The Boys of the Old Brigade


For the English slow march, see The Old Brigade
The Boys of the Old Brigade is an Irish rebel song written by Paddy McGuigan about the Irish Republican Army of the Irish War of Independence, and the anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising.

Lyrics

The song describes a veteran of the Easter Rising telling a young man about his old comrades in the Irish Republican Army. Each chorus ends with the Irish language phrase "a ghrá mo chroí, I long to see, the Boys of the Old Brigade".
Oh, father why are you so sad

On this bright Easter morn'

When Irish men are proud and glad

Of the land that they were born?

Oh, son, I see in mem’ries few

Of far off distant days

When being just a lad like you

I joined the IRA
Where are the lads that stood with me

When history was made?

A Ghra Mo Chroi, I long to see

The boys of the old brigade
From hills and farms a call to arms

Was heard by one and all

And from the glen came brave young men

To answer Ireland’s call

'T wasn’t long ago we faced a foe

The old brigade and me

And by my side they fought and died

That Ireland might be free
Where are the lads that stood with me

When history was made?

A Ghra Mo Chroi, I long to see

The boys of the old brigade
And now, my boy, I’ve told you why

On Easter morn' I sigh

For I recall my comrades all

And dark old days gone by

I think of men who fought in glen

With rifle and grenade

May heaven keep the men who sleep

From the ranks of the old brigade
Where are the lads that stood with me

When history was made?

A Ghra Mo Chroi, I long to see

The boys of the old brigade

Controversy

In 2006, Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell suggested that he was embarrassed by "offensive" chants in support of the Provisional IRA, even though these songs were political and not "overtly sectarian".
In 2007, Celtic chairman Brian Quinn suggested that the "Boys of the Old Brigade" had no place at Celtic Park.
In 2008, UEFA abandoned an investigation into Celtic supporters singing the "Boys of the Old Brigade" due to lack of evidence.
In April 2011, Strathclyde Police chief superintendent, Andy Bates, warned that as part of a crackdown on sectarian singing at an upcoming Old Firm game: "If you sing the Boys of the Old Brigade, we'll arrest you and there have been convictions in court before where that song is concerned."
BBC Sportscene's Rob MacLean accused Celtic supporters of being sectarian for singing the song in May 2011.
In 2011, a Scottish court suggested that those showing support to the IRA were not being offensive to members of "a religious group",