Take It Down from the Mast
"Take it Down from the Mast" is an Irish republican song originally written in 1923 by James Ryan, and published in Leslie Daiken's collection Good-Bye, Twilight: Songs of Struggle in Ireland in 1936, entitled "Lines Written by an Irish Soldier in 1923".[1] Its lyrics refer to the Irish Civil War (1922–23).
In the 1950s a version written by Dominic Behan [2] specifically referred to the execution of four members of the IRA Executive—Dubliner Rory O'Connor, who had commanded the Four Courts garrison at the outbreak of the Civil War, Galway Republican Liam Mellows, Cork republican Richard Barrett and Tyrone republican officer Joseph McKelvey. Their execution was a reprisal for the IRA's assassination on the previous day, 7 December 1922, of Sean Hales TD.
The flag in question is the Irish tricolour, which the song tells supporters of the Anglo-Irish Treaty and the Irish Free State to take down and cease using, as it is also the flag of the Irish Republic, which the "Free Staters" betrayed.
At the time, the Anti-Treaty IRA regarded their Civil War opponents as traitors and therefore unworthy to use the Irish tricolour.
Traditional lyrics
You have murdered our brave Liam and Rory
You have butchered young Richard and Joe
And your hands with their blood are still gory
Fulfilling the work of the foe.
Refrain
So take it down from the mast, Irish traitors,
It's the flag we Republicans claim.
It can never belong to Free Staters,
For you've brought on it nothing but shame.
Then leave it to those who are willing
To uphold it in war and in peace,
To those men who intend to do killing
Until England's tyranny cease.
Refrain
We'll stand by Enright and Larkin
With Daly and Sullivan the bold
And we'll break down the English connection
And bring back the nation you sold.
Refrain
You sold out the Six Counties for your freedom
When we have given you McCracken and Wolfe Tone
And brave Ulstermen have fought for you in Dublin
Now you watch as we fight on alone.
Refrain
And up in Ulster we're fighting on for freedom
For our people they yearn to be free
You executed those men who fought for us
With a hangman from over the sea.
Refrain
Repeat first stanza
Refrain
References
- Lawrence and Wishart, London, 1936, p. 90
- Nick Guida. "the Dominic Behan discography (1957-1961) at theBalladeers". Theballadeers.com. Archived from the original on 2013-12-06. Retrieved 2014-03-27.