Viva La Quinte Brigada

Ten years before I saw the light of morning A comradeship of heroes was laid From every corner of the world came sailing The Fifteen International Brigade They came to stand beside the Spanish people To try and stem the rising fascist tide Franco's allies were the powerful and wealthy Frank Ryan's men came from the other side Even the olives were bleeding As the battle for Madrid it thundered on Truth and love against the force of evil Brotherhood against the fascist clan Viva la Quinta Brigada "No Pasaran", the pledge that made them fight "Adelante" is the cry around the hillside Let us all remember them tonight Bob Hilliard was a Church of Ireland pastor From Killarney across the Pyrenees he came From Derry came a brave young Christian Brother Side by side they fought and died in Spain Tommy Woods age seventeen died in Cordoba With Na Fianna he learned to hold his gun From Dublin to the Villa del Rio Where he fought and died beneath the stunning sun Viva la Quinta Brigada "No Pasaran", the pledge that made them fight "Adelante" is the cry around the hillside Let us all remember them tonight Many Irishmen heard the call of Franco Joined Hitler and Mussolini too Propaganda from the pulpit and newspapers Helped O'Duffy to gather up his crew And the word came from the Church, "support the Nazis" The men of cloth, they failed again But the Bishops blessed the Blueshirts in Dun Laoghaire As they sailed beneath the Swastika to Spain Viva la Quinta Brigada "No Pasaran", the pledge that made them fight "Adelante" is the cry around the hillside Let us all remember them tonight This song is a tribute to Frank Ryan Kit Conway and Dinny Coady too Peter Daly, Charlie Regan and Hugh Bonar Though many died, I can, but name a few Danny Boyle, Blaser-Brown and Charlie Donnelly Liam Tumilson and Jim Straney from Short Strand Jack Nalty, Tommy Patton and Frank Conroy Jim Foley, Tony Fox and Dick O'Neill Viva la Quinta Brigada "No Pasaran", the pledge that made them fight "Adelante" is the cry around the hillside Let us all remember them tonight Viva la Quinta Brigada Let us all remember them tonight Viva la Quinta Brigada Let us all remember them tonight Viva la Quinta Brigada Let us all remember them tonight