Come All You Warriors Come All You Warriors ( also known as Father Murphy ) is a ballad concerning the rebellion against British rule that took place largely in Wexford , Ireland in 1798 . The narrative focuses on the predominant figure in the Wexford rebellion , Father John Murphy of the parish of Boulavogue . The song was written within a couple of years of the rebellion and is one of the texts on which the well known ' Boulavogue ' was based by P . J . McCall a hundred years later for the centenary celebrations of the rebellion . The song is referenced in the ' Memoirs of Joseph Holt , general of the Irish rebels in 1798 ' , where he states : ' The fragments of a popular song of this period , which I picked up last summer ( 1836 ) in a tour through the county of Wexford asserts that " At the Windmill hills , and at Enniscorthy , " The British fencibles they ran like deers , " But our ranks were scattered and sorely battered , " For the want of Kyan and his Shelmaliers . ' Lyrics . Come all you warriors and renowned nobles Give ear unto my warlike theme While I relate how brave Father Murphy He lately roused from his sleepy dream Sure Julius Caesar nor Alexander Nor brave King Arthur ever equalled him For armies formidable he did conquer Though with two pikemen he did begin ( Alternate first verse listed in ' Verse in English from Eighteenth - century Ireland ' by Andrew Carpenter ) Come all you warriors and renowned nobles Who once commanded brave warlike bands Throw down your plumes and your golden trophies Give up your arms with a trembling hand For Father Murphy of the County Wexford , Lately roused from his sleepy dream To cut down cruel Saxon persecution And wash it away in a crimson stream . Camolin cavalry he did unhorse them Their first lieutenant he cut him down With shattered ranks and with broken columns They soon returned to Camolin town At the hill of Oulart he displayed his valour Where a hundred Corkmen lay on the plain At Enniscorthy his sword he wielded And I hope to see him once more again When Enniscorthy became subject unto him Twas then to Wexford we marched our men And on the Three Rock took up our quarters Waiting for daylight the town to win The loyal townsmen gave their assistance We will die or conquer they all did say The yeomen cavalry made no resistance , For on the pavement their corpses lay With drums a - beating the town did echo And acclamations came from door to door On the Windmill Hill we pitched our tents then We drank like heroes but paid no score On Carraig Rua for some time we waited And next to Gorey we did repair At Tubberneering we thought no harm The bloody army was waiting there The issue of it was a close engagement While on the soldiers we played warlike pranks Through the sheepwalks , hedgerows and shady thickets There were mangled bodies and broken ranks The shuddering cavalry , I can ' t forget them We raised the brushes on their helmets straight They turned about and made straight for Dublin As though they ran for a ten pound plate Now , some crossed Donnybrook and more through Blackrock And some up Shankhill without wound or flaw And if Barry Lawless be not a liar There was more went groaning up Luggela To the Windmill Hill of Enniscorthy , The British Fencibles they fled like deers But our ranks were tattered and sorely scattered By the loss o Kyan and his Shelmaliers With flying colours we marched on to Limerick , And to Kilcavan we did repair ; ' Twas on Mount Pleasant we called the county , And pointed cannon at the army there . When we thought fit we marched on to Gorey ; The next was Arklow we did surround . The night being coming , we regretted sorely , Tho ' one hundred soldiers lay on the ground . The streets of England were left quite naked Of all their army both foot and horse The Highlands of Scotland were left unguarded Likewise the Hessians the seas did cross But if the Frenchmen had reinforced us And landed transports at Baginbun Father John Murphy , he would be their seconder And sixteen thousand with him would come Success attend you sweet County Wexford Threw off the yoke and to battle run Let them not think we gave up our arms For every man still has a pike and gun