there s a uniform that s hanging in what s known as father s room a uniform so simple in its style it has no braid of gold or silk no hat with feathered plume yet me mother has preserved it all the while one day she made me try it on a wish of mine for years just in memory of your father dear she said and when i put the sam browne on she was smiling through her tears as she placed the broad black brimmer on me head it s just a broad black brimmer with its ribbons frayed and torn by the careless whisk of many s a mountain breeze an old trench coat that s all battle stained and worn and breeches almost threadbare at the knees a sam browne belt with the buckle big and strong and a holster that s been empty many s a day but when men claim ireland s freedom the one should choose to lead them will wear the broad black brimmer of the i r a it was the uniform being worn by me father long ago when he reached me mother s homestead on the run it was the uniform me father wore in that little church below when oul father mac he blessed the pair as one and after truce and treaty and the parting of the ways he wore it when he marched out with the rest and when they bore his body down that rugged heather braes they placed the broad black brimmer on his breast it s just a broad black brimmer with its ribbons frayed and torn by the careless whisk of many s a mountain breeze an old trench coat that s all battle stained and worn and breeches almost threadbare at the knees a sam browne belt with the buckle big and strong and a holster that s been empty many s a day but when men claim ireland s freedom the one should choose to lead them will wear the broad black brimmer of the i r a