"Johnston's Motor Car" is an Irish rebel song written by Willie Gillespie based on the commandeering in Ulster of a motor car belonging to Dr. Henry Maturin Johnston (1851–1932) by the Irish Republican Army (IRA).
An Irish Republican Army unit needed transport to a town over fifty miles away, but had no car to carry them.
On his way there, he found the Reelin Bridge in Glenfin barricaded by the IRA, who forced him to give them his car.
[2] In 2019, retired Ballybofey businessman Cathal McHugh claimed to have found what he believes to be the remnants of the vehicle under a turf stack in County Donegal.
[2] The song was very popular in Ireland in the 1920s before being rediscovered and covered by bands including The Dubliners and Flying Column, although the more modern versions have slightly different lyrics; Johnston is often replaced with Johnson as well, as in the Clancy Brothers version.