Roll of Honour

Album: Single Release Only (2014)
Charted: 33
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Songfacts®:

  • This provocative Irish Republican ballad was written by Gerry O'Glacain to commemorate the Ten IRA and INLA members who died during the 1981 Irish hunger strike in Northern Ireland. The song expresses anti-establishment anger through lyrics which brand England "a monster," and lauds each of the hunger strikers in the order that they passed away.
  • The Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act was enacted in 2012 to clamp down on the more unpleasant singing and chanting which takes place amongst certain sections of Scottish football crowds. The Irish Brigade, an overtly Political Northern Irish group that are very popular in the Celtic part of Glasgow, were asked by the Scottish supporters group Fans Against Criminalisation to record the song in order to highlight opposition to the legislation. Their rendition of the tune was propelled into UK Top 40 by campaigning fans.

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