The Irish Navvies

Survivors of the Irish Famine theirs is a tale of woe
They built the British Railways many decades ago
But not one known memorial for to honor them today
They only celebrate war heroes at least it seems this way

Known as The Irish Navvies they slaved for pittance pay
They were the great survivors of them in truth one can say
They knew of hunger and famine and they knew of poverty
Sad but true hard working people never make human history

Known as The Irish Navvies picks and shovels and crowbars for working with they used
By those who had power over them in many ways abused
On the shaping of Great Britain a huge part they did play
But in the graves of the forgotten their bones forever lay

For to be an Irish Navvy was never an honorable thing
The British Government never thanked them and none their praises ever sing
Their sons too worked on the railway tracks laying heavy timber sleepers down
But the life journey of most every Irish Navvy never did lead to renown

The sons of old Hibernia they built many a British railway track
Known as The Irish Navvies strong of arm and of back
Yet never a memorial in any British village, city or town
To honor the men who lay the heavy timber sleepers and the steel iron tracks down

Racism and prejudice against them they experienced regularly
Though this is in the distant past and the past is history
They knew about the hard life many of them did not live to grow old
But they were mighty working men and their stories should be told.