A Song to James Keogh

words and music by Michael Burns:  Feb 2012

Well his name was James Keogh, he was a son of Chartist Ashton,
a thoughtful lad, apprenticed to a tailor in the town.
As he studied in the library, read of better worlds and bolder, in many lands in Europe freedom’s light was being turned down.

So don’t forget the sacrifice of men like young James Keogh.
Over 60 men left Manchester for freedom’s fight in Spain.
They were English, they were Irish, some were communists, some Jewish. nearly forty died on Spanish soil, well did they die in vain?

He watched as Mussolini’s troops waged war in Ethiopia.
Read how Hitler dealt with gays and communists and Jews
when the newsreels showed the Condors raining death on Basque Guernica,
James packed his case to head for Spain, - was the path he had to choose.

So don’t forget the sacrifice of men like young James Keogh. 
Over 60 men left Manchester for freedom’s fight in Spain. 
They were English, they were Irish, some were communists, some Jewish.
nearly forty died on Spanish soil, well did they die in vain?

Well James sailed from Marseilles, in May of 1937
the Ciudad de Barcelona held 200 men or more
a Francoist torpedo took the ship and fifty comrades
but the Catalans looked after all the men who made the shore.

So don’t forget the sacrifice of men like young James Keogh. 
Over 60 men left Manchester for freedom’s fight in Spain.
They were English, they were Irish, some were communists, some Jewish.
nearly forty died on Spanish soil, well did they die in vain?

James was home for Christmas leave in 1937,
but he died on St Patrick’s Day at Calaciete,
a credit to his town and to north western working people,
shellfire from a fascist tank took his young life away.

So don’t forget the sacrifice of men like young James Keogh.
Over 60 men left Manchester for freedom’s fight in Spain.
They were English, they were Irish, some were communists, some Jewish.
nearly forty died on Spanish soil, well did they die in vain?

Clem Becket was a roughyed* and a top notch speedway rider,
George Brown of Kilkenny’s name is one we won’t forget
Sydney Fink and Victor Shammah are included in this number,
Michael Gallagher of Wigan yes and many others yet.

Well we’ve not forgot the sacrifice of men like young James Keogh
and the men who gave their lives to fight for freedom out in Spain
so speak out against injustice and stand up against oppression
and the men who lie in Spanish soil will not have died in vain.

*Someone from Oldham