Saint Patrick Battalion

This is a live version of a song originally recorded on my album, Living In These Times in 2001. Recorded by Kate Mara of Reel News -- Lyrics: My name is John Riley I’ll have your ear only a while I left my dear home in Ireland It was death, starvation or exile And when I got to America It was my duty to go Enter the Army and slog across Texas To join in the war against Mexico It was there in the pueblos and hillsides That I saw the mistake I had made Part of a conquering army With the morals of a bayonet blade So in the midst of these poor, dying Catholics Screaming children, the burning stench of it all Myself and two hundred Irishmen Decided to rise to the call From Dublin City to San Diego We witnessed freedom denied So we formed the Saint Patrick Battalion And we fought on the Mexican side We marched ’neath the green flag of Saint Patrick Emblazoned with “Erin Go Bragh“ Bri