"Connacht Rangers" - Connacht Rangers (July 1881 - 6 December 1922) Song

For my Great Grandfather who fought in the Connacht Rangers

"Connacht Rangers" is a song of the famous Irish regiment the Connacht Rangers, who existed from July 1881 until the birth of the Irish Free State on 6 December 1922.

Lyrics:
In our army we're the best
From the north, south, east or west
The best of boys are following the drum.
We are mighty hard to bate,
I may say without concete,
Faith the enemy are welcome when they come.
Be they Russian, French or Dutch
It doesn't matter much,
We're the boys to give 'em sugar in their tay
For we're the Connacht Rangers,
The lads to face all dangers,
Faugh-a-ballagh, faugh-a-aballagh, Clear the way!

You may talk about your guards boys
Your lancers and hussars boys
Your fusiliers and royal artillery (without the guns)
The girls we drive'em crazy, the foe we beat them easy
The rangers from old Connacht, yaarrr, the land across the sea!

Now allow me here to state,
It is counted quite a trate,
In old Ireland just for fight for friends's sake
To crack your neighbor's head,
Or maybe your own instead.
Faith 'tis just the fun and glory of a wake
So you see all Irish boys are accustomed to such noise
It's as natural as drinking whiskey neat.
For there's none among them all, from Kingstown to Donegal, Like the gallant Connacht Ranger on his beat.

T'was Bonaparte who said as the Frenchmen on he led
Marshall Soult, be them the Rangers do you know?
Faith says Soult, there's no mistake, to our heels we'd better take
I think it's time for you and I to go.
When the colleens hear their step, it makes their hearts to leap
Aaargh, jewels will ye wist till Parrick's day?
For they are the Connacht Rangers, the boys that fear no dangers
And they're the lads that always take the sway.

Now you haven't far to search, for the lads who best can march
The lads that never fear the longest day,
Faith you easily will know, their dashing step will show
Tis the Connacht boys who always lead the way.
If me words perhaps you doubt, come and join 'em on a route
I'm thinkin' you'll not find it quite a treat;
You'll see them in the van, you may catch them if you can
Faith you'll have to travel fast or you'll be late.