In Dublin City in 1913
The boss was boss and the employee the slave
The women worked and the child went hungry
Til Larkin came like a towering wave
The worker cringed when the bossman thundered
And seventy hours was their weekly chore
They asked for little and less was granted
Lest getting little they might ask for more

Then came Larkin in 1913
A mighty man with a powerful tongue
The voice of labour, the voice of justice
And he was gifted as he was young
God gave us Larkin in 1913
A powerful man with a mighty tongue
He raised the workers, he gave us courage
He was our leader, the workers' son

In 1913 the bossman told us
No union man for him might work
We stood by Larkin, we told the bossman
To fight, to starve, we would never shirk
8 months we fought and 8 months we starved
We stood by Larkin through thick and thin
But foodless homes and starving children
They broke our hearts and we could not win

Then Larkin left us, we seemed defeated
The night seemed dark for our workless men
But Connolly came with new hope and courage
And raised the slogan, "We rise again"
In Dublin City in 1916
The British Army they shelled the town
They burned our city, the shot our leaders
The harp was shattered beneath the crown

They shot MacDiarmad and Pearse and Plunkett
They shot MacDonagh and Clarke the brave
From bleak Kilmainham they took Ceannt's body
To Arbour Hill and a quicklime grave
But last of all of these seven hereos
A dying man, they shot Connolly
The voice of labour, the voice of justice
He gave his life that we might be free