Once upon a time there were
Irish ways and Irish laws
Villages of Irish blood
Waking to the morning
Waking to the morning

Then the vikings came around
Turned us up and turned us down
Started building boats and towns
They tried to change our living
Tried to change our living

Cromwell and his soldiers came
Started centuries of shame
But they could not make us turn
We are a river flowing
We're a river flowing

Again, again the soldiers came
Burnt our houses stole our grain
Shot the farmers in their fields
Working for livings
Working for a living

800 years we have been down
The secret of the water sound
Has kept the spirit of a man
Above the pain descending
Above the pain descending

Today the struggle carries on
I wonder will I live so long
To see the gates being opened up
To a people and their freedom
A people and their freedom

Once upon a time there was
Irish ways and irish laws
Villages of irish blood
Waking to the morning
Waking to the morning