Tribute to Bobby Sands

Born in Rathcoole
In the year of '54
Though surrounded by Orangemen
He was Irish to the core

He left school at 15
To pursue his chosen trade
3 years he was a coach builder
Then forced out by loyalsit hate

Then his family moved to Twinbrook
In the nationalist West Belfast
To escape intimidation
Though the mental scars did last

That's when he joined the I.R.A
To put his people first
To rid his home town Belfast
Of the orange hate-filled thirst

Interned in the H-Blocks
Barely 18 years of age
It was his home for 9 long years
Faced with bitterness and hate

They branded him a criminal
Not a prisoner of war
So he joined the blanket protest
With his comrades one and all

The Brits tried to break their spirit
But bthe blanket men stood firm
They kept their heads up high
And told the Brits to fuck off home!

Faced with daily torture
Through beatings and cell shifts
Their pain was only physical
Their minds were free, their hearts were blessed

Through Thatcher's empty promises
10 men died for the cause
Forced to go on hunger-strike
Bobby led them all

On the 1st of March '81
The strike it had begun
The strikers sacrificed their lives
So freedom could be won

Thatcher claimed they had no support
But she was proven wrong
When Bobby got 30,000 votes
In Fermanagh/South Tyrone

Bobby passed away on the 5th of May
The 66th day of his fast
But thanks to his poetry, songs and story
His legend forever will last