THE CONNAGHT RANGERS
(Lieutenant Charles Martin, ca 1890)
In our army we're the best
From the north, south east or west
The best of boys are following the drum.
We are mighty hard to bate,
I may say without concate,
Faith the enemy are welcome when they come.
Be they Russiand, French or Dutch
Sure it doesn't matter much,
We're the boys to give 'em sugar in their tay
For we're the Connaght Rangers,
The lads to face all dangers,
Fallaballah, fallaballah, Clear the way!
cho:
You may talk about your guards boys
Your lancers and hussars boys
Your fusiliers and royal artillery (without the guns)
The girls we drive'em crazy, the foe we beat them easy
The rangers from old Connaght, yaarrr, the land across the sea!
Now allow me here to state,
It is counted quite a trate,
In old Ireland just for fight for friendship's sake
To crack your neighbor's head,
Or maybe your own instead.
Faith 'tis just the fun and glory of a wake
So you see all Irish boys are accustomed to such noise
It's as natural as drinking whiskey neat.
For there's none among them all, from Kingston to Donegal,
Like the gallant Connaght Ranger on his beat.
Chorus
T'was Bonaparte who said as the Frenchmen on he led
Marshall Soult, be them the Rangers do you know?
Faith says Soult, there's no mistake, to our heels we'd better take
I think it's time for you and I to go.
When the colleens hear their step, it makes their hearts to leap
Aaargh, jewels will ye wist till Parrick's day?
For they are the Connaght Rangers, the boys that fear no dangers
And they're the lads that always take the sway.
Chorus
Now you haven't far to search, for the lads who best can march
The lads that never fear the longest day,
Faith you easily will know, their dashing step will show
Tis the Connaght boys who always lead the way.
If me words perhaps you doubt, come and join 'em on a route
I'm thinkin' you'll not find it quite a treat;
You'll see them in the van, you may catch them if you can
Faith you'll have to travel fast or you'll be late.
Chorus
From Songs and Music of the Redcoats, Winstock
Note: The Connaght Rangers, to the best of my recollection, were
a Northern Irish group in the British Army. They helped put
down the '98 rebellion. RG
