The Boys of the Old Brigade
Encyclopedia
For the English slow march, see The Old Brigade
The Boys of the Old Brigade is an Irish republican folk song written by Paddy McGuigan
about the Irish Republican Army
of the Irish War of Independence
(1919-1921), and the anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising
.
telling his son about his old comrades. Each chorus ends with the Irish language
phrase "a ghrá mo chroí (love of my heart), I long to see, the Boys of the Old Brigade".
The song begins:
Oh, father why are you so sad
On this bright Easter morn’
When Irish men are proud and glad
Of the land where they were born?
The chorus is:
Where are the lads that stood with me
When history was made?
A ghrá mo chroí, I long to see
The boys of the old brigade.
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",
The Old Brigade
For the Irish Republican song see The Boys of the Old BrigadeThe Old Brigade is a slow march written in 1881 with music by an Irishman Odoardo Barri and words by Frederic Weatherly. It was popularised by a 1926 recording by Peter Dawson...
The Boys of the Old Brigade is an Irish republican folk song written by Paddy McGuigan
Paddy McGuigan
Paddy McGuigan is an Irish musician who played for some years with the folk group Barleycorn. He has written some Irish rebel songs, including "The Men Behind the Wire", "The Boys of the Old Brigade", and "Irish Soldier Laddie"....
about the Irish Republican Army
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
of the Irish War of Independence
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence , Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed...
(1919-1921), and the anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising
Easter Rising
The Easter Rising was an insurrection staged in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland and establishing the Irish Republic at a time when the British Empire was heavily engaged in the First World War...
.
Lyrics
The song describes a veteran of the Easter RisingEaster Rising
The Easter Rising was an insurrection staged in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland and establishing the Irish Republic at a time when the British Empire was heavily engaged in the First World War...
telling his son about his old comrades. Each chorus ends with the Irish language
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
phrase "a ghrá mo chroí (love of my heart), I long to see, the Boys of the Old Brigade".
The song begins:
Oh, father why are you so sad
On this bright Easter morn’
When Irish men are proud and glad
Of the land where they were born?
The chorus is:
Where are the lads that stood with me
When history was made?
A ghrá mo chroí, I long to see
The boys of the old brigade.
Celtic fans
In 2006, CelticCeltic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
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
Celtic Park
Celtic Park is a football stadium in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which is the home ground of Celtic FC. Celtic Park, an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 60,832, is the largest football stadium in Scotland and the sixth-largest stadium in the United Kingdom, after Murrayfield, Old Trafford,...
.
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
Strathclyde Police
Strathclyde Police is the territorial police force responsible for the Scottish council areas of Argyll and Bute, City of Glasgow, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire and West...
chief superintendent, Andy Bates, warned that as part of a crackdown on sectarian singing at an upcoming Old Firm
Old Firm
The Old Firm is a common collective name for the association football clubs Celtic and Rangers, both based in Glasgow, Scotland.The origin of the term is unclear. One theory has it that the expression derives from Celtic's first game in 1888, which was played against Rangers. However, author,...
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",