This song, derived from Ingram's 'Who Fears to Speak etc', occurred among JJ's papers in association with some 1948-49 stuff relating to the declaration of the Republic. It may have got there by chance; perhaps it can be dated from internal evidence. RJ 28/02/01

Who fears to speak of '98 - who blushes at the name
The Prov and Fellows TCD are ever just the same
A diamond cuts upon a pane a lyric swamped in shame
Kells and Ingram go their way
In thrall to Britain's shameful sway
Egan and Moore but Papists base
Among the Anglo-Irish race.

Who fears to speak of '98 - who blushes at the name
Those to whom Pearse of hallowed fame
Meant only venom, sneers and shame
Outside our gates they all must stay
Despite the dawning of the day
And Connie Maxwell tells us why
The Board is Unionist - her cry

Who fears to speak of '98 - who blushes at the name
The men who would their country sell for Russian gold and shame
Murphy and Scully they declaim
The Croppy Boys of pitchcap fame.

Who fears to speak of '98 - who blushes at the name
Alton and Duncan, Mahaffey too, with Ingram, Fry and Traill
And worst of all the traitor son to Biggar's glorious name.

These are the men in '48 who raised the cry anew
That Irish papists find no place among their murky crew.
In Britain's thrall the Irishman may speak his native tongue
Provided still he take the oath - Churchill over all!

Ne'er to forgive, ne'er to forget, is their insensate cry
They fear to speak of '98, WE do not wonder why.
With Russia's signal writ so large upon a darkening sky
WE do not fear for '98 - would it might dawn anew
When North and South will find once more a Union strong and true.
THEY then will blush for '48, and Biggar's Senate speech
put a few pebbles wildly strewn 'pon a deserted beach.

RABACH 2 Wilton Place

Some navigational notes:

Copyright Dr Roy Johnston 1999