The Nine Year War - Cruachan

«Come ye Gaelic chiefs and raise your banners high

Let loose your warrior clans and sound the battle cry!

The Saxons are advancing, their ambition we must quell

Unite the Irish clans and send them all to Hell!»

Led by Hugh O’Neil, our most noble Gaelic Lord

Aided by the Spanish, we amassed 8000 swords

In Ulster we began, we readied for the fight

The Callous inside The Pale he would plead — beg — implore!

The Earl of Essex landed here with 17,000 men

His campaign was disastrous, the Irish routed them!

The Queen sent another — The Baron of Mountjoy

To lead the English ranks, many Irish were to die

The rebellion in Munster was put down with no great force

Mountjoy was ruthless, he suffered no remorse

He infiltrated Ulster and began a war of attrition

Devastation of the land, civilian famine was his ambition

The defence of Ulster became priority to O’Neil

He still won many battles, thousands fell to Gaelic steel

Spanish reinforcements landed at Kinsale’s port

Too far to make a difference they could offer no support

He marched to meet the Spanish, who were held by Mountjoy’s men

Attacked by English cavalry — the Spanish surrendered then

To Ulster they retreated but their campaign began to falter

Mountjoy’s tactics were superb, O’Neil had no answer

O’Neil’s men surrendered as famine gripped the land

He received clemency when he relinquished his command

Little did he know, England was close to ruin

The nine year war in Ireland almost brought them to their doom