This is my best approximation of the text that Ian Lynch sings of John Sheil's song.

Sweet Liberty / The Prayer of Sheil
John Sheil, Drogheda, c. 1784—5th July 1872

A little Irish man am I,
A radical indeed, sir,
A radical I mean to die
It’s my religious creed, sir.
I love mankind, I do declare.
My life has taught me this, sir.
To some my love is quite sincere.
To others it is less, sir.

Chorus
Sweet liberty's the thing for me,
If I should ever feel, sir,
And Ireland free from slavery
Is still the prayer of Sheil, sir.

A man of my religious creed,
Suppose he were a bad man;
Were I to help him in his deed,
Would I not be a madman?
The Turk he is my fellow man.
The Jew the same indeed, sir.
To the infidel I raise my hand
And help him in his need, sir.


If man is just, it's naught to me
His colour or his clan, sir.
The earth is all one family
From Adam all began, sir;
But he who puts oppression down,
Well, that's the man for me, sir;
And I care not whether black or brown
His church or country, sir.

I’m still opposed to any strive
I love sweet peace I admit, sir
I wouldn’t hurt or take the life
Of any man on earth, sir
But still, I’ll try all valid means
To free my native land, sir
And through all Ireland’s lovely plains
All tyranny to ban, sir