There Were Roses

My song for you this evening

Is not to make you sad

Nor for adding to the sorrows

Of this troubled northern land

But lately I've been thinking

And it just wont leave my mind

I'll tell you of two friends one time

Who were both good friends of mine

Isaac he was Protestant

And Sean was Catholic born

But it never made a difference

For the friendship it was strong

And sometimes in the evening

When we heard the sound of drums

we said they wont divide us

We will always be as one

There were roses roses

There were roses

And the tears of a people ran together

It was on a Sunday morning

When the awful news came round

Another killing had been done

Just outside Newry Town

We knew that Isaac danced up there

We knew he liked the band

But when we heard that he was dead

We just could not understand

Now fear it filled the countryside

There was fear in every home

When late at night a car came

Prowling round the Ryan Road

A Catholic would be killed tonight

To even up the score

Oh Christ it's young MacDonald

They have taken from the door

There were roses roses

There were roses

And the tears of a people ran together

Isaac was my friend he cried

He begged them with his tears

But centuries of hatred

Have ears that do not hear

An eye for an eye

That was all that filled their minds

And another eye for another eye

Till everyone was blind

Now I don't know where the moral is

Or where the song should end

But I wonder just how many wars

Are fought between good friends

And those who give the orders

Are not the ones to die

It's Scott and young MacDonald

And the likes of you and I

There were roses roses

There were roses

And the tears of a people ran together