What's the news? What's the news? O my bold Shelmalier,
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With your long-barrelled gun, of the sea?
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Say, what wind from the sun blows his messenger here
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With a hymn of the dawn for the free?
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"Goodly news, goodly news, do I bring, youth of Forth,
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Goodly news do I bring, Bargy man!
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For the boys march at dawn from the south to the north
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Led by Kelly, the boy from Killanne!"
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Tell me who is the giant with the gold curling hair,
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He who rides at the head of the band?
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Seven feet is his height, with some inches to spare
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And he looks like a king in command!
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"Oh, me boys, that's the pride of the bold Shelmaliers,
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"Mongst our greatest of heroes, a man!
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Fling your beavers aloft and give three rousing cheers,
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for John Kelly, the boy from Killanne!"
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Enniscorthy's in flames, and old Wexford is won,
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And the Barrow tomorrow we cross.
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On a hill o'er the town we have planted a gun
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That will batter the gateways to Ross!
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All the Forth men and Bargy men march over the heath
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With brave Harvey to lead on the van;
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But the foremost of all in that grim gap of death
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Will be Kelly, the boy from Killanne!
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But the gold sun of freedom grew darkened at Ross
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And it set by the Slaney's red waves;
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And poor Wexford, stript naked, hung high on a cross
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With her heart pierced by traitors and slaves!
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Glory O! Glory O! to her brave sons who died
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For the cause of long-down-trodden man!
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Glory O! to mount Leinster's own darling and pride:
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Dauntless Kelly, the boy from Killanne!
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Kelly The Boy From Killanne
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| The Town Pants |