

“When Fenians Fight For Freedom” takes an extremely direct approach and is more of a historical piece of its time. The line “Now the cruel war is over here, Let Ireland strike the blow” is a direct reference to the end of the American civil war. Once again these pieces were written in 1866.

A clue of how famous or noted the Fenians were at this time is “When Fenians Fight For Freedom” authors. Henry Tucker was a fairly famous songwriter who had a big hit in the civil war with “Weeping, Sad and Lonely, or, When This Cruel War Is Over” (1863).

From A Musical and Artistic Glimpse Inside the Fenians…150 Years Later blog post.

Lyrics

Oh, I'm the boy that wears the green,
In spite of England's power;
And in the future mist is seen
Sweet Erin's coming hour

Then keep your arms prepared to strike,
Old Ireland's sure to need them;
Saint Patrick will defend the right
When Fenians fight for freedom

Chorus:
Roll on! roll on! time will tell the tale
Roll on! roll on! The cause can never fail
Now the "cruel war is" over here
Let Ireland strike the blow
And we'll win the fight for "right is might,"
When Fenians fight for freedom

Then raise the glorious flag of green,
And strike the Harp of Erin;
Your hearts are bold, your blades are keen
Tis not the hour to fear in;

And should your children, orphans be,
Your country's love will feed them;
Awake! arise! and cross the sea
When Fenians Fight for Freedom

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