Chumbawamba sings these lyrics on a recording at YouTube, which I believe comes from their album "English Rebel Songs 1381-1984" (1998).

Note that these lyrics are the same as those posted by Zorro#2 above, except for the words I have boldfaced; also his verses 3, 4, and 7 have been omitted. (For easy comparison, I have kept his verse numbers.) Also, a chorus has been added.


THE SMASHING OF THE VAN

1. Attend, you gallant Irishmen, and listen for a while.
I'll sing to you the praises the sons of Erin's isle.
It's of those gallant heroes who voluntarily ran
To release two Irish shamrocks from an English prison van.

2. The eighteenth of September, it was in that dreadful year,
When sorrow and excitement ran throughout all Lancashire.
At a gath'rin' of the Irish boys, they volunteered each man
To release those Irish prisoners out of the prison van.

CHORUS: Hurrah, my lads, for freedom! Let's all join heart and hand.
May the Lord have mercy on the boys that helped to smash the van.

5. In Manchester one morning, those good heroes did agree,
Their leaders, Kelly and Deasy, should have their liberty.
They drank a health to Ireland and soon made up a plan
To meet the prisoners on the road and take and smash the van. CHORUS

6. With courage bold those heroes went and soon the van did stop.
They cleared the guards from back and front and then smashed in the top,
But in blowing open of the lock, they chanced to kill a man,
So three men must die on the scaffold high for smashing of the van. CHORUS

8. So now, kind friends, I will conclude: I think it would be right
That all true-hearted Irishmen together should unite,
Together should sympathize, my friends, and do the best we can
To keep the memories ever green of the boys that smashed the van. CHORUS