Flight of the Earls Lyrics

O’Neill did fight heroically at the battle of Kinsale.
He nearly broke the English. He nearly did prevail.
But in the end the English won, O’Neill was an outcast.
An exile in the land he loved, a ruler of the past.

“In this land I cannot be, here I cannot stay.
I’d rather go and leave this place to famine and decay”
His earls were in agreement, they made plans to sail to Spain.
To plan a re-invasion, to remove the English reign.

The Nine Years War was over, and Ireland lay in ruin.
The Gaelic order ending, like the waxing of the moon.
From Rathmullan they departed, one hundred travellers strong.
A funerary march that was devoid of any song.

They never did reach Spain, in France they parted ways.
O’Neill arrived in Italy, made plans to re-invade.
But a Spanish re-invasion, it never came to be.
The earls they died in exile, Ireland now would not be free!

The Nine Years War had come to its end,
Ireland to England would ascend.
Their language and religion would ensure,
Eight hundred years was their rule!
Eight hundred years was their rule!