THE IRISH SOLDIER LADDIE, available on CD entitled "Paddy Noonan's Irish Party" (Rego Irish Records, catalogue #20,000, phone 516 328-7800) sung by Marie Frances. Here are the words:

One morning in July I was walking through Tipperary
When I heard the battle cry from the mountain overhead.
Then I looked up in the sky, saw an Irish soldier laddie.
He looked at me right fearlessly and said:
"Will you stand in the band like a true Irishman
And go and fight the forces of the crown?
Will you march with O'Neill and an Irish battlefield?
For tonight we go to free old Wexford town."

Said I to the soldier boy, "Please take me to your captain,
For 'twould be my pride and joy just to march with you today.
For my brother died at Cork, and my son at Enniscorthy,
And to your noble captain I will say:
"I will stand in the band like a true Irishman
And go and fight the forces of the crown.
I will march with O'Neill to an Irish battlefield,
For tonight we'll go to save old Wexford town."

We returned back from the field in the shadow of the evening
With our banner flying low in the memory of the dead.
I returned back to my home, but without that soldier laddie,
But I never will forget the words he said:
"Will ye stand in the band like a true Irishman?
Will ye go and fight the forces of the crown?
Will ye march with O'Neill to an Irish battlefield?
For tonight we'll go to free old Wexford town."