the variations on this thread show the depth of feeling about the Irish situation surely all right minded people desire peace but peace will only be achieved with understanding, if you accept this premiss then all folk songs,from either side and regardless of subject matter, are valuable; folk songs by their very nature are the feelings of the writer for all to hear, as they get older they are "history" when fresh they are a guide to current thinking by the writer and others who think like he or she does. I therefore submit that this song is valid and should not be disregarded because it is violent, this from someone who would have been breakfsting in the mess hall of the royal marines school of music when it was blown up if not for a broken down van. I am against the violence, Too much has happend to go back, we can only go forward. There are people on both sides of the "border" of Catholic, Protestant and pagan religeons that I am proud to call friends, may the day when friendship heals the wounds come quickly.

jon