The Brave Young Men Of Ireland Poem by Francis Duggan

The brave young men of Ireland who died in World War One
Their lives not celebrated when the battle had been won
Forgotten in their Homeland not one monument to their fame
That they are not remembered does seem an awful shame.

Lloyd George made them a promise that if they fought under the Union Jack
That Ireland to the Irish he would be handing back
And they thought that they were fighting for Irish freedom when they fought on Britain's side
And in the trenches of Europe thousands of young Irish died.

The brave young men of Ireland by Lloyd George were misled
He promised for to hand back Ireland to the Irish and they believed him when he said
That for their services to Britain's war cause small Nations their freedom would receive
But politicians are deceitful and they know how to deceive.

The brave young men of Ireland by the British Prime Minister were betrayed
He went back on a promise that to them by him was made
They are treated as traitors in their Homeland and honour to them is denied
Though they thought they fought for Ireland and in Ireland's cause they died.

They left their Irish towns and villages back in nineteen fourteen
The brave young men of Ireland their likes not since been seen
Yet disowned as traitors in their Homeland seems such a sad thing to say
They fought and died for Lloyd George's glory and their bones in Europe lay.

The brave young men of Ireland of them we should feel proud
They were the true war heroes where the gunfire echoed loud
For the love of their Homeland such a sacrifice they made
But never in their honour a ceremony or parade.