The Boys of the Old Brigade is an Irish rebel song written by Paddy McGuigan about the Irish Republican Army of the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921), and the anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising.

Lyrics

The song describes a veteran of the Easter Rising telling a young man about his old comrades in the Irish Republican Army. Each chorus ends with the Irish language phrase "a ghrá mo chroí (love of my heart), I long to see, the Boys of the Old Brigade". Oh, father why are you so sad On this bright Easter morn' When Irish men are proud and glad Of the land that they were born?! Oh, son, I see in mem’ries few Of far off distant days When being just a lad like you I joined the IRA Where are the lads that stood with me When history was made? A Ghra Mo Chroi, I long to see The boys of the old brigade From hills and farms the call to arms Was heard by one and all And from the glen came brave young men To answer Ireland’s call T'was long ago we faced the foe The old brigade and me And by my side they fought and died That Ireland might be free Where are the lads that stood with me When history was made? A Ghra Mo Chroi, I long to see The boys of the old brigade And now, my boy, I’ve told you why On Easter morn' I sigh For I recall my comrades all Of dark old days gone by I think of men who fought in glen With rifle and grenade May heaven keep the men who sleep From the ranks of the old brigade Where are the lads that stood with me When history was made? A Ghra Mo Chroi, I long to see The boys of the old brigade

Controversy

In 2006, Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell suggested that he was embarrassed by "offensive" chants in support of the Provisional IRA, even though these songs were political and not "overtly sectarian". In 2007, Celtic chairman Brian Quinn suggested that the "Boys of the Old Brigade" had no place at Celtic Park. In 2008, UEFA abandoned an investigation into Celtic supporters singing the "Boys of the Old Brigade" due to lack of evidence. In April 2011, Strathclyde Police chief superintendent, Andy Bates, warned that as part of a crackdown on sectarian singing at an upcoming Old Firm game: "If you sing the Boys of the Old Brigade, we'll arrest you and there have been convictions in court before where that song is concerned." BBC Sportscene's Rob MacLean accused Celtic supporters of being sectarian for singing the song in May 2011. In 2011, a Scottish court suggested that those showing support to the IRA were not being offensive to members of "a religious group".