Broadside ballad entitled 'The Sons of the Thistle and Shamrock so Green'

Commentary

Verse 1 begins: 'Ye sons of old Scotland and Ireland too, / Draw near and I'll sing you a song that is true'. There are no publication details included on this sheet.

Ireland and Scotland shared a political fate - both of their national symbols had been or were under prohibition. In Scotland after the Jacobite rebellion (1746) tartan, bagpipes, thistles and so forth were all banned. In Ireland shamrocks and the wearing of green especially, were frowned upon as they represented nationalist sentiments. This song although not anti-unionist, is pro-Irish and Scottish, as it attributes England's success and pride to Scottish and Irish influences.

This style of text, with its implicit political propaganda, would not only have made for compelling entertainment, but would also perhaps have stimulated political thought, reasoning and debate.

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