The Patriot Game
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"The Patriot Game" is an Irish ballad that critically examines the posture of the IRA during the 1950s. The song is set in the period following World War II when the IRA launched a new campaign to bring about the reunification of Northern Ireland (which is currently part of the United Kingdom) with the Republic of Ireland into an independent united Ireland. It was written by Dominic Behan (younger brother of playwright Brendan Behan), the tune adapted from an earlier folksong,"The Merry Month Of May". The song tells the story of Fergal O'Hanlon, an IRA Volunteer from Ballybay, County Monaghan who achieved minor fame for taking part in an attack on Brookeborough Royal Ulster Constabulary barracks, in County Fermanagh on 1st January 1957. O'Hanlon was killed in the attack at the age of 20. This incident took place during The IRA's 1950s "Border Campaign"(1956 - 1962) which resulted in complete failure. The attack was devised and led by Sean Garland, an IRA man from Dublin - another volunteer, Seán South, from Limerick was also killed during the raid.
The song is perhaps one of the most famous to emerge from the Irish nationalist struggle, and is immensely popular amongst the IRA, as well as other groups. "The Patriot Game" has been recorded by numerous artists, including the Kingston Trio, Judy Collins, Bob Dylan, and The Clancy Brothers. Dylan allegedly also used the tune when writing his song "With God on Our Side". Behan called Dylan a plagiarist and a thief, by claiming the melody as an original composition, in an attempt to goad him into a lawsuit. Behan's argument has some merit, especially when one compares the structure of the songs' lyrics; it becomes clear that Dylan lifted the structure of Behan's song to make the song relevant to the America of the Vietnam War era; Dylan's refusal to credit Behan's work (particularly the lyrical structure) was the main issue at stake and in response Behan took the view that the provenance of Dylan's entire body of work must be questioned. Behan also took issue with the Clancy Brothers, who chose not to sing the verse that was critical of Éamon de Valera :
This Ireland of mine has for long been half free,
Six counties are under John Bull's tyranny.
And still de Valera is greatly to blame
For shirking his part in the patriot game.
Behan's contempt of the Clancy Brothers was exacerbated by what he saw as their political shallowness which tended to render the traditional message of the Irish ballad somewhat less powerful in their hands.
Behan later became close friends with Sean Garland, officiating as the best man at Garland's wedding. Garland gave the eulogy at Behan's funeral in 1989.
[edit] Popular Culture
Tom Clancy's 1987 novel Patriot Games and the 1992 film based on the novel are named for the song.
The song featured heavily in Martin McDonagh's play The Lieutenant of Inishmore, where it it used to comment on the character's misunderstanding of IRA splinter groups.
The song "Colony" by Damien Dempsey references the title of the song:
Katie she came from down Townsend street Ten in a bed and no shoes on their feet 1916 came They played the patriot's game
The title was also used as the title of a 1986 book on Canada by Canadian author Peter Brimelow. The book evokes the same cynicism about nationalism, but in a Canadian context. See The Patriot Game (book)
