Dunnes Stores - Christy Moore

Close your eyes and come with me back to 1984
We'll take a walk down Henry Street to Dunnes
Department store.
The supermarket's busy and the registers make a din'
The groceries go rolling out and the cash comes rolling
In.

Mary Manning is at the checkout and she's trying to
Keep warm,
When a customer comes up to her with a basket on her
Arm
The contents of the basket Mary's future is to shape
But the label clearly stated "Produce Of The Cape"

I can't check out your oranges Mrs, now won't you bring
Them back.
For they come from South Africa, where White oppresses
Black
I'd have it on my conscience and I couldn't sleep at
Night
If I helped support the system that denies Black
People's rights

Our union says "Don't Handle Them. It's the least that
We can do.
We Fought oppression here for centuries, we'll help
Them fight it too"
The managers descended in an avalanche of suits
And Mary was suspended cos she wouldn't touch the
Fruits.

Chorus:
Dunnes Stores Dunnes Stores
Dunnes Stores with St Bernard Better Value Beats Them
All

Well, her friends are all behind her and the union gave
Support
And they called a strike and the pickets brought all
Dunnes' Stores to a halt
No one was going to tell the Boss what he bought or
Sold
These women are only workers, they must do as they are
Told.

Isn't it just typical of a partite screwball law?
It's not just in South Africa, the Rich Temple and the
Poor.
He wouldn't have a boycott, he couldn't give a tinker's
Curse
Doesn't matter how he fills the shelves as long as he
Lines his Purse

Chorus

The messages came rollin' in from all around the world
For such concern and sacrifice and for courage brave
And bold.
When 14 months were over, 10 women and a man
Had helped to raise the consiousness all around the
Land.

Cleary's in O'Connell street wouldn't sell South
African shoes.
Best Man sent all their clothes back, Roches Stores
Sent back their booze.
Until all South African goods were taken off the
Shelves in Dunnes.
And Mary Manning was down in Henry Street sticking to
Her guns

Chorus