Luke Kelly
For What Died the Sons of Roisin[Poem]
For What Died the Sons of Róisín, was it fame
For What Died the Sons of Róisín, was it fame
For what flowed Irelands blood in rivers
That began when Brian chased the Dane
And did not cease nor has not ceased
With the brave sons of '16
For what died the sons of Róisín, was it fame

For What Died the Sons of Róisín, was it greed
For What Died the Sons of Róisín, was it greed
Was it greed that drove Wolfe Tone to a paupers death in a cell of cold wet stone?
Will German, French or Dutch inscribe the epitaph of Emmet?
When we have sold enough of Ireland to be but strangers in it
For What Died the Sons of Róisín, was it greed

To whom do we owe our allegiance today
To whom do we owe our allegiance today
To those brave men who fought and died that Róisín live again with pride?
Her sons at home to work and sing
Her youth to dance and make her valleys ring
Or the faceless men who for Mark and Dollar
Betray her to the highest bidder
To whom do we owe our allegiance today

For what suffer our patriots today
For what suffer our patriots today
They have a language problem, so they say
How to write "No Trespass" must grieve their heart full sore
We got rid of one strange language now we are faced with many, many more
For what suffer our patriots today