On Dr Noel Browne And The Mother And Child Bill

Back in the nineteen fifties when i was a boy the memories i recall
Of the political discussions on the three major political parties in Ireland's Dail
Our representatives in the House of Parliament Fine Gael, The Labour Party and Fianna Fail
As well as minor parties T D's and Independents the parliamentarians supposed to represent us all

The Minister for health in the Coalition Government then was Dr Noel Browne
The man the clergy and religious people did drag down
Because of his Mother and Child Bill a huge price he did pay
By public opinion he was treated in a bad way

A man in his ideas far ahead of his day
Noel Browne was Ireland's greatest politician i stand by what i say
The introduction of his Mother and Child Bill to the Dail was treated as if it were a crime
For to financially help the unmarried mothers of Ireland at that time

Of the praises of their god the religious may sing
But hypocrisy among the clergy and religious people is not a rare thing
In Ireland in the twentieth century political interference by the clergy with the running of government was obviously clear
And governments then as of now were known to suffer of voter backlash fear

Noel Browne was born in Waterford and his remains with his wife Phyllis in Connemara lay
A friend of the working class and poor people in the Ireland of his day
This great man in his thinking who was well ahead of his time
When i was a boy he was past his physical prime.