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about
At the outbreak of war in 1914, many Irish men signed up for service in the British Army.
At Easter 1916 the Irish Republican Brotherhood launched an armed rebellion against British rule in Ireland. The execution by the British authorities of the rebel leaders in the aftermath of the Easter Rising led to an increased anti-British feeling across Ireland.
Many of those Irish men who served in the War found themselves ostracised by their communities on their return.
The song tells the fictional story of Johnny, just one of those 50,000 men
lyrics
Johnny, don’t be going off to war, now
Don’t be saying that you want to see the world
Won't you stay here with me in your home place
Stay here and mind your darling girl
Johnny, won't you stay and work the horses
To cut your father’s meadow and the corn
And we’ll walk across the fields and the hillsides
To hear the small birds singing in the morn
Maggie, I'm going off to Flanders
With the British expeditionary force
To join in the defence of small nations
To join in the war to end all wars
Maggie, I’m sailing with my comrades
Such a force of fighting men you've never seen
I’ll be back before Christmas turns to new year
Before nineteen fourteen turns to fifteen
Johnny, you've been gone away for so long, now
Nineteen fifteen has long turned to sixteen
And the rebels have risen up in Dublin
And Brits are shooting men down in the street
Johnny, there's talk about the town, now
How men like you are traitors to the cause
How you should have stayed and fought for your own land
And not be fighting some auld dirty foreign war
Maggie, you haven't written for so long, now
I long to read some words to ease my pain
They'll be sending me back home any day, now
For I was blown to smithereens at Passchendaele
Maggie, I'll no more work the horses
To cut my father’s meadow or the corn
But I'll still marry you if you'll have me
And we can get some labour in to work the farm
Ah, Johnny, don’t be trying to be a hero
When you could have stayed and fought for your own land
I'm so sorry for all that's happened to you
But for shame I could never take your hand
So, Johnny, I’ll not be waiting for you
I married Michael Brady back in June
He’s an honourable man, and a patriot
And I’m going to have his baby very soon
It’s a long, long way to Tipperary
It’s a long, long way for to go
It’s a long, long way to Tipperary
To the sweetest girl that I know
credits
released June 26, 2022
Lyrics - Andrew Lawlor
Music - Andrew Lawlor & Anna Fisher-Roberts
Andrew Lawlor - Vocals, Guitar
Anna Fisher-Roberts - Vocals, Flute
Produced by Andrew Lawlor
Mixed by Andrew Lawlor
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