Come all you young rebels and list while I sing For the love of one's country is a terrible thing It banished fear with the speed of a flame And it makes us all part of the patriot game My name is O'Hanlon and I've just gone sixteen My home is in Monaghan where I was weaned I've learned all my life cruel England to blame And so I'm a part of the patriot game It's barely two years since I wandered away With a local battalion of the bold IRA I've read of our heroes and I wanted the same Just to play my own part in the patriot game This of ours has for long been half free Six counties are under John Bull's tyranny So I gave up my boyhood to drill and to train And to play my own part in the patriot game And now as I lie here my body all holes I think of those traitors who bargained and sold And I wish that my rifle had given the same To those Quislings who sold out the patriot game So come all you young rebels and list while I sing For the love of one's country is a terrible thing It banished fear with the speed of a flame And it makes us all part of the patriot game