Once upon a time there were Irish Ways and Irish Laws Villages of Irish blood Waking to the morning Waking to the morning Then the Vikings came around Turned us up and turned us down Started building boats and towns They tried to change our living Tried to change our living Cromwell and his soldiers came Started centuries of shame But they could not make us turn We are a river flowing We're a river flowing Again, again the soldiers came Burnt our houses stole our grain Shot the farmers in their fields Working for livings Working for a living 800 years we have been down The secret of the water sound Has kept the spirit of a man Above the pain descending Above the pain descending Today the struggle carries on I wonder will I live so long To see the gates being opened up To a people and their freedom A people and their freedom Once upon a time there was Irish Ways and Irish Laws Villages of Irish blood Waking to the morning Waking to the morning