Once upon a time there was
Irish Ways and Irish Laws
Spillages of Irish blood
Waking to the morning
Waking to the morning
Then the Vikings came around
Turned us up and turned us down
Started building boats and towns
They tried to change our living
They tried to change our living
Cromwell and his soldiers came
Started centuries of shame
But they could not make us turn
We are a river flowing
We are a river flowing
Again, again the soldiers came
Burnt our houses, stole our grain
Shot the farmers in their fields
Working for a living
Working for a living
It's hundreds years we have been down
The secret of the water sound
Has kept the spirit of a man
Above the pain descending
Above the pain descending
Today the struggle carries on
I wonder, will I live so long
To see the gates be opened up
To a people and their freedom
A people and their freedom
Irish Ways and Irish Laws
Spillages of Irish blood
Waking to the morning
Waking to the morning
Then the Vikings came around
Turned us up and turned us down
Started building boats and towns
They tried to change our living
They tried to change our living
Cromwell and his soldiers came
Started centuries of shame
But they could not make us turn
We are a river flowing
We are a river flowing
Again, again the soldiers came
Burnt our houses, stole our grain
Shot the farmers in their fields
Working for a living
Working for a living
It's hundreds years we have been down
The secret of the water sound
Has kept the spirit of a man
Above the pain descending
Above the pain descending
Today the struggle carries on
I wonder, will I live so long
To see the gates be opened up
To a people and their freedom
A people and their freedom