H-Blocks ballad ruled 'threatening and offensive' by top judge

ONE of Scotland's top judges has ruled that the Roll of Honour ballad in memory of the H-Blocks Hunger Strikers “will be regarded by a reasonable person as being both threatening and offensive”.

Lord Carloway gave the opinion while rejecting a claim that a charge under the controversial law designed to stamp out sectarian abuse at football matches led to the contravention of two convicted fans' human rights charged after singing the song at match between Hibernian and Celtic at Easter Road, Edinburgh, on 19 October 2013.

Last year, football fans pushed the song into Britain's Top 40 Singles Chart after Irish Brigade covered the song for rank and file supporters' group Fans Against Criminalisation to highlight their opposition to the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act.

The legislation is supposed to be aimed at tackling sectarianism on the terraces but Celtic fans say the Act has “criminalised” Celtic supporters by police action against the songs they sing, including Roll of Honour.

Lyrics to Roll of Honour

Read the Roll of Honour for Ireland’s bravest men

We must be united in memory of the ten,

England you’re a monster, don’t think that you have won

We will never be defeated while Ireland has such sons.

In those dreary H-Block cages ten brave young Irishmen lay

Hungering for justice as their young lives ebbed away,

For their rights as Irish soldiers and to free their native land

They stood beside their leader – the gallant Bobby Sands.

Now they mourn Hughes in Bellaghy,

Ray McCreesh in Armagh’s hills

In those narrow streets of Derry they miss O’Hara still,

They so proudly gave their young lives to break Britannia’s hold

Their names will be remembered as history unfolds.

Through the war torn streets of Ulster the black flags did sadly sway

To salute ten Irish martyrs the bravest of the brave,

Joe McDonnell, Martin Hurson, Kevin Lynch, Kieran Doherty

They gave their lives for freedom with Thomas McElwee.

Michael Devine from Derry you were the last to die

With your nine brave companions with the martyred dead you lie

Your souls cry out “Remember, our deaths were not in vain.

Fight on and make our homeland a nation once again!”