Industrial School

I missed a day or two of school, because I was called a fool

And beat around the place, because I was staring into space

He stole a little bit of coal, because his flat was cold

There’s mountains of coal on the docks

He took some and rain into the cops

And now we’re packed off to school

Industrial school

We’ll learn the meaning of the word, meaning of the word

And now we’re locked up in school

Industrial school

We’ll learn the meaning of the word cruel

Tooralooraloo, Tooraloorali,

Tooralooraloo, Whackfoldadi,

Tooralooraloo, Tooraloorali,

Tooralooraloo, Whackfoldadi

My uncle was sent to Daingean

My Granda to Letterfrack

And the child that was locked up there

Never did come back

Some were raped and some were tortured

Some beaten and abused,

Frightened little children, so lonely and so confused

Now the Irish have their stories and their music that’s passed on

From distant generations, who were kept down for so long

But they also have the madness, child abuse and rage

Sexual frustration passed down from another age

Their language land and culture, their ancient pride was lost,

And sexual repression was what religion cost.

We have to break the cycle, cos it’s still passed down boss

We have to break the cycle before any more kids are lost