https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Alwen_Reservoir_218.jpg" rel="nofollow"> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alwen_Reservoir" rel="nofollow - Alwen Dam  in North Wales is only a few miles from where the song's protagonists landed, and was built by Sir Robert McAlpine's company

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Grain4959.JPG" rel="nofollow"> The song mentions the  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isle_of_Grain" rel="nofollow - Isle of Grain . This is the power station there

McAlpine's Fusiliers is an Irish ballad set to a traditional air, popularised in the early 1960s by  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominic_Behan" rel="nofollow - Dominic Behan . ^{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McAlpines_Fusiliers#cite_note-irelandsown-1" rel="nofollow - [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McAlpines_Fusiliers#cite_note-2" rel="nofollow - [2]}

The song relates to the migration of Irish labourers from Ireland to Britain during the 20th century. ^{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McAlpines_Fusiliers#cite_note-3" rel="nofollow - [3]}  The ballad's title refers to the  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Robert_McAlpine" rel="nofollow - eponymous construction company  of  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Robert_McAlpine,_1st_Baronet" rel="nofollow - Sir Robert McAlpine , a major employer of Irish workmen at the time. ^{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McAlpines_Fusiliers#cite_note-cowley-4" rel="nofollow - [4]}   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Laing_%28businessman%29" rel="nofollow - John Laing  and  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wimpey" rel="nofollow - Wimpey  (also referred to in the opening monologue; an integral part of the ballad although not included in some cover versions of the song) were other major construction companies employing Irish ' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navvy" rel="nofollow - navvies ' (a British term referring to building labourers and originally coined for the labourers who built the British canals or 'navigations'). ^{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McAlpines_Fusiliers#cite_note-cowley-4" rel="nofollow - [4]}

The colloquial and local terms in the song's monologue and lyrics include references to a 'spike' (a hostel or 'reception centre' sometimes used by Irish  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navvy" rel="nofollow - navvies  who could not find or afford lodgings) and to ' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formwork" rel="nofollow - shuttering ' (a rapidly constructed wooden casing made to hold concrete while it sets).  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holyhead" rel="nofollow - Holyhead , also referred to in the monologue, is a port on  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglesey" rel="nofollow - Anglesey  (Ynys Môn) in Wales where the main ferry service across the  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Sea" rel="nofollow - Irish Sea  from  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%BAn_Laoghaire" rel="nofollow - Dún Laoghaire  used to dock.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cricklewood" rel="nofollow - Cricklewood  is a district of North West London which had a relatively large Irish population. The  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isle_of_Grain" rel="nofollow - Isle of Grain  is an area in Kent where the River Medway joins the Thames Estuary east of London which was a large construction site for several years while a large power station was built there. ^{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McAlpines_Fusiliers#cite_note-irelandsown-1" rel="nofollow - [1]}  The song offers a satirical view of the life and work of the Irish labourers of the times and as such proved popular. ^{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McAlpines_Fusiliers#cite_note-5" rel="nofollow - [5]}

Some sources suggest that the words of the song were derived from an earlier poem or poems by Irish labourer Martin Henry, ^{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McAlpines_Fusiliers#cite_note-irelandsown-1" rel="nofollow - [1]}  with the song's arrangement attributed to  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominic_Behan" rel="nofollow - Dominic Behan . ^{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McAlpines_Fusiliers#cite_note-irelandsown-1" rel="nofollow - [1]}  Along with a number of other songs, Behan provided the song to  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dubliners" rel="nofollow - The Dubliners  for use in a new set-structure.^{[ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" rel="nofollow - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McAlpines_Fusiliers#cite_note-6" rel="nofollow - [6]}

The song has also been recorded by  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paddy_Reilly" rel="nofollow - Paddy Reilly ,  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Clancy_Brothers" rel="nofollow - The Clancy Brothers ,  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Capitol_Showband" rel="nofollow - The Capitol Showband , ^{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McAlpines_Fusiliers#cite_note-7" rel="nofollow - [7]}   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pecker_Dunne" rel="nofollow - Pecker Dunne , ^{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McAlpines_Fusiliers#cite_note-8" rel="nofollow - [8]}  the Young Dubliners and others. ^{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McAlpines_Fusiliers#cite_note-9" rel="nofollow - [9]}