A Story As Told By Dan Poem by Francis Duggan

I know this ageing Irish fellow Dan
His mother's father fought against the Black and Tan
By all accounts he was a noble man
And he is one still honoured by his clan.

In a shoot out with the Crown Forces he died
Caught in the open and with nowhere to hide
And though outnumbered thirty five to one
He would not surrender nor did he try to run.

His mother told him how her mother was in tears
And for her dead husband she grieved for years
But against the Tans she did not hold a grudge
She said that she was not to be their judge.

His mother knew life under British Rule
On the road she often passed the Tans on her way to and from school
But they never harmed her in any way
And some of them even smiled and said good day.

His mother said the tans were just young men
Fighting in a war they were not meant to win
And in ambushes around the countryside
Many soldier sons of British mothers died.

And when the British left Ireland the civil war began
And Irish man fought against Irish man
And even in her twilight years his mother did recall
That it was the bitterest battle of them all.

I know this ageing Irish fellow Dan
His grand dad fought against the Black and Tan
And he died like a true soldier under fire
And in his death the bards to song he did inspire.