Viva La Quinta 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 Fifth 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 Pasarán," 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 Córdoba With Na Fianna he learned to hold his gun From Dublin to the Villa del Rio Where he fought and died beneath the blazing sun Viva la Quinta Brigada "No Pasarán," 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 enlist his crew The word came from Maynooth, "Support the Nazis" The men of cloth failed again When the Bishops blessed the Blueshirts in Dun Laoghaire As they sailed beneath the swastika to Spain Viva la Quinta Brigada "No Pasarán," 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 (Okay) Viva la Quinta Brigada Let us all remember them tonight