THE FENIAN MAN O' WAR
Down by Boston Corner I carelessly did stray,
I overheard a sailor lad these words to his love did say
Bridget, dearest Bridget, from you I must go afar,
To fight against cruel John Bull and the Fenian Man o' War.
Oh, Patrick, dearest Patrick, don't go away from me,
For the English they are as treacherous as ever they can be,
And by some cruel "dagger" you might receive a scar.
Oh, Patrick, dear, don't venture near the Fenian Man o' War.
When I think on the days gone by, my heart with Joy does fill,
To see the thousands of people all assembled on Vinegar Hill,
They were holding a prayer meeting for the dead who were buried of afar,
And you could hear the cannons roar of a Fenian Man o' War.
I was born in the Bogside, my boys, I hate these English laws,
My parents they were Irish and they died for an Irish cause;
If ever I go to visit them for thousands of miles afar,
It will be for dear old Ireland's sake and a Fenian Man o' War.
Oh, Bridget, dearest Bridget, the truth to you I'll tell,
The English were insulted and the Irish knew it well,
They might make me a captain instead of a common tar,
So I'll risk my life for Ireland's rights on board the Man o' War.
They both sat down together, then he arose to stand,
A Fenian crew surrounded them, which nearly roved to lands
Then Patrick raised a Fenian flag and waved it near and far,
And Bridget blessed her sailor boy on board of the Man o' War.
There is a basis in fact to this. James Phillip Holland, who went on to build the 1st fully capable submarines and found the Electric Boat Company, contracted with the Fenians to build a submarine called The Fenian Ram. It got built and some tests were conducted. The project was dropped, however, due to infighting and lack of money. Holland was from the County Clare.