The Aughalee Heroes (V)

Ye Protestant heroes of Ireland,
Give ear to these lines I write down,
Concerning these Aughalee Heroes,
That marched through the sweet Portadown.

It being the twelfth day of July,
Our music so sweetly did play,
And the Protestant Boys and Boyne Water,
Were the tunes we played going away.

Like the sons of King William we marched,
TIll at length Lurgan Town we did view,
Where the Church it was there decorated,
With the Orange, Arch Purple and Blue.

Round its spires our colours were flying;
Small guns like big cannons did roar
­Long life to these Aughalee Heroes,
For they are the boys we adore.

Captain Black, like a bold Orange hero,
Came riding down on his grey steed,
And he asked us what number we carried,
And where we did mean to proceed.

We told him from the county of Antrim
Our number was Six-thirty-two;
We are the bold Aughalee Heroes,
That will soon the rebels subdue.

We took off our hats to salute him,
So boldly he bade us march on;
And he rode like a hero before us,
TIll we came to the Banks of the Bann.

And when we arrived safe in Aughalee,
The brandy did flow like the Rhine ­
Long life to these Aughalee Heroes,
For they are the boys crossed the Boyne.