I'm reminded of WH Auden's poem Spain, which he later renounced.

There was this line about how after the conflict, there would be time for 'young poets exploding like bombs'.

Orwell said, this is a poem written by someone who doesn't know that bombs kill people.
Quite a sage remark!

The IRA chant is just the booze talking.

I know we move in different circles musically Jim, but I do know several Irish singers, who whilst acknowledging the beauty of many pf the rebel songs, just totally refuse to sing them. Just a fear of what they might unleash, I suppose.
Certainly I was stopped one day in pub in Nottingham for singing On the One Road, by the landlady. This is a pub where I was getting requests for Sean South, from one faction. I wouldn't have minded singing it, but the landlady was quite adamant.

Like I say, its not what you find offensive, someone with different experiences (like Orwell had to Auden) might have a different view.