The sun was settin' the rocks on fire  The fields blisterin' with the heat  When the militia came marchin' through our town  Knockin' sparks off the little streets  The priest watched them from his front door  The sweat sparklin' on his skin  When they burned his little chapel down  He grabbed his missal and his gun    I must go down to Wexford town  Where the lightnin cracks the air  And the people sing of freedom  They've banished all despair  The coward dies a million times  The freeman dies just once  So here's to you revolution  May your flame keep burnin' 'til  We meet our Armageddon  Up high on Vinegar Hill    The priest's name was Citizen Murphy  I didn't like him much  He didn't believe in the rights of man  Just the power of the Catholic Church  But I never saw a man as brave  I'd follow him to hell  Or to death in Enniscorthy  On that godforsaken hill    Fr. Murphy:  "I get down on my knees everyday  And I pray to my God  But his face he has turned away  From his people  I have racked my brains for a compromise  But to what end?  Only one question remains  Why have you deserted me, Oh Christ?    The Bishop advises that all arms must be surrendered  Leaving ourselves defenseless  Against His Majesty and His royal plunderers  But if the Bishop be a pawn  I must ask myself whether it is better  To die like a dog in a ditch  Or rise up with my people - the poor against the rich?    I return to my prayers  And reflect upon Your tortured lips  But not a word do I hear  Just a veil of silence around the crucifix  And I remember the Bishop's words  "When faith is gone, all hope is lost"  Well, so be it,  I will rise up with my people  And to hell with the eternal cost!"    The sun beat down on the fields of corn  The sweat was in our eyes  When we heard the militia approachin'  With their trumpets and their fifes  The priest rode by on his silver horse  The fire had cleansed his soul  He said "let's strike a blow for freedom, boys,"  Then we blew that scum right off the road    I must go down to Wexford town  Where the lightnin' cracks the air  And the people sing of freedom  They've banished all despair  The coward dies a million times  The freeman dies just once  So here's to you revolution  May your flame keep burnin' 'til  We meet our Armageddon  Up high - on Vinegar Hill