The Dubliners - For What Died The Sons Of Roisin

For What Died The Sons Of Roisin

For what died the sons of Roisin?
Was it fame?
For what died the sons of Roisin?
Was it fame?
For what flowed Irelands blood
And rivers that began when Brian chased the Dane
And did not cease nor has not ceased
With the brave sons of 16
For what died the sons of Roisin?
Was it fame?


For what died the sons of Roisin?
Was it greed?
For what died the sons of Roisin?
Was it greed?
Was it greed that drove Wolfetone
To a paupers death
In a cell of cold wet stone
Will German, French or Dutch
Inscribe the Epitaph of Emmett
When we have sold enough of Ireland
To be but stranger in it
For what died the sons of Roisin?
Was it greed?


To whom do we owe our allegiance today?
To whom do we owe our allegiance today?
To those brave men who fought and died
That Roisin live again with pride
Her sons at home to work and sing
Her used to dance and make her valleys ring
Or her faceless men, who for Marc and Dollar
Betray her to the highest bidder
To whom do we owe our allegiance today?


For what suffer our patriots today?
For what suffer our patriots today?
They have a language problem
So they say
How to write No Trespass
Must grieve their hearts full sore
We got rid of one strange language
Now were faced with many, many more
For what suffer our patriots today?