<< 1.Kelly, The Boy from Killane

What's the news? What's the news? O my bold Shelmalier,
With your long-barrelled gun, of the sea?
Say, what wind from the sun blows his messenger here
With a hymn of the dawn for the free?

"Goodly news, goodly news, do I bring, youth of Forth,
Goodly news do I bring, Bargy man!
For the boys march at dawn from the south to the north
Led by Kelly, the boy from Killanne!" 

Tell me who is the giant with the gold curling hair,
He who rides at the head of the band?
Seven feet is his height, with some inches to spare
And he looks like a king in command!

"Oh, me boys, that's the pride of the bold Shelmaliers,
"Mongst our greatest of heroes, a man!
Fling your beavers aloft and give three rousing cheers,
for John Kelly, the boy from Killanne!"

Enniscorthy's in flames, and old Wexford is won,
And the Barrow tomorrow we cross.
On a hill o'er the town we have planted a gun
That will batter the gateways to Ross!

All the Forth men and Bargy men march over the heath
With brave Harvey to lead on the van;
But the foremost of all in that grim gap of death
Will be Kelly, the boy from Killanne!

But the gold sun of freedom grew darkened at Ross
And it set by the Slaney's red waves;
And poor Wexford, stript naked, hung high on a cross
With her heart pierced by traitors and slaves!

Glory O! Glory O! to her brave sons who died
For the cause of long-down-trodden man!
Glory O! to mount Leinster's own darling and pride:
Dauntless Kelly, the boy from Killanne!
---

<< 2.Hand Me Down Me Bible

Oh, Glory-O! Now I'm the Lord's disciple.
Oh, Glory-O! Now hand me down me bible.

I like my liquor and my livin' hard. May the Lord save my soul.
My salvation was the turn of card. My heart's as black as coal,
But everybody's got the right to go wrong
Everybody's got to sing my song.
Everybody's got the right to go wrong.
Sing my song. Sing my song.

Oh, Glory-O! Now I'm the Lord's disciple.
Oh, Glory-O! Now hand me down me bible

I don't give a damn for any man, as all the world can see.
The time has come to make a stand, to shine your light on me.
Come on, people. Let your life begin.
Come on now. Let the sun shine in.
Come on, people. Let your life begin.
Let it in. Let it in.

Oh, Glory-O! Now I'm the Lord's disciple.
Oh, Glory-O! Now hand me down me bible.
---


<< 3.Farewell To Carlingford

When I was young and in my prime and could wander wild and free
There was always a longing in my mind to follow the call of the sea

So I sing farewell to Carlingford and farewell to Grenore
And I'll think of you both day and night until I return once more,
'Til I return once more

On all of the stormy seven seas, I have sailed before the mast
And on every voyage I ever made, I swore it would be my last

So I sing farewell to Carlingford and farewell to Grenore
And I'll think of you both day and night until I return once more
'Til I return once more

Now I had a girl called Mary Boyle and she lived in Grenore
And the foremost thought that was in her mind was to keep me safe on shore

So I sing farewell to Carlingford and farewell to Grenore
And I'll think of you both day and night until I return once more
'Til I return once more

Now the landsman's life is all his own, he can go or he can stay
But when the sea gets in your blood, when she calls you must obey

So I sing farewell to Carlingford and farewell to Grenore
And I'll think of you both day and night until I return once more
'Til I return once more

So I sing farewell to Carlingford and farewell to Grenore
And I'll think of you both day and night until I return once more
'Til I return once more
---


<< 4.Old Maid In The Garret

Now I've often heard it said from me father and me mother
That the going tae a wedding is the making of another
Well, if this be true, I will go without a biddin
O kind providence, won't you send me tae a wedding

And its O dear me, how would it be,
if I die an old maid in a garret

Well, there's my sister Jean, she's not handsome or good looking
Scarcely sixteen and a fella she was courting
Now at twenty-four with a son and a daughter
Here am I at forty-five and I've never had an offer

I can cook and I can sew and I can keep the house right tidy
Rise up in the morning and get the breakfast ready
There's nothing in this whole world would make me half so cheery
As a wee fat man to call me his own deary
So come landsman or come pinsman, come tinker or come tailor
Come fiddler or come dancer, come ploughboy or come sailor
Come rich man, come poor man, come fool or come witty
Come any man at all that will marry me for pity
---


<< 5.The Unquiet Grave

The wind doth blow today my love
A few small drops of rain,
Never have I had but one true love 
In cold clay she is laid. 
I'll do as much for my true love
As any young man may
Ill sit and mourn all on her grave
A twelve-month and a day.

The twelve-month and the day being gone
A voice spoke from the deep,
Who is it sits all on my grave
And will not let me sleep.

'Tis I, 'tis I, thine own true love
Who sits upon your grave
For I crave on kiss from your sweet lips
And that is all I seek

You crave one kiss from my clay cold lips
But my breath is earthly strong,
Had you one kiss from my clay cold lips
Your time would not be long.

My time be long, my time be short
Tomorrow or today
May God in Heaven have all my soul
But I'll kiss your lips of clay

See down in younder garden green
Love where we used to walk
The sweetest flower that ever grew
Is withered to the stalk.

The stalk is withered dry my love
So will our hearts decay
So make yourself content my love
Till death calls you away.
---


<< 6.The Teddy Bear's Head

Chorus:
Here's up the rebels, get back our teddy's head
Her face and tail are all her own
But her brains are foreign led 

On the outskirts of Europe in Atlantic so dear
There's a country called old Ireland
That looks like a teddy bear
It's an island that splits in two
With the border in her head
Her face and tail are all her own
But her brains are foreign led 

Chorus

Her face is o'er in Donegal
Her brains are in Belfast
Her arms outstretched in Galway
For her friends that do go past
Her hair is on the north coast
In Derry, Antrim, Down
I'm sure this head would be better off
Without the bloody crown 

Chorus

Her backbone's on the east coast
From Dublin to Dundalk
Her legs and feet in Kerry
They have shoes that never walked
Her backside's in Cork and Wexford
Her heart in Midlands
Where facing towards America
With her rest to England

Chorus

So listen proud Britannia
To what I say to you
Would you like if your head was owned
By someone quite untrue
And they planted foreign fleas
To mix in with your breed
Before another year has passed
You'd never know your creed 

Chorus

On the outskirts of Europe in Atlantic so dear
There's a country called old Ireland
That looks like a teddy bear
It's an island that splits in two
With the border in her head
Her face and tail are all her own
But her brains are foreign led 
---


<< 7.The Recruiting Sergeant

As I was walking down the road
A feeling fine and larky oh
A recruiting Sergeant came up to me
Says he you'd look fine in khaki oh
For the King he is in need of men
Come read this proclamation oh
A life in Flanders for you then
Would be a fine vacation now

That maybe so says I to him
But tell me sergeant Dearie-oh
If I had a pack stuck upon me back
Would I look fine and cheerie oh
For they'd have you train and drill until
They had you one of Frenchies oh
It maybe warm in Flanders
But it's draughty in the trenches oh

The Sergeant smiled and winked his eye
His smile was most provoking oh
He twiddled and twirled his wee moustache
Says he I know your only joking oh
For the sandbags are so warm and high
The wind you won't feel blowing oh
Well I winked at a colleen passing by
Says I what if it's snowing oh

Come rain or hail or wind or snow
I'm not going out to Flanders oh
There's fighting in Dublin to be done
Let your Sergeants and Commanders go
Let Englishmen fight English wars
It's nearly time they started oh
I salute the Sergeant a very good night
And there and then we parted oh
---


<< 8.Donegal Danny

I remember the night that he came in
From the wintery cold and damp
A giant of a man in an oilskin coat
And a bundle that told he was a tramp
He stood at the bar and he called a pint
Then turned and gazed at the fire
On a night like this, to be safe and dry
Is my one and only desire 
Chorus: 
So here's to those that are dead and gone
The friends that I loved dear
And here's to you then I'll bid you adieu
Sayin' "Donegal Danny's been here, me boys"
Donegal Danny's been here

Then in a voice that was hushed and low
He said "Listen, I'll tell you a tale"
How a man of the sea became a man of the road
And never more will set sail
I fished out of Howth and Killybegs,
Ardglass and Baltimore
But the cruel sea has beaten me
And I'll end my days on the shore

One fateful night in the wind and the rain
We set sail from Killybegs town
There were five of us from sweet Donegal
And one from county Down
We were fishermen who worked the sea
And never counted the cost
But I never thought 'ere that night was gone
That my fine friends would all be lost

Then the storm it broke and broke the boat
With the rocks about ten miles from shore
As we fought the tide, we hoped inside
To see our homes once more
Then we struck a rock and hold the bow
And all of us knew that she'd go down
So we jumped right into the icy sea
And prayed to God we wouldn't drown

But the ragin' sea was risin' still
As we struck out for the land
And she fought with all her cruelty
To claim that gallant men
By Saint John's point in the early dawn
I dragged myself on the shore
And I cursed the sea for what she'd done
And vowed to sail her never more

Ever since that night I've been on the road
Travelin' and trying to forget
That awful night I lost all my friends
I see their faces yet
And often at night when the sea is high
And the rain is tearing at my skin
I hear the cries of drowning men
Floating over on the wind
---


<< 9.Seven Drunken Nights

As I went home on a Monday night, as drunk as drunk could be,
I saw a horse outside the door where my ould horse should be,
Well I called me wife and I said to her,
Will you kindly tell to me,
Who owns that horse outside the door where my ould horse should be?

Ah, you're drunk, you're drunk you silly ould fool, and still you cannot see,
That's a lovely sow that me mother sent to me,
Well it's many a day I travelled a hundred miles or more,
But a saddle on a sow sure I never saw before.

And as I went home on a Tuesday night,
As drunk as drunk could be,
I saw a coat behind the door where my ould coat should be,
Well I called me wife and I said to her,
Will you kindly tell to me,
Who owns the coat behind the door where my ould coat should be?

Ah, you're drunk, you're drunk you silly ould fool, and still you cannot see,
That's a woollen blanket that me mother sent to me,
Well it's many a day I travelled a hundred miles or more,
But buttons on a blanket sure I never saw before.

And as I went home on a Wednesday night, as drunk as drunk could be,
I saw a pipe upon the chair where my ould pipe should be,
Well I called me wife and I said to her,
Will you kindly tell to me,
Who owns the pipe upon the chair where my ould pipe should be?

Ah, you're drunk, you're drunk you silly ould fool, and still you cannot see,
That's a lovely tin whistle that me mother sent to me,
Well it's many a day I travelled a hundred miles or more,
But tobacco in a tin whistle sure I never saw before.

As I came home on a Thursday night,
As drunk as drunk could be,
I saw two boots beneath the bed where my ould boots should be,
Well I called me wife and I said to her,
Will you kindly tell to me,
Who owns them boots beneath the bed where my ould boots should be?

Ah, you're drunk, you're drunk you silly ould fool,
And still you cannot see,
They're two lovely geranium pots me mother sent to me,
Well it's many a day I travelled a hundred miles or more,
But laces in geranium pots sure I never saw before.

And as I went home on a Friday night,
As drunk as drunk could be,
I saw a head inside the bed where my ould head should be,
Well I called me wife and I said to her,
Will you kindly tell to me,
Who owns that head with you in the bed where my ould head should be?

Ah, you're drunk, you're drunk you silly ould fool, and still you cannot see,
That's a baby boy that me mother sent to me,
Well it's many a day I travelled a hundred miles or more,
But a baby boy with his whiskers on sure I never saw before.

And as I went home on a Saturday night 
As drunk as he could be
I saw a hand upon her breast where my ol' hand should be
So he says to his wife, he says to her
Would you kindly tell to me
Who owns the hand upon your breast where my ol' hand should be?

Ohhhhhhhhh, you're drunk again you silly old fool drunk as you can be
It's only just a brassiere
That me mother sent to me
Now many a day I've travelled ahundred miles or more
But a brassiere with fingers I've never seen before

.
And as I went home on a Sunday night 
And then I saw a blankety-blank
Where my ol' blank should be

So he says to his wife, he says to her
(Never mind what)
Would you kindly tell to me
(Use your imagination) who owns the blankety-blank?

Oh, you're drunk again You silly old fool, drunk as you can be
It's only just a rollin pin
Me mother sent to me
Now many a day I've travelled a hundred miles or more
But a rolling pin with a head like that!
I've never seen before!

(Other version of the week-end:)

As I came home on a Saturday night, 
as drunk as drunk could be 
I spied two hands upon her breasts, where my old hands should be. 
I called to my wife and I said to her: 
Will you kindly tell to me, 
Who's hands are these upon your breasts, where my old hands should be? 

Oh, you're drunk, you're drunk, 
you silly old fool, and still you cannot see 
'Tis nothing but a Living Bra Jane Russell gave to me. 
Well, it's many a day I've travelled a hundred miles or more, 
but fingernails on a Living Bra, I never saw before. 

Now when I came home on Sunday night, a little after three. 
I saw a man running out the door 
with his pants about his knee. 
So I called to my wife and I said to her: 
would you kindly tell to me, 
who was that man running out the door 
with his pants about his knee? 

Oh you're drunk, you're drunk, 
you silly old fool, and still you cannot see, 
T'was nothing but the tax collector the Queen sent to me. 
Well, it's many a day I've travelled, a hundred miles or more, 
But an Englishman that could last 'till three I never saw before.
---


<< 10.Tramps and hawkers

O come a' ye tramps and hawker-lads
an' gaitherers o' bla' 
That tramp the country roun' and roun',
come listen one and a' 
I'll tell tae ye a rovin' tale,
an' places I hae been 
Far up into the snowy north,
or sooth by Gretna Green. 

I've seen the high Ben Nevis
that gangs towerin' tae the moon 
I've been roun' by Crieff an' Callander
an' by Bonny Doon 
I've been by Nethy's silvery tide
an' places ill tae ken 
Far up into the stormy north
lies Urquart's fairy glen 

Sometimes noo I laugh tae mysel'
when dodgin' alang the road 
Wi' a bag o' meal slung upon my back,
my face as broun's a toad 
Wi' lumps o'cheese and tattie-scones
or breid an' braxie ham 
Nae thinking whar' I'm comin' frae
nor thinkin' whar I'm gang. 

I'm happy in the summer-time
beneath the dark blue sky 
Nae thinkin' in the mornin'
at nicht where i'm gang to lie 
Bothies or byres or barns, 
or oot amangst the hay 
And if the weather does permit,
I'm happy a' the day. 

Loch Katrine and Loch Lomond,
they've oft been seen by me 
The Dee, the Don, the Devron,
that a' flows tae the sea 
Dunrobin Castle, by the way, 
I nearly had forgot 
And the reckless stanes o'cairn
that mairks the hoose o' John 
o' Groat. 

I've been by bonny Gallowa',
an' often roun' Stranraer 
My business leads me anywhere,
I travel near an' far 
I've got that rovin' notion
I wouldna like tae loss 
For It's my daily fare
an' as much'll pay my doss. 

I think I'll gang tae Paddy's Lan',
I'm makin' up my mind 
For Scotland's greatly altered noo,
I canna raise the wind 
But if I can trust in Providence,
if Providence should prove true 
I'll sing ye's a' of Erin's Isle
when I come back to you. 
---


<< 11.Peat Bog Soldiers

Far and wide as the eye can wander
Heath and bog are everywhere
Not a bird sings out to cheer us
Oaks are standing, gaunt and bare

Chorus:
We are the peatbog soldiers
We're marching with our spades 
To the moor

Up and down the guards are pacing
No one, no one can go through
Flight would mean a sure death facing
Guns and barbed wire greet our view

But for us there is no complaining
Winter will in time be past
One day we shall cry rejoicing
"Homeland dear, you're mine at last!"

Final Chorus
Then will the peatbog soldiers
March no more with spades 
To the moor
---


<< 12.Fields of Athenry

By a lonely prison wall, I heard a young girl calling
"Michael, they have taken you away,
For you stole Trevelyan'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 the 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."
By a lonely harbor wall, she watched the last star fall
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 the fields of Athenry.
---


<< 13.Dulaman
 
(in Irish)

Curfa:
Dulaman na Binne Bui, Dulaman Gaelach, 
Dulaman na farraige, 's e b'fhearr a bhi in Eirinn. 


A 'nion mhin o, sin anall na fir shuiri, 
A mhathair mhin o! cuir na roithlean go dti me. 
Curfa 

Ta cosa dubha dubailte ar an dulaman gaelach 
Ta dha chluais mhaol ar an dulaman gaelach
Curfa 

Rachaimid do Doire leis an dulaman gaelach, 
Is ceannoimid broga daora ar an dulaman gaelach. 
Curfa 

Broga breaca dubha ar an dulaman gaelach, 
Ta bearead agus trius ar an dulaman gaelach. 
Curfa 

Ochuir me sceala chuici, go gceannoinn cior di, 
"S e'n sceal a chuir si chugam, go raibh a ceann ciortha. 
Curfa 

Goide a thug na tire thu? arsa an dulaman gaelach, 
Ag suiri le do nion, arsa an dulaman maorach. 
Curfa 

Ocha bhfaigheann tu mo 'nion, arsa an dulaman gaelach, 
Bheul, fuadoidh me liom i, arsa an dulaman maorach 
---
---
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