‘A Tribute To The Men of 1916 And Beyond’
© Aine Harte Kelly 2016. All Rights Reserved.

1916 – A year we won’t forget,
a group of Irish rebels made the boldest attempt for freedom yet…
the bravest of the brave they fought to set us free
from the hellish existence of what was British tyranny.

Why did they have to fight, what was it all about?

Well, I really don’t need to explain I’m sure, but in case there is any doubt…
In 1916 those men gathered, their country they aimed to free
so an occupying army could not enslave you and me.
They left their homes and families
and bravely went to their ultimate doom
but in the hearts of those brave men
there was no room for fear nor gloom.
They had a vision and knew the time was right
and what happened in Dublin during those few days,
history has proved they were right.

To be a patriot is a gift so rare,
you feel it right inside the heart,
it isn’t something that just develops, it is there,
inside your very soul and it’s there right from the start.
Think of Plunkett, Pearse, Tone, James Connolly and all the rest and best,
they didn’t sit back and talk the talk
they put their love for Ireland to the fore and took that long long walk…

It’s time to honour their committment,
to really consider what they have done
for without the patriotism of those brave men
Ireland’s freedom would not have come…
their wouldn’t be an Ireland it would be a British state
and all we love and cherish others would hate.
So I stand now in tribute to all of those great Irishmen
and because of their bravery and fearless standing
Ireland is rising to full glory again.
I have to also mention the great women of ’16
for without their fearless fighting
our freedom may have just been a dream.
Thank you women of Ireland for being the backbone of the fight
and the fact that Ireland loves you all is because what you did was right.

Erin Go Bragh.