Take It Down From The Mast Lyrics And guitar chords

Take It Down From The Mast Lyrics And Guitar Chords.

The treaty was signed 6 December 1921 and this song was recorded on 6 December 1971, 50 years after the treaty.Names mentioned in the song include. Liam Mellows, Rory O’Connor and Joseph McKelvey Who were all in The Four Courts when it was shelled by Free State Forces. They surrendered after two days of intense Fighting and were all later executed in reprisal for the killing of Free Stater Sean Hales. The singer here with The Dubliners Is Ciaran Burke. The song was written by Dominic Behan in 1953, The I.R.A. at the time regarded their Civil War opponents as traitors and therefore unworthy to use the Irish tricolor. I have been reluctant for many years to place this song on the site because it takes the side of the anti treaty and the fact that only a few months earlier they all fought side by side for a common goal and now they are called ''anti Irish'' , it's a contentious song that I have never heard sang at a ballad session and believe me I have been to hundreds. Every four to five years when there's a general election in Ireland people still vote for the party that took one side or the other during the Civil War even though it's been almost 80 years.

Take[D] it down from the mast, Irish [Bmtraitors,

The [G]flag we Re[A]publicans[D] claim.

It can never belong to Free [A]Staters.

You [G]brought on it [A]nothing but [D]shame.

Then leave it to those who are willin'

To uphold it in war or in peace.

The men who intended to kill it,

Until England's tyranny cease.

You've taken our brave Liam and Rory,

You've murdered young Richard and Joe.

Your hands with their blood are still gory,

From fillin' the work of the foe.

For we stand with Enright and Larkin,

With Daley and Sullivan the bold.

We'll break down the English connection,

And bring back the nation you sold.

Take it down from the mast, Irish traitors,

The flag we Republicans claim.

It can never belong to Free Staters,

You brought on in nothing but shame