Kevin Barry was de eerste Ierse opstandeling sinds de Paasopstand van 1916, die door de Engelse bezetter werd opgehangen. Hier wordt hij bezongen door Leonard Cohen.
Early on a Sunday morning
High upon the gallow tree
Kevin Barry gave his young life
For the cause of liberty
Just a lad of eighteen summers
Yet there’s no one can deny
That he went to death that morning
Nobly held his head on high
Shoot me like an Irish soldier
Do not hang me like a dog
For I fought for Ireland’s freedom
On that dark September morn
All around the little bakery
Where we fought them hand to hand
Shoot me like an Irish soldier
For I fought to free Ireland
Just before he faced the hangman
In his lonely prison cell
British soldiers tortured Barry
Just because he would not tell
The names of his brave comrades
Other things they wished to know
Turn informer and we’ll free you
Proudly Barry answered “No”
Shoot me like an Irish soldier
Do not hang me like a dog
For I fought for Ireland’s freedom
On that dark September morn
All around the little bakery
Where we fought them hand to hand
Shoot me like an Irish soldier
For I fought to free Ireland
Proudly standing to attention
While he bade his last farewell
To his broken hearted mother
Whose grief no one can tell
For the cause he proudly cherished
This sad parting had to be
Then to death walked softly smiling
That old Ireland might be free
Another martyr for old Ireland
Another murder for the crown
Whose brutal laws may kill the Irish
But can’t keep their spirit down
Lads like Barry are no cowards
From the foe they will not fly
Lads like Barry will free Ireland
For her sake they’ll live and die
1972
– Uitgelichte afbeelding: Door Keogh Brothers Ltd, Dublin – http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~irlcar2/K_Barry.htm, Publiek domein, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18878947
