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Searc's Web Guide to 20th Century Ireland - Sean Milroy (Circa.1916)
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Email: info@searcs-web.com Searc's Web Guide to 20th Century Ireland - Sean Milroy (Circa.1916) |
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Sean Milroy was born and educated in Belfast. He joined the Irish Volunteers in 1914 and
was interned in Reading Gaol, England at the outbreak of the First World War. Among his
fellow internees were
Arthur Griffith;
Terence MacSwiney,
Edward Darrell Figgis and
J.J. O'Kelly
who, together, compiled a small hand-written notebook of poems and songs
entitled 'The Book of Cells' for circulation among the internees. Milroy composed the song Cumann na mBan (below) while in Reading Gaol. It is among the poems included in 'The Book of Cells' which was in the possession of Colonel 'Ginger' O'Connell (Commander in Chief of the Free State Army during the Irish Civil War) until 1978 when he sold it to the National Library of Ireland for £600.© To the air of 'The Men of the West' While you honour in song and in story The fighters who shouldered a gun And recked not though death's stings shall they reach, If so Ireland's freedom were won. Forget not the women of Erin Who stood without tremour or dread Beside those who battled for freedom Mid shell-fire and deluge of lead. Chorus: Then heres to the women of Erin Who bravely faced death in the van Old Ireland is proud of her daughters Hurrah! For the Cumann na mBan. Our tricolour flag flew to heaven Proclaiming o'er old Dublin town That men of the Nation now wakened Would die ere that flag would come down. And into our ranks came our colleens Like the women of Limerick of old And their smiles made our weakest a hero Write their fame boys in letters of gold. Chorus: Though the fight in the old G.P.O Boys Came to grief as its flames touched the sky We hit there a fire that will blaze boys Till the power of the Saxon shall die And cherish forever the glory, While this page of our records you scan Of those valiant daughters of Erin Hurrah! For the Cumann na mBan. © Searc's Web Guide 1997-2008 |
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