The Nine Year War

"Come ye Gaelic chiefs and raise your banners high
Let loose your warrior clans and sound the battle cry!
The Saxons are advancing, their ambition we must quell
Unite the Irish clans and send them all to Hell!"

Led by Hugh O'Neil, our most noble Gaelic Lord
Aided by the Spanish, we amassed 8000 swords
In Ulster we began, we readied for the fight
The Callous inside The Pale he would plead, beg, implore!

The Earl of Essex landed here with 17,000 men
His campaign was disastrous, the Irish routed them!
The Queen sent another, the Baron of Mountjoy
To lead the English ranks, many Irish were to die

The rebellion in Munster was put down with no great force
Mountjoy was ruthless, he suffered no remorse
He infiltrated Ulster and began a war of attrition
Devastation of the land, civilian famine was his ambition

The defence of Ulster became priority to O'Neil
He still won many battles, thousands fell to Gaelic steel
Spanish reinforcements landed at Kinsale's port
Too far to make a difference they could offer no support

He marched to meet the Spanish, who were held by Mountjoy's men
Attacked by English cavalry, the Spanish surrendered then
To Ulster they retreated but their campaign began to falter
Mountjoy's tactics were superb, O'Neil had no answer

O'Neil's men surrendered as famine gripped the land
He received clemency when he relinquished his command
Little did he know, England was close to ruin
The nine year war in Ireland almost brought them to their doom