Patsy O'Hara

It occured to me that the song I wrote earlier about Bobby Sands could and should apply to all the hunger-strikers who died in 1981 (as well as other republicans who died on hunger-strike). I'm not going to do this for all of them on or around the anniversary their deaths, but I think I'll compromise and do it for some. The first member of the Irish National Liberation Army to die on hunger-strike in 1981 was Patsy O'Hara.

This song is "Those Lyrics." It's also one the top 10 out of about 60.

For the rest of the poems click on the "lyrics" label at the bottom (there are at least two pages worth of posts, so click on the "older posts" at the bottom of the first page).

"Son of Ireland" based on "Son of Britain" by Saga, original lyrics are here.

1. Patsy O'Hara was the fourth of 10 republican prisoners to die on hunger-strike in 1981, demanding to be treated as prisoners of war instead of as criminals. See most of the second half of this for how much support they had) (also this for more of the background)
2. Considering the original, I should explain what is probably obvious, that Irish pride is almost always very different from white pride. (I just heard something making me think that it's probably a small minority of northern nationalists that would talk about "Irish pride"; I still feel odd completely re-writing that line, so I'm going to keep it)
3. James Connolly was Ireland's greatest socialist/republican.
4. There are 32-counties in Ireland.
5. Unfortunately, the line about preasuring the enemy is more or less an endorsement of Sinn Fein's strategy, and O'Hara's movement, the RSM, is not very impressed by that, but I can't think of anything to do about this and am reluctant to not mark his death.
**5. 46% of this version is me, 54% is the original.
6. My thoughts on the Republican Socialist Movement are here.
7. I give this song/poem five out of five stars.
UPDATE 2/3/11 8. When I say he was an anti-fascist soldier, I don't mean that the enemy he was fighting was fascist, because overwhelmingly they weren't. But he was anti-fascist and he was a soldier.
UPDATE 2/3/11 9. Derry is N. Ireland's second largest city.
8. There's some anti-fascist stuff, and although the original is by a scandanavian not British Nazi, it's about a british nazi who was a major supporter of the British and Unionist causes.

From the great city of Derry, a warrior came to us.
He inspired courage and bravery in a struggle that's so just
Patsy O'Hara has fallen, but his memory still lives on.
So it will continue, when the British presence has gone.

Chorus:
Our ranks are filled with comrades, marching down the street.
We are preassuring the enemy, let's force them to retreat!
Patsy O'Hara is still marching, walking by our side.
His words are still clear and loud, his spirit full of pride!

Patsy O'Hara's weapon, was the life he was willing to give
His spirit fills my backbone, and there it will always live.
An anti-fascist soldier a man who made Thatcher see
that she could not break those inspired by James Connolly

Chorus

When the 32-County republic rises, we wont forget this man,
who bravely fought and suffered and gave his life for Ireland
Fulfilment of his mission is now our destiny -
To free our nation, and to set our people free.

Chorus

One last note: Even with the songs that are only about 10% me (and at the upper end, one is 75% me), I have a request, although I don't have strong feelings or expectations about this. First, I want credit for these songs. Second, I'd appreciate it if the notes follow the lyrics around the internet. If you modify the lyrics further, please either make some notes for the changes if you leave some of my changes, or just provide a link to this URL so people can see my version. Although I'm not sure how many people will like what I'm doing with the lyrics, to one degree or another (depending on how much I changed them) I'm proud of these songs- and at the risk of getting a little personal, if people like the songs, I could really use the extra boost of getting credit for them right now (or if you don't like them, they were all written by Sarah Palin- that fascist, what kind of sick person enjoys altering racist lyrics?).