"The Wearing of the Green" 

is an Irish street ballad lamenting the repression of supporters of the Irish Rebellion of 1798. It is to an old Irish air, and many versions of the lyric exist, the best-known being by Dion Boucicault.The song proclaims that "they are hanging men and women for the wearing of the green The revolutionary Society of United Irishmen adopted green as its colour, and supporters wore green-coloured garments, ribbons, or cockades. This was considered sedition by the Dublin Castle administrationaccording to Poynings' Law  and often resulted in prosecution by the authorities or violent reprisals by loyalist mobs. In some versions, the "green" being worn is shamrock rather than fabric.