I know the opening few lines but not the name, great song. Its one from the campaign of the 50's and early 60's.


Here goes: As I went in by Newry town a band of young men saw

They were the 1st Battallion of the men from south Armagh

With a fidee hi ho and fol la a do and a fid hee hi ho hi hey

Actually I have the 2nd verse as well

This band of freedom fighters they numbered barely ten

They're neither man nor devil sure they come from Crossmaglen

With a fidee hi ho etc.......

Much appreciated if anyone could give me the name of this song. Its not one I hear sung much anymore.

Mc Verry's Men

As I come down by Newry town
A band of young men saw
Well it was the first battallion of
The men of South Armagh
With a fiddy-I-O and a POW and a do and a fiddy I O I A

Oh have you crossed the border man
and did ye come that far
did you meet the soldiers on the road
did they have armoured cars
With a fiddy-I-O and a POW and a do and a fiddy I O I A

Well I have crossed the border man
and I have traveled far
Well I met the soldiers on the road
They were in two armoured cars
With a fiddy-I-O and a POW and a do and a fiddy I O I A

If this be true their leader said
then it's here we'll make our stand
Mc Verry gave the order then with a Thompson in his hand
With a fiddy-I-O and a POW and a do and a fiddy I O I A

This band of freedom fighters now
they numbered barely ten
they are neither man nor devil sure
they came from Crossmaglen
With a fiddy-I-O and a POW and a do and a fiddy I O I A

The paras come along the road
and into view at last
well a young man pulled the plunger out
there was a mighty balst
With a fiddy-I-O and a POW and a do and a fiddy I O I A

We opened up alog the ditch
with every gun we had
and before the ambush finished them
'we knew we'd hit them bad
With a fiddy-I-O and a POW and a do and a fiddy I O I A

When politicians raise their hands
and act of terror say
They let us rot for 50 years
and it was the only way

With a fiddy-I-O and a POW and a do and a fiddy I O I A



I've never heard the song, but there's the name and lyrics for you. Sounds good though.

Sl�n a chara

The tune is "Galway Races", right?

No its not Galway races . Slower tempo sort of onto the style of "The Rising of the moon" . Cant say I ever heard the Melody on another song. I heard it on a cassette tape titled "hours of glory" recorded by a man called Joe banjo burke about 25 years ago never heard it anywhere else, although I'm sure its well known around South Armagh.

Fianna, Thanks a bunch for unearthing those lyrics for me.

"Galway Races" fits great anyway... Just compose two verses into one... Sorry...