Malvina Reynolds - Nancy Newman of Liberty Hall lyrics

I'll tell you the story of Nancy Newman Who crossed the ocean to Dublin Town, She went to work in a pizza parlor And turned old Dublin upside down. Now what would they want with a pizza parlor In Dublin City by Liffey strand? Since they have MacDonald's on Champs Élysées In City Center it's Pizzaland. Nancy enrolled in Dublin College To learn of the Gaelic lore and rhyme, And she had to work in a pizza parlor To earn the fees for her study time. The wage was low and the work was heavy, The boss he hustled them night and day, And Nancy went down to the Union office To organize for a better way. It was Richard Lennon the secretary That heard her out with a gentle smile, Fifty pence for an hour's labor, Nothing at all for overtime. He signed her up as a union member With every craft to take her stand, Liberty Hall was the union building Just a short way from Pizzaland. Nancy spoke to her fellow workers To have them sign with the union, too, But most of them were afraid of Ha**an, The boss who harried the kitchen crew. Mary McArdle she joined with Nancy, Signed with the ITGWU, When Ha**an saw what was going forward He told the two women that they were through. Mary McArdle she left for London, But Nancy went up to Liberty Hall, When Mr. Lennon he heard her story, He lifted the phone and made a call. His gentle voice became cold as iron, "Is this the boss of Pizza Cafe? You've fired a member of the General Union, Mr. Ha**an, you will rue the day!" Nancy Newman began her vigil, Walking alone on a picket line, Up and down in front of the cafe Nancy carried her picket sign. The workers inside, they watched in wonder, Marian, Gay, and the Murrays three, And with Aisling, too, their hearts were marching With Nancy Newman from over the sea. Now O'Connell Street is a mighty broadway, Hotels, theaters and shops and all, Office buildings and patriot statues, And over them looms great Liberty Hall. Out of the Shelbourne and out of the Gresham, From hotels and cafes large and fine From lorries and trams came the union workers To join in Nancy's picket line. Soon it was tens and soon it was hundreds, Ha**an and Mamud they shook with fear, But it wasn't till after the shift was over The Pizzaland workers joined them there. For if they'd walked out they would have been fired Without being members of ITU, And now they went up and signed in a body And the strike was won ere the day was through. Nancy Newman she got strike money, Was reinstated with all back pay, Associated Restaurants signed a contract For the first time in their history. This is the story of Nancy Newman, Crossed the ocean to Dublin Town, Learned to sing in the Gaelic language. And pulled the restaurant combine down.