Glendalough Saint

In Glendalough lived an old saint  
Renowned for learning and piety 
His manners was curious and quint 
And he looked upon girl with disparity

He was fond of readin` a book 
When he could get one to his wishes 
He was fond of castin` his hook 
In among the ould fishes

But one evenin` he landed a trout 
He landed a fine big rout, Sir 
When young Kathleen from over the way 
Came to see what the ould monk was about, Sir

"Oh get out o` me way" said the saint 
for I am a man of great piety 
and me good manners  I wouldn`t taint 
not by mixing with female society

Oh but Kitty she wouldn`t give in 
And when he got home to his rockery 
He found she was seated therein 
a-polishin` up his ould crockery

Well he gave the poor creature a shake 
And I wish that the Garda had caught him! 
For he threw her right into the lake 
And, be Jaysus, she sank to the bottom

Molly Malone

In Dublin's fair city, where the girls are so pretty 
I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone 
As she wheeled her wheelbarrow through streets broad and narrow 
Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O! 
 
A-live a-live O! A-live a-live O! 
Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O! 
 
She was a fishmonger and sure it was no wonder 
For so were her father and mother before 
And they both wheeled their barrows through streets broad and narrow 
Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O! 
 
A-live a-live O! A-live a-live O! 
Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O! 
 
She died of a fever and no one could save her 
And that was the end of sweet Molly Malone 
Now her ghost wheels her barrow through streets broad and narrow 
Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O! 
 
A-live a-live O! A-live a-live O! 
Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O! 
A-live a-live O! A-live a-live O! 
Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O!

Wild Rover

I've been a wild rover for many's the year and
I've spent all me money on whiskey and beer
and now I'm returning with gold in great store
and I never will play the wild rover no more

And it's no, nay, never. No, nay, never, no more!
Will I play the wild rover. No, never, no more!

I went into an alehouse I used to frequent
and I told the landlady me money was spent
I asked her for credit, she answered me nay
such a custom as yours I could have any day

Chorus

I took from me pocket ten sovereigns bright
and the landlady's eyes opened up with delight
she said she had whiskeys and wines of the best
and the words that she told me were only in jest

Chorus
I went home to my parents, confessed what I'd done
and I asked them to pardon their prodigal son
and when they'd caressed me as oft times before
I never will play the wild rover no more

Chorus

 

Dicey Reilly

Oh poor old Dicey Reilly has taken to the sup
And poor old Dicey Reilly will never give it up
It's off each morning to the pub
Where she goes in for another little drop
And the heart all of the rowl is Dicey Reilly

She walks along Fitzgibbon Street with an independent air
And then it's down by Summerhill, and as the people stare
She says "It's nearly half past one
I just drop in for another little one.'
And the heart all of the rowl is Dicey Reilly

 

Loch Lomond

By yon bonnie banks, 
And by yon bonnie braes, 
Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond, 
Where me and my true love 
Were ever want to gae, 
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond. 
 
Oh! ye'll take the high road and 
I'll take the low road, 
And I'll be in Scotland afore ye; 
But me and my true love  
Will never meet again 
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond. 
 
'Twas then that we parted 
In yon shady glen, 
On the steep, steep side of Ben Lomond, 
Where in purple hue 
The Highland hills we view, 
And the moon coming out in the gloaming. 
 
Oh! ye'll take the high road and 
I'll take the low road, 
And I'll be in Scotland afore ye; 
But me and my true love  
Will never meet again 
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond. 
 
The wee birdie sang 
And the wild flowers spring, 
And in sunshine the waters are sleeping, 
But the broken heart it kens 
Nae second Spring again, 
Tho' the waeful may cease frae their greeting. 
 
Oh! ye'll take the high road and 
I'll take the low road, 
And I'll be in Scotland afore ye; 
But me and my true love  
Will never meet again 
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond.

Some say the Devil is Dead 

Some say the devil is dead, the devil is dead, the devil is dead, 
Some say the devil is dead and buried in Killarney. 
More say he rose again, more say he rose again, more say he rose 
again,  And joined the British army.

Feed the pigs and milk the cow, milk the cow, milk the cow, 
Feed the pigs and milk the cow, so early in the morning. 
Tuck your leg up, Paddy, dear. Paddy, dear, I'm over here! Tuck your leg 
up, Paddy dear, 
It's time to stop your yawning

Chorus

Katie, she is tall and thin, tall and thin, tall and thin. 
Katie, she is tall and thin. She likes a drop of brandy. 
Drinks it in the bed at night, drinks it in the bed at night, drinks it in the 
bed at night. It makes her nice and randy. 

Chorus

My man is six foot tall, six foot tall, six foot tall, 
My man is six foot tall, he likes his sugar candy. 
Goes to bed at six o'clock, goes to bed at six o'clock, goes to bed at six 
o'clock.  He's lazy, fat and dandy. 

Chorus  
My wife, she has a hairy thing, a hairy thing, a hairy thing. 
My wife, she has a hairy thing, she showed it to me Sunday. 
She bought it in the furrier shop, bought it in the furrier shop, bought it in 
the furrier shop. 
It's going back on Monday.

Spancil Hill

Last night as I lay dreaming of pleasant days gone by
My mind been bent on rambling to Ireland I did fly
I stepped on board a vision and followed with a will
Til next I came to anchor at the cross in Spancil Hill

It's been on the twenty-third of June the day before the fair
When Irelands sons and daughters and friends assembled there
The young, the old, the brave and the bold came their duty to fulfill
At the parish church in Clooney, a mile from Spancil Hill

Delighted by the novelty, enchanted by the scene.
Where in me early boyhood where often I had been.
I thought I heard a murmur. I think I hear it still.
It's the little stream of water that flows down Spancil Hill.

To amuse a passing fancy, I laid down on the ground.
And all my school companions, they shortly gathered round.
When we were home returning, we danced with bright good will
To Martin Monahan's music, at the cross at Spancil Hill.

I went to see me neighbours to see what they might say
The old ones were all dead and gone, the young ones turning grey
But I met the tailor Quigley, he's as bold as ever still
Ah, he used to make me britches when I lived at Spancil Hill

I paid a flying visit to my first and only love
She's as white as any lily, gentle as a dove
And she threw her arms around me, saying Johnny I love you still
Ah, she's now a farmer's daughter and the pride of Spancil Hill

I dreamt I knelt and kissed her as in the days of yore
Ah, Johnny you're only joking as many the time before
Then the cock he crew in the morning, he crew both loud and shrill
I awoke in California, many miles from Spancil Hill

Fields Of Athenry

By a lonely prison wall,
I heard a young girl calling:
"Michael, they have taken you away,
For you stole Trevelyn's corn,
So the young might see the morn.
Now a prison ship lies waiting in the bay."

Low lie the fields of Athenry
Where once we watched the small free birds fly
Our love was on the wing
We had dreams and songs to sing
It's so lonely round those fields of Athenry.

By a lonely prison wall,
I heard a young man calling
"Nothing matters, Mary, when you're free
Against the famine and the crown,
I rebelled, they cut me down.
Now you must raise our child with dignity."

Low lie the fields of Athenry
Where once we watched the small free birds fly
Our love was on the wing
We had dreams and songs to sing
It's so lonely round those fields of Athenry.

By a lonely harbor wall,
She watched the last star falling
As the prison ship sailed out against the sky
For she lived to hope and pray
For her love in Botany Bay
It's so lonely round those fields of Athenry.

Low lie the fields of Athenry
Where once we watched the small free birds fly
Our love was on the wing
We had dreams and songs to sing
It's so lonely round the fields of Athenry.

Leaving Of Liverpool

Farewell to Prince's Landing Stage
River Mersey, fare thee well
I am bound for California
A place I know right well

Chorus:
So fare thee well, my own true love
When I return united we will be
It's not the leaving of Liverpool that grieves me
But my darling when I think of thee

I am bound off for California
By the way of stormy Cape Horn
I will write you dear a letter, love
When I am homeward bound
Chorus:

I have shiped on a Yankee Clipper ship
Davy Crockett is her name
And Burgess is the Captain of her
And they say that she's a floating Hell
Chorus:

I have sailed with Burgess once before
I think I know him well
If a man's a sailor, he will get along
If not, then he's sure in Hell
Chorus:

Farewell to lower Frederick Street
and to Terrace and Park Lane
I am bound away for to leave you
And I'll never see you again
Chorus:

Oh the sun is on the harbour, love
And I wish I could remain
For I know it will be a long, long time
Till I see you again
Chorus:

Whiskey You're The Devil

Whiskey, you're the devil, you're leadin' me astray
Over hills and mountains and to Americae
You're sweeter, stronger, decenter, you're spunkier than tae
O whiskey, you're my darlin' drunk or sober

Oh, now, brave boys, we're on the march and off to Portugal and Spain
The drums are beating, banners flying, the devil ahome will come tonight
Love, fare thee well, with me tithery eye the doodelum the da
Me tithery eye the doodelum the da, Me rikes fall tour a laddie oh
There's whiskey in the jar. Hey!

Whiskey, you're the devil, you're leadin' me astray
Over hills and mountains and to Americae
You're sweeter, stronger, decenter, you're spunkier than tae
O whiskey, you're my darlin' drunk or sober

Said the mother: "Do not wrong me, don't take my daughter from me
For if you do I will torment you, and after death a ghost will haunt you"
Love, fare thee well, with me tithery eye the doodelum the da
Me tithery eye the doodelum the da, Me rikes fall tour a laddie oh
There's whiskey in the jar. Hey!

Whiskey, you're the devil, you're leadin' me astray
Over hills and mountains and to Americae
You're sweeter, stronger, decenter, you're spunkier than tae
O whiskey, you're my darlin' drunk or sober

The French are fighting boldly, men dying hot and coldly
Gives ev'ry man his flask of powder, his farlock on his shoulder
Love, fare thee well, with me tithery eye the doodelum the da
Me tithery eye the doodelum the da, Me rikes fall tour a laddie oh
There's whiskey in the jar. Hey!

Whiskey, you're the devil, you're leadin' me astray
Over hills and mountains and to Americae
You're sweeter, stronger, decenter, you're spunkier than tae
O whiskey, you're my darlin' drunk or sober

The Rocky Road To Dublin

While In the merry month of May, From my home I started,
Left the girls of Tuam, Nearly broken hearted,
Saluted father dear, Kissed my darlin' mother,
Drank a pint of beer, My grief and tears to smother,
Then off to reap the corn, leave where I was born,
cut a stout blackthorn, To banish ghost and goblins,
brand new pair of brogues, I rattled o'er the bogs,
frightened all the dogs,On the rocky road to Dublin.

One, two, three, four five,
Hunt the hare and turn her
Down the rocky road
And all the ways to Dublin,
Whack-fol-lol-de-ra.

In Mullingar that night, I rested limbs so weary,
Started by daylight, Next mornin' light and airy,
Took a drop of the pure, Keep my heart from sinkin',
That's an Irish cure, Whene'er he's on for drinking.
To see the lasses smile, Laughing all the while,
At my curious style, 'Twould set your heart a-bubblin'.
They ax'd if I was hired, wages I required,
Till I was nearly tired, Of the rocky road to Dublin.

In Dublin next arrived, I thought it such a pity,
To be so soon deprived, A view of that fine city.
Then I took a stroll, All among the quality,
bundle it was stole, All In a neat locality;
Something crossed my mind, Then I looked behind;
No bundle could I find, Upon my stick a wobblin'.
Enquirin' for the rogue, said my Connacht brogue,
Wasn't much in vogue, On the rocky road to Dublin.

From there I got away, My spirits never failin'
Landed on the quay As the ship was sailin';
Captain at me roared, Said that no room had he,
When I jumped aboard, A cabin found for Paddy,
Down among the pigs played some funny rigs,
Danced some hearty jigs, The water round me bubblin',
When off Holyhead, wished myself was dead,
Or better far instead, On the rocky road to Dublin.

The boys of Liverpool, When we safely landed,
Called myself a fool; I could no longer stand it;
Blood began to boil, Temper I was losin',
Poor ould Erin's isle They began abusin',
"Hurrah my soul," sez I, My shillelagh I let fly;
Galway boys were by, Saw I was a hobble in,
Then with a loud hurray, They joined in the affray.
We quickly cleared the way, For the rocky road to Dublin.

Fiddler's Green

As I roved by the dockside one evening so fair
To view the salt waters and take in the salt air
I heard an old fisherman singing a song
Oh, take me away boys me time is not long

Wrap me up in me oilskin and blankets
No more on the docks I'll be seen
Just tell me old shipmates, I'm taking a trip mates
And I'll see you someday on Fiddlers Green

Now Fiddler's Green is a place I've heard tell
Where the fishermen go if they don't go to hell
Where the weather is fair and the dolphins do play
And the cold coast of Greenland is far, far away

Now when you're in dock and the long trip is through
There's pubs and there's clubs and there's lassies there too
And the girls are all pretty and the beer is all free
And there's bottles of rum growing on every tree.

Where the skies are all clear and there's never a gail
And the fish jump on board with one swish on their tail
Where you lie at your leisure, there's no work to do
And the skipper's below making tea for the crew

Now I don't want a harp nor a halo, not me
Just give me a breeze and a good rolling sea
I'll play me old squeeze-box as we sail along
With the wind in the riggin to sing me a song