Fiolar,thanks again. Greg, I agree (mostly!).

"THE LAUGHING BOY" by Brendan Behan (From "The Hostage"[play]1958.

Twas on an August morning, all in the morning hours, I went to take the warming air, all in the month of flowers, and there I saw a maiden and heard her mournful cry, Oh what will mend my broken heart, I've lost my laughing boy.

So strong, so wide and brave he was, I'll mourn his loss too sore, when thinking that we'll hear the laugh or springing step no more, ah, curse the time, and sad my heart to crucify, that an Irish son, with a rebel gun, shot down my laughing boy.

Oh had he died by Pearse's side or in the GPO, killed by an English bullet from the rifle of a foe, Or forcibly fed while Ashe lay dead in the dungeons of Mountjoy, I'd have cried with pride at the way he died, my own dear laughing boy.

My princely love, can ageless love do more than tell you, "Go raibe mile maith Agath", for all you tried to do, for all you did and would have done, my enemies to destroy, I'll praise your name and guard you fame, my own dear laughing boy.

Note: Thomas Ashe (1885-1917), died being force-fed while on hunger strike in Mountjoy Jail, Dublin. His men had killed c.12 policemen in the Ashbourne Raid during the Easter Rising. Jailed for making seditious speech.

Song taken from: "The Mother of All the Behans" by Brian Behan. 1984.

(In the above book Brian Behan wrote, "when Kathleen was pregnant with Brendan she met Michael Collins on O'Connell Street Bridge[Dublin]...he pressed a ten pound note into her hand". Brian Behan wrote in "The Brothers Behan" (1998)- "even though Brendan wrote a song about Michael Collins he never sang it 'because I can never remember anything I write myself' ". In the same book he wrote of the £10 "donation" - "it was as if Collins had given the tenner to him personally".

MICHAEL COLLINS (author unknown - as recorded by "Cormac O'Moore" on "A Rebel's Heart: A Collection of Ireland's Most Popular Rebel Songs", 1998. (Purchased in Dublin, Feb 2002).

The bark of a dog breaks the silence, like a bitter last hurrah, and a raven spreads its wings for flight, over fields near Bealnablath, with a rifle clasped to his breast, but hanging low his head, a black August day[22nd] in the County Cork, Michael Collins is dead.

Chorus: Hang out your brightest colours(s), his memory now recall, each one wants a part of him, no one wants it all.

Working over in London town, when he joined the IRB, swore to use most deadly force his native land to free, his "squad" is ready and willing to strike, he is loved for his ruthless charm, the laughing boy smiles at the Casstle, it's a smile to cause alarm.

A British intelligence agent is working from a Dublin room, Michael Collins adds his name to a list that will take men to the tomb, a spy slowly rises from his chair, walks across the floor, a man with a Parabellum is knocking at the door.

Returning then to London town, who will take the blame, the Treaty lies before him, Michael Collins adds his name, there's a darker time upon the land, who will bear the load, an awkward hero in an armoured car, on an Irish country road.

Repeat first verse. Notes: IRB = Irish Republican Brotherhood (founded 1858). "Parabellum" = a gun of Italian manufacture.