I was a child of the troubles
Got to know about bombs and bullets
Empty parked cars were avoided
If you were a child of the troubles
Tit for tat murder on both sides
Wake up to another bloody day
Afraid sometimes to go out and play
If you were a child of the troubles
Worried always about my mum and dad
To see them get home I was always glad
Innocents were killed in so many towns
If you were a child of the troubles.
Some of my childhood friends didn't talk to me
Because they were the other side you see
It's all there fault or could it be ours
If you were a child of the troubles.
Yet I remembered when we all seemed to be free
When we played together Seamus, Paddy and me
At a time when our names didn't condemn us to blame
If you were a child of the troubles.
Both sides trying to score more killing points
A grotesque game played out each day
Why should they make us all pay
If you were a child of the troubles
Somehow one day the killing all suddenly stopped
Then it was just shouting about who was to blame
It's much better than bombs, bullets and blood
If you were a child of the troubles.
-Douglas McClarty
