"Up Went Nelson" - Irish Song

"Up Went Nelson" was a song by The Go Lucky Four (a group of Belfast school teachers: Gerry Burns, Finbar Carolan, John Sullivan and Eamonn McGirr) that was number one on the Ireland music charts in 1966 for eight consecutive weeks.
It was sung to the tune of "John Brown's Body" and is about the destruction on 8 March 1966 of Nelson's Pillar in Dublin.
Lyrics:
Up went Nelson in old Dublin
Up went Nelson in old Dublin
All along O'Connell Street the stones and rubble flew
As up went Nelson and the pillar too
One early mornin' in the year of '66
A band of Irish laddies were knockin' up some tricks
They though Horatio Nelson had overstayed a mite
So they helped him on his way with some sticks of gelignite
Up went Nelson in old Dublin
Up went Nelson in old Dublin
All along O'Connell Street the stones and rubble flew
As up went Nelson and the pillar too
The Irish population came from miles around
To see the English hero lying on the ground
The Dublin corporation had no funds to have it done
But the pillar blew to pieces by the ton, ton, ton
Up went Nelson in old Dublin
Up went Nelson in old Dublin
All along O'Connell Street the stones and rubble flew
As up went Nelson and the pillar too
A crowd of lads and lassies from a dance nearby came out
To see the bits of Nelson lyin' all about
A gussune from the Coombe says we'll have to have a care
In case the corporation put King Billy there
Up went Nelson in old Dublin
Up went Nelson in old Dublin
All along O'Connell Street the stones and rubble flew
As up went Nelson and the pillar too

[@jaydunno8266]

I think there were two other songs honoring this event, one by Tommy Makem, and I believe one from the Dubliners. The best story about this is that when DeValera was asked for a comment, he replied "British admiral leaves Dublin by air".

[@FionanUaMurchadha]

One of the few good things De Valera said/done during his life 🤣

[@jaydunno8266]

@@FionanUaMurchadha I believe his reputation rested on being one of the few leaders of 1916 who the British didn't execute. He also managed to survive the Civil War, and spent most of the Tan war overseas raising money.

[@FionanUaMurchadha]

​@@jaydunno8266 Every good thing he did had a major drawback, I think that sums up Éamon De Valera perfectly

[@jaydunno8266]

The one by Tommy Makem is "Lord Nelson". The Dubliners id "Nelson's Farewell". I think all three songs came out within weeks of the event. In reading about Nelson's Pillar, I was surprised to discover that it was an actual building that one could, for a fee, go in, climb the stairs and get a good view of Dublin from the gallery on the top.. I am surprised that no one came up with idea of removing Nelson, and replacing him with an Irish patriot like Padraig Pearse. I suppose funds were a consideration.