THE ORANGE AND THE GREEN
(Anon)

John Davies hears with great regret the news that's going round
That Sandy Ross has lost the fight at George's River ground
No more his crowing will be heard, no more his colours seen
For I think he's had enough this time of Foley and the green

Chorus
Oh, the green the colour of the brave, we'll raise high in the air
And to our enemies we'll show? the colour that we'll wear
For the orange flag has been pulled down, the battle fought out keen
And Sandy Ross has lost the fight at George's River green

The yellow ties they mustered strong upon that Tuesday morn
Poor Sandy he came up to time with his head and beard all shorn
When Foley stepped into the ring? to fight for Ireland's green

'Sinn Fein, Sinn Fein', he cried aloud as he saw his friends close by
'I've come to fight for Ireland's cause and for that cause I'll die
And to deny her colours ?I ne'er will be so mean
For in this ring die or win ?for dear old Ireland's green'

'Here's to him men, here's to him, boys', then Sandy Ross did say
'I've come to fight for old King Bill upon this glorious day
My yellow scarf around my waist that has come into bud
Will be dyed deep red upon this ground with this poor Fenian's blood'

They both shook hands, you'd really think no ill feeling lay between
The colours bright that made this fight, the orange and the green
For two long hours that fight did last, 'til Ross's seconds came between
And threw the sponge high in the air in favour of the green

The usual tune for this is 'Wearing of the green'. For a variant tune check out John Fahey 'Great Australian Folk Songs' p82.

Larry Foley, the Irish-Australian idol, fought Sandy Ross, a Scot, in a bare-knuckle fight that lasted 2 hours 40 minutes.

See page 231 of this document:

Click

--Stewie.