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Ní Thosaimíd an Tine
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I thought I’d celebrate this blog’s success in the nominations for the Irish Blog Awards by republishing a post that got me on the shortlist for best blog post last year. I guess the lyrics also have a revelance to the upcoming election as well, so hopefully I get away with not having anything new to post this week!
[sing to the tune of Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start The Fire”]
Druid Law, high kings, Cúchulainn, bronze things
Newgrange, Celts invade, Romans stay away
O’Neill dynasty, St Patrick, snakes flee
Monasteries, Book of Kells, Vikings from Norway
Waterford settlements, Dubh Linn battlements,
Clontarf, Brian Boru, everywhere another war
Many kingdoms come and go, tuatha rule, Strongbow
King Henry, Papal Bull, English army come ashore
Ní thosaímid an tine
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
Ní thosaímid an tine
No we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight it
Rule of Anglo Norman Lords, rise of Gaelic folklore,
Kilkenny Statutes, fortify the Pale
Reformation taking hold, Silken Thomas getting bold,
Poynings and Penal Laws, All rebellions fail
Catholicism stands its ground, will not to the king be bound
Cromwell, Will of Orange, Boyne battle, nation torn
Food exported, landlord greed, tenants they have mouths to feed
Wolfe Tone, not alone, Act of Union from the throne
Ní thosaímid an tine
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
Ní thosaímid an tine
No we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight it
Dan O’Connell wants repeal, not without the royal seal,
Spud blight, Great Famine, population fell
Irish language in decline, Georgian buldings to design,
IRB, Robert Emmet, Charles Stuart Parnell
Home Rule, Dublin slums, Ulster fears a day will come,
GAA, Land League, Fair, Free, Fixity
Great War, Inspiration, GPO proclamation
Long Fella, Big Fella, War over a Treaty
Ní thosaímid an tine
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
Ní thosaímid an tine
No we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight it
Free State, Fianna Fáil, Elections for the first Dáil
Resolution, Constitution, Neutrality
Pull out of the Commonwealth, Economy in poor health
Belfast, Sean Lemass, Behan-Joyce-O’Casey
James Craig, RUC, Gerrymander policy
Bloody Sunday, IRA, what else do I have to say
Ní thosaímid an tine
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
Ní thosaímid an tine
No we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight it
John Hume, EEC, Dr Garrett, RTE
CJ Haughey, H-block, Celtic Tiger, Geldof
U2, Boys In Green, D4-Culchie-Jackeen
X case, church and state, Good Friday mandate
Teflon Bertie, Eddie Hobbs, Immigrants do low-paid jobs
Millions wasted everywhere, Young and old in need of care
Can the Troubles be ignored, with Adams-Paisley to the fore
Does it mean an end to war? Cos I can’t take it anymore!
Ní thosaímid an tine
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
Ní thosaímid an tine
But when we are gone
Will it still burn on and on and on…
© B Joel 1989, JL Pagano 2005
Oh my god, if I log onto another blog where the author is bragging about making it to the finals of the blog awards I will scream….get over it…its not the Olympics….basically you guys got all your friends to vote for you…no big deal…CK
I see someone likes their grapes sour? Besides – I don’t accept any credit for the achievement – this blog is Cian and Simon’s baby, I just add the odd post.
You never know, Conor, you may be nominated next year if you work really, really hard at it.
Au contraire JL its the contributors that make the site what it is and thats something I would like to stress.
Also I quite like that version JL, it goes very well. Live performance on Saturday night?
Yes double for me. We are just contributors like anyone else. Everyone else is equally entitled to post. And indeed most of the sensible things on this site are by people who are not me. So please post more to save to world from my diatribes about VAT