Connolly was pre-IRA Ireland. He was a socialist and beloved by the Bolsheviks (more than one statue of him stood in Russia) - hence the socialist tone to the song. He led the Easter Rising in 1916 which captured the General Post Office (GPO) in Dublin. After they controled the GPO Connolly's cohort Patrick Pearse declared the Republic of Ireland - Illegally. Once the British found out about this they sent in the Army and Connolly was injured and captured. Since Connolly's wounds kept him from being able to stand, the British tied him to a chair and shot him in the head.
The majority of Ireland saw Connolly and his group as a bunch of radicals and condemned their actions. However, once word spread about how the British had executed Connolly the population started to support the revolutionaries and the IRA emerged. The IRA, led by Michael Collins (The Big Fellah, on the Home of the Brave album) would eventually win their independance on December 6, 1921.
Connolly was pre-IRA Ireland. He was a socialist and beloved by the Bolsheviks (more than one statue of him stood in Russia) - hence the socialist tone to the song. He led the Easter Rising in 1916 which captured the General Post Office (GPO) in Dublin. After they controled the GPO Connolly's cohort Patrick Pearse declared the Republic of Ireland - Illegally. Once the British found out about this they sent in the Army and Connolly was injured and captured. Since Connolly's wounds kept him from being able to stand, the British tied him to a chair and shot him in the head.
The majority of Ireland saw Connolly and his group as a bunch of radicals and condemned their actions. However, once word spread about how the British had executed Connolly the population started to support the revolutionaries and the IRA emerged. The IRA, led by Michael Collins (The Big Fellah, on the Home of the Brave album) would eventually win their independance on December 6, 1921.