Rebel Songbook NO
On The Blanket
Home
Nelson's Farewell
New Generation
Nina
Nineteen Men
Ninety Miles From Dublin Town
Ninety-Eight
No Irish Need Apply
No Time For Love
O'Donnell Abú
O'Donnell Of Tipperary
O'Donovan Rossa's Farewell
O'Dwyer Of The Glen
O'Hara, Hughes, McCreesh And Sands
Oft In The Stilly Night
Old Alarm Clock,The
Old Fenian Gun,The
On The Blanket
On The One Road
One Shot Paddy
One Sunday Morning
Only Our Rivers Run Free
Oró Sé Do Bheatha 'Bhaile
Oró, Sé Do Bheatha 'Bhaile
Ould Orange Flute, The
Outlaw Rapparee,The
Over The Wall

On the Blanket
Mick Hanley/Christy Moore
© Mick Hanley/Christy Moore

The truth comes hard as the cold rain
On your face in the heat of the storm
And the stories I'm hearing would shock you
To believe that such deeds can go on.

You can starve men and take all their clothing
You can beat them up till they fall
You can break up the bodies but never the spirit
Of those on the blanket.

The truth must be told so I'll tell it
It all began five years ago
Ciaran Nugent refused to be branded
A criminal and to wear prison clothes.

They threw him out naked to H-Block
And spat out filthy abuse
And they left him awake till the cold light of day
With only a blanket.

England, your sins are not over
The H-Block still stands in your name
And though many voices have cried out to you
It's still your shame.

If we stay silent we're guilty
While these men lie naked and cold
In H-Block tonight remember the fight
Of those on the blanket.