an Gorta Mór

A downtrodden race
from the early days
an Gorta Mor
depleted them so
the Irish Diaspora
left their shores
looking for somewhere
fruitful to go.

They travelled far to find a life
where their children's bellies
didn't hunger
they found a place to settle down
away from the potato blight.

Whilst back at home
great changes were rung
division came out of the
famine
Catholics oppressed
no longer valued
thought less than
a dog or a horse.

Fight back they did
against the Protestant
'masters' who
burned their homes to
the ground
Their spirit was immense
it carried them through
out of the ashes of all
they had owned
emerged the Phoenix
noble and true.

Ireland's the place
that people should know
to believe it had to
be seen
where people were slain
for the heinous crime
of wearing the colour
green