When Brother Fought Brother

When brother fought brother the cause it was lost
The civil war in Ireland came at a huge cost
To people who already had seen too much bloodshed and tears
The bitterness of the civil war was to linger for years

Far too many young men in Ireland's civil war died
And this should not be any reason for pride
Or seen to be worthy of a street parade
Though patriots won't allow war history from memory to fade

When neither was right and both sides were wrong
To the dark side of Irish history the civil war belong
When brother fought brother hatred took to flame
That this should have happened does seem such a shame

When brother fought brother and former friend fought former friend
The bitterness of the civil war took decades to mend
A bitterness for years that did linger on
After the British forces from the Republic of Ireland had gone

A civil war that gave rise to the political parties of Sinn Fein, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail
Three political parties that for Ireland did nothing at all
As they could not unite since they only knew how to divide
Any hope for a unified Ireland by the civil war was destroyed

A tragic time for Ireland in truth it can be said
When brother fought brother mothers wept for their dead
In a civil war nothing for to celebrate
And nothing as such for to commemorate.