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Michael Dwyer’s Escape Lyrics by Andy Irvine

Rude Awakening

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Michael Dwyer is my name. I’ll not deny the same
In the mountains of West Wicklow I was born
I was in a fight of late with the men of ’98
And we took Enniscorthy by storm
When the rising was put down, we very quickly found
That in our own homes we could no longer dwell
But many’s a lonely cave some form of comfort gave
And the people of these mountains know us well
The snow was falling fast and the night was far advanced
When the three safe houses came in view
The weather was sеvere, but a guard was posted nеar
Though the dangers on a night like this were few;
But some sneaking little spy to his master he did fly
And may I live to even up the score
For when we awoke, to be sure it was no joke
To find a hundred Highland soldiers at the door
“Come out, you rebel band” cried the captain in command
“For you do not have a prayer, not a hope
Surrender to me now and your lives, I vow
Will be spared the bullet and the rope”
Says Dwyer to his men, “Boys, here we are again
Though I’m afraid this time it cannot be denied
It would take more than God’s grace to defend this place
From a regiment of soldiers outside”
The house was set on fire with McAllister and Dwyer
Expecting to perish in the flames
With the powder and the smoke, they were nearly overcome
Crying, “A curse upon your bloody Highland games!”
From behind a stable wall, a well-aimed musket ball
Caused McAllister pain he could not hide
As his gun was blown away, he looked down with dismay
At his arm hanging useless by his side
He says, “Dwyer, I’m done. Hand me up your gun
Let’s see what a spring you can make
As he opened the door he gave one loud roar:
“I die for my country’s sake”
The volley rang out and Dwyer sprang forth
Poor Sam received the fire
O, generous and brave McAllister gave
Up his life for Michael Dwyer
Before they could reload, he was halfway down the road
With a kilted Scotsman snapping at his heels
The troopers held their fire till they saw what might transpire
And they watched as Dwyer tripped him in the field
Running like a mountain goat, no trousers, no coat
His bare feet were bleeding to be sure
As he crossed the Black Banks, he offered hearty thanks
And got safely to a cave in Glenmalure
We lost three men that day. our captain got away
And the others surrendered on the spot
Three of them, alas, were hanged in Baltinglass
The others went to face the firing squad
Dwyer fought the law, five years, maybe more
‘Til at last to Dublin he did go
And from there he set sail bound for New South Wales
Far from the County of Wicklow
Credits
Andy Irvine

Andy Irvine

About “Michael Dwyer’s Escape” by Andy Irvine

Read the complete lyrics to "Michael Dwyer’s Escape" by Andy Irvine from the album "Rude Awakening". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Pop.

"Michael Dwyer’s Escape" is performed by Andy Irvine. from the album "Rude Awakening" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Michael Dwyer’s Escape", explore more songs by Andy Irvine using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Michael Dwyer’s Escape" is credited to Andy Irvine. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Michael Dwyer’s Escape" appears on "Rude Awakening".

Visit the Andy Irvine artist page at /artist/andy-irvine for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.