The Rocky Road To Dublin
TradWhile in the merry month of May
From me home I started
Left the girls of Tuam
Nearly broken hearted
Saluted father dear
Kissed me darling mother
Drank a pint of beer
Me grief and fears to smother
Then off to reap the corn
And leave where I was born
Cut a stout blackthorn
To banish ghost and goblin
In a brand new pair of brogues
I rattled o’er the bogs
And 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 al de rol
In Mullingar that night
I rested limbs so weary
Started by daylight next morning
Light and airy,
Took a drop of the pure
To keep me heart from sinkin’
That’s the Paddy’s cure
Whenever he’s on for drinkin’
To see the lassies smile
Laughin’ all the while
At me curious style
‘Twould set your heart a-bubblin’
They ax’d if I was hired
The wages I required
Til I was almost tired
Of 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 al de rol
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
Me bundle it was stole
In a neat locality
Something crossed me mind
Then I looked behind
No bundle could I find
Upon my stick a-wobblin’
Enquirin’ after the rogue
They said me Connacht brogue
Wasn’t much in vogue
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 al de rol
From here I got away
Me spirits never failin’
Landed on the quay
Just 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
I skipped some funny rigs
I played some hearty jigs
The water round me bubblin’
When off to Holyhead
I wished meself was dead
Or better far instead
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 al de rol
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 loosin’
Poor old Erin’s isle
They began abusin’
Hurrah me soul, says I
My shillelagh I let fly
Some Galway boys went by
And saw I was a-hobblin’
Then with a loud hurray
They joined in the affray
We quickly cleared the way
For 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 al de rol