▁illustr ates ▁the ▁deep ▁divisions ▁which ▁existed ▁in ▁Ireland ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 7 9 8 ▁re bell ion . ▁Irish ▁C athol ics , ▁and ▁to ▁a ▁less er ▁extent ▁D issent ers , ▁were ▁leg ally ▁ex cluded ▁from ▁political ▁and ▁economic ▁life . ▁ ▁The ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁was ▁at ▁war ▁with ▁revolution ary ▁France ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁and ▁Irish ▁republic ans ▁were ▁encourag ed ▁by ▁rum ours ▁that ▁France ▁would ▁in va de ▁the ▁island . ▁The ▁lyr ics ▁describe ▁the ▁reb els ▁as ▁tre acher ous ▁cow ards ▁and ▁those ▁fighting ▁them ▁as ▁brave ▁def enders ▁of ▁the ▁innoc ent . ▁ ▁" C ro pp ies " ▁meant ▁people ▁with ▁closely ▁cro pped ▁hair , ▁a ▁fashion ▁associated ▁with ▁the ▁French ▁revolution aries , ▁in ▁contrast ▁to ▁the ▁w igs ▁fav oured ▁by ▁the ▁arist ocracy . ▁▁ ▁In ▁George ▁Bor row ' s ▁ 1 8 6 2 ▁travel ▁book ▁Wild ▁Wales , ▁the ▁author ▁comes ▁upon ▁an ▁Ang lo - I r ish ▁man ▁singing ▁the ▁t une . ▁ ▁L yr ics ▁ ▁" We ▁soldiers ▁of ▁Er in , ▁so ▁proud ▁of ▁the ▁name , ▁We ' ll ▁raise ▁on ▁the ▁reb els ▁and ▁French men ▁our ▁fame ; ▁We ' ll ▁fight ▁to ▁the ▁last ▁in ▁the ▁honest ▁old ▁cause , ▁And ▁guard ▁our ▁religion , ▁our ▁freedom ▁and ▁laws ; ▁We ' ll ▁fight ▁for ▁our ▁country , ▁our ▁King ▁and ▁his ▁crown , ▁And ▁make ▁all ▁the