"Pat Murphy Of Meagher's Brigade", also known as "Pat Murphy Of The Irish Brigade" or "Song Of The Splintered Shillelagah", is song that comes from the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

. The song tells the story of a, "Patrick Murphy", who serves under the command of Brig. Gen. Thomas Francis Meagher

Thomas Francis Meagher

-Young Ireland:Meagher returned to Ireland in 1843, with undecided plans for a career in the Austrian army, a tradition among a number of Irish families. In 1844 he traveled to Dublin with the intention of studying for the bar. He became involved in the Repeal Association, which worked for repeal...

 in the Irish Brigade

Irish Brigade (US)

The Irish Brigade was an infantry brigade, consisting predominantly of Irish Americans, that served in the Union Army in the American Civil War. The designation of the first regiment in the brigade, the 69th New York Infantry, or the "Fighting 69th", continued in later wars...

 of the Union Army

Union Army

The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...

. Murphy serves to illustrate the plight of the Irish

Irish American

Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...

in the Civil War.

Then, surely, Columbia can never forget,

While valor and fame hold communion,

How nobly the brave Irish Volunteers fought,

In defense of the flag of our Union:

And, if ever Old Ireland for freedom should strike,

We'll a helping hand offer quite freely:

And the Stars and the Stripes shall be seen alongside,

Of the Flag of the Land of Shillaly!