I knew Dominic Behan in the 1970s, and stayed with him at his house near Lesmahagow.   He sang a slightly different version from the one on Mudcat - just a few phrases changed here and there:


2nd Verse:

And did you share his dream so fair,
All in those woods and valleys,
and think like Sean how very long
His land had lain in slavery.

4th Verse

Because he heard, because he dared
To give the call to rally?

5th Verse

Or is young Sean in vain now gone
And dead his dream of liberty?


Dominic told me that he stood against the IRA for a time, and the meaning of the last verse is that no more martyrs were necessary - we had enough already. He was a fierce republican, but at some point he disagreed with policy or tactics of the IRA, and this was one reason he did not stay in Ireland. I cannot say if this was true - he was a good storyteller! - but that is what he told me...