Bobby Sands recitò questa poesia durante lo sciopero della fame del 1981 a Maze, per sollevare il morale dei prigionieri repubblicani.
Dopo Sands, altri nove prigionieri morirono per lo sciopero della fame: Francis Hughes, Raymond McCreesh, Patsy O’Hara, Joe McDonnell, Martin Hurson, Kevin Lynch, Thomas McElwee e Mickey Devine. Tre di loro facevano parte dell’INLA, gli altri dell’IRA.
Oltre ad essere un repubblicano, Bobby Sands fu un poeta ed uno scrittore. Sebbene fosse imprigionato continuò a scrivere su carta igienica, usando un refill di biro. Questa poesia, Back Home in Derry, racconta la storia dei deportati in Tasmania (Van Dieman’s Land).
Nel video viene cantata da Christy Moore.
Back Home in Derry – Bobby Sands
In 1803 we sailed out to sea
Out from the sweet town of Derry
For Australia bound if we didn’t all drown
And the marks of our fetters we carried.
In the rusty iron chains we sighed for our wains
As our good wives we left in sorrow.
As the mainsails unfurled our curses we hurled
On the English and thoughts of tomorrow.
Oh Oh Oh Oh I wish I was back home in Derry.
Oh Oh Oh Oh I wish I was back home in Derry.
I cursed them to hell as our bow fought the swell.
Our ship danced like a moth in the firelights.
White horses rode high as the devil passed by
Taking souls to Hades by twilight.
Five weeks out to sea we were now forty-three
Our comrades we buried each morning.
In our own slime we were lost in a time.
Endless night without dawning.
Oh Oh Oh Oh I wish I was back home in Derry.
Oh Oh Oh Oh I wish I was back home in Derry.
Van Dieman’s land is a hell for a man
To live out his life in slavery.
When the climate is raw and the gun makes the law.
Neither wind nor rain cares for bravery.
Twenty years have gone by and I’ve ended me bond
And comrades’ ghosts are behind me.
A rebel I came and I’ll die the same.
On the cold winds of night you will find me
Oh Oh Oh Oh I wish I was back home in Derry.
Oh Oh Oh Oh I wish I was back home in Derry.
