Are you with me or against me, those were the last words that I heard,

Before the fists and boots start flying, this is definitely no place for cowards,

Thomastown 1977 it all started out fine, as we meet up for drinks in the salmon pool,

She was a stunner and she fancied me, it was the end of my first month in my new school.

I had hitchhiked over earlier that night, meeting up with new friends on my own,

Breaking the ice is the hardest thing to do, especially when you come from my town,

Some of my old friends were not good mixers, a bit like bringing bulls into a china shop,

Tonight a lot of gangs are in town, and the school disco will be the last stop.

Sitting with my new girlfriend in the pub, we have only got eyes for each other,

 When a sudden hush falls over the room, then a loud voice says move over,

It’s the girlfriends ex and his mates, looking for trouble and straight at me,

He puts his arm around her shoulders and drops his other hand onto her knee.

She quickly moves to sit beside me, I am well outnumbered and on my own,

Now he throws his jacket onto the floor, and shouts you and me lets fucking go,

I remove my jacket and stand up too, my new girlfriend runs out the door,

The rest of his friends form a semi-circle, tomorrow morning I am going to be sore,

Just then the bar doors are kicked open, my new girlfriend is back with her big brother,

He picks up a stool and walks up to the leader, and asks him if he really wants to go there,

Not a word is spoken as they leave the pub, and then he says it’s time to get the drinks in,

There was no mobile phones back then, so you had to guess what your friends were thinking.

An hour later and we are on the move, once over the bridge we part our ways,

Her brother steps into his local drinking spot, and we go looking for my old mates,

We did not have to look hard, as her girlfriends knew where they all are,

Historically Graig people stick together, tonight they are all in Kavanaghs bar.

We find them in a corner holding court, they all shout look what the cat has dragged in,

My girlfriend is made to feel very welcome; and she can hold her own amongst them,

The crack is great and time flies, and then we all spill out onto the narrow streets,

A huge crowd are making their way into the hall, it’s time for the meet and greet.

Once inside we make our way to the stage, there I find my new mates from school,

I do the introductions as the music starts pumping, so far so good everything is cool,

There at least five other gangs here tonight, you could cut the tension with a knife,

Someone taps me on the shoulder and whispers in my ear, there will be trouble tonight.

Apparently the girlfriends ex has been gathering troops, for he has a score to settle,

Thomastown and Bennetsbridge will stand with Graignamanagh if it comes to battle,

For the rest of the disco not a lot happens, just pushing and shoving and throwing shapes,

As the last song is played someone throws a bottle, then it erupts all over the place.

Two big waves surge towards each other, God help anyone that’s caught in between,

That’s when I catch sight of him on the outskirts, I leave my girlfriend to go and meet him,

Just one little fight in the heat of the battle, when her ex hits the ground I did not care,

Because are you with me or against me, those were the next words that I heard.