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Irish Songs
 

 

Sean South of Garryowen


It was on a dreary New Year's Eve as the shades of night came down
A lorry load of volunteers approached a border town
There were men from Dublin and from Cork, Fermanagh and Tyrone
And the leader was a Limerick man, Sean from Garryowen

And as they moved along the street up to the barracks door
They scorned the dangers they would meet, the fate that lay in store
They were fighting for old Ireland's cause to claim their very own
And the leader was a Limerick man, Sean from Garryowen

But the sergeant spied their daring plan; he spied them through the door
With the sten guns and the rifles, a hail of death did roar
And when that awful night was past, two men lay cold as stone
There was one from near the border and one from Garryowen

May God reward those gallant men, may heaven be their home
In Brookburogh Town, where they were shot down' in a cabin they lay cold
They never feared the R.U.C., or the B men on patrol
O'Hanlon from the border and South from Garryowen

No more he will hear the seagulls cry o'er the murmuring Shannon tide
For he fell beneath a northern sky, O'Hanlon by his side
They have gone to join that gallant band of Plunkett, Pearse and Tone
Another martyr for old Ireland, Sean South from Garryowen
Another martyr for old Ireland, Sean South from Garryowen


Ringsend Rose


In Dublin Town there lived a girl
Fairer than the flower I'm wearin'
Rose Donoghue--all fresh and new
And I love her past all carin'

Chorus:
And there she goes my Ringsend Rose
In God's Garden there's none rarer
And there she goes my Ringsend Rose
Dublin Town has seen none fairer

Sweet seventeen, my seamstress queen
She's no bigger than a thimble
Soft satin skin, street Arab's grin
Sure she makes the work looks simple

Chorus:
And there she goes my Ringsend Rose
In God's Garden there's none rarer
And there she goes my Ringsend Rose
Dublin Town has seen none fairer

Three yards of lace to walk with grace
And the golden ring she's askin'
The savin's slow--ah but still I know
That our love is ever-lasting

Chorus:
And there she goes my Ringsend Rose
In God's Garden there's none rarer
And there she goes my Ringsend Rose
Dublin Town has seen none fairer
And there she goes my Ringsend Rose
In God's Garden there's none rarer
And there she goes my Ringsend Rose
Dublin Town has seen none fairer


Sunday Bloody Sunday


Well it was Sunday bloody Sunday
When they shot the people there
The cries of thirteen martyrs
Filled the Free Derry air
Is there any one amongst you
Dare to blame it on the kids?
Not a soldier boy was bleeding
When they nailed the coffin lids!

Sunday bloody Sunday
Bloody Sunday's the day!

You claim to be majority
Well you know that it's a lie
You're really a minority
On this sweet emerald isle
When Stormont bans our marches
They've got a lot to learn
Internment is no answer
It's those mothers' turn to burn!

Sunday bloody Sunday
Bloody Sunday's the day!
Sunday bloody Sunday
Bloody Sunday's the day!

You anglo pigs and Scotties
Sent to colonize the North
You wave your bloody Union Jack
And you know what it's worth!
How dare you hold to ransom
A people proud and free
Keep Ireland for the Irish
Put the English back to sea!

Sunday bloody Sunday
Bloody Sunday's the day!

Well, it's always bloody Sunday
In the concentration camps
Keep Falls Road free forever
From the bloody English hands
Repatriate to Britain
All of you who call it home
Leave Ireland to the Irish
Not for London or for Rome!

Sunday bloody Sunday
Bloody Sunday's the day! . . .


Dublin You Live In My Heart


I was havin' a jar in O'Donoghue's Bar
When it came to my mind I'd be better by far
If I'd something to do, so I signed on the brew
The roads o'er the water are waiting for tar

Chorus:
And it's Dublin you're breakin' my heart
It's the leavin' that tears me apart
It's good-bye to the Mot and the dear family too
To the lads that I ran with and fought as I grew
And the craic in the bars and the cronies I knew
Dublin you're breakin' my heart

I went down to the Quay and I boarded the boat
And I waved to the crowd with a lump in my throat
With no work in my trade, I'd to take up the spade
I've a living to make so I shouldered my coat

Chorus

I've toiled for the English and for Scots too
Took any old job that I though I could do
And each week from me pay, a few quid for the rain
And a few bob sent home just to help them get through

Chorus

Now the good days are over, the work is all done
There's a lady in charge with a heart like a stone
When I ask for a start they say, 'Can't, have a heart
''There's no work for our own, you'd be better at home'

Chorus


Now I'm Easy



For nearly sixty years I’ve been a cocky,
Of drought and fires and floods I’ve lived through plenty;
This country’s dust and mud have seen my tears and blood,
But it’s nearly over now, now I’m easy.
I married a fine girl when I was twenty,
But she died giving birth when she was thirty;
No flying doctor then, just a gentle old black gin,
But it’s nearly over now, now I’m easy.

She left me with two sons and a daughter,
And a bone dry farm whose soil cried out for water;
So my care was rough and ready, but they grew up fine and steady
But it’s nearly over now, now I’m easy.
My daughter married young and went her own way,
My sons lie buried by the Burma Railway;
So on this land I’ve made my own, I’ve carried on alone,
But it’s nearly over now, now I’m easy.

City folks these days despise the cocky.
Say with subsidies and all we’ve had it easy.
But there’s no drought or starving stock
On a sewered suburban plot
But it’s nearly over now, now I’m easy.
Yes, it’s nearly over now, now I’m easy.


Black is the Colour


But Black is the colour of my true love's hair.
His face is like some rosy fair,
The prettiest face and the neatest hands,
I love the ground whereon he stands.


I love my love and well he knows
I love the ground whereon he goes
If you no more on earth I see,
I can't serve you as you have me.


The winter's passed and the leaves are green
The time is passed that we have seen,
But still I hope the time will come
When you and I shall be as one.


I go to the Clyde for to mourn and weep,
But satisfied I never could sleep,
I'll write to you a few short lines
I'll suffer death ten thousand times.


So fare you well, my own true love
The time has passed, but I wish you well.
But still I hope the time will come
When you and I will be as one.


I love my love and well he knows
I love the ground whereon he goes,
The prettiest face, the neatest hands
I love the ground whereon he stands.


Mountains of Mourne


Oh Mary, this London's a wonderful sight,
With people here working by day and by night.
They don't sow potatoes nor barley nor wheat
But there's gangs of them diggin' for gold in the street.

At least, when I asked them that's what I was told
So I just took a hand at this diggin' for gold;
But for all that I've found there, I might as well be
Where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea.

I believe that when writin' a wish you expressed
As to how the fine ladies of London are dressed.
Well if you believe me, when asked to a ball
They don't wear no tops to their dresses at all.

Oh, I've seen them myself and you could not, in truth
Say if they were bound for a ball, or a bath,
Don't be startin' them fashions now, Mary Machree,
Where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea.

I've seen England's king from the top of a bus
And I've never known him, but he means to know us.
And tho' by the Saxon we once were oppressed,
Still I cheered, God forgive me, I cheered with the rest.

And now that he's visited Erin's green shore
We'll be much better friends than we've been heretofore
When we've got all we want, we're as quiet as can be
Where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea.

You remember young Peter O'Loughlin of course
Well now he is here at the head of the Force.
I met him today, I was crossing the Strand
And he stopped the whole street with a wave of his hand.

And there we stood talking of days that are gone
While the whole population of London looked on;
But for all these great powers, he's wishful, like me
To be back where the dark Mourne sweeps down to the sea.

There's beautiful girls here — Oh, never you mind —
With beautiful shapes nature never designed.
And lovely complexions all roses and cream,
But O'Loughlin remarked with regard to the same

That if at those roses you venture to sip
The colors might all come away on your lip
So I'll wait for the wild rose that's waitin' for me
Where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea.


Carrickfergus


I wish I was in Carrickfergus
Only for nights in Ballygrand
I would swim over the deepest ocean
But only for nights in Ballygrand

But the sea is wide and I cannot swim over
And neither have I the wings to fly
I wish I had a handsome boatman
To ferry me over my love and I

Now in Kilkenny it is reported
On marble stones there, as black as ink
With gold and sliver I would support her
But I'll sing no more now till I get a drink

I'm drunk today and I'm seldom sober
A handsome rover from town to town
Ah but I'm sick now my days are numbered
Come all you young men and lay me down

My childhood days bring back sad reflections
Of happy days so long ago
My boyhood friends and my own relations
Have all passed on like the melting snow

So I'll spend my days in endless roving,
Soft is the grass and my bed is free
Oh to be home now in Carrickfergus,
On the long road down on the salty sea


Wild Rover


I've been a Wild Rover for manys a year
I spent all me money on whiskey and beer
But now I returning with gold in great store
And I never will play the Wild Rover no more

Chorus:
And it's no, nay, never. No, nay, never no more
Will I play the Wild Rover No, nay, never no more

I went into an ale house I used to frequent
I told the landlady me money was spent
I asked her for credit, she answered me nay
Such a custom as yours I can have any day

Chorus

Then out of my pockets I took sovereigns bright
And the landlady's eyes open wide with delight
Says she I have whiskey and wines of the best
And the words that I spoke were only in jest

Chorus

I'll go home to my parents confess what I've done
And ask them to pardon their prodigal son
When the forgive as oft times before
I never will play the Wild Rover no more

Chorus
Chorus


Sing Irishman Sing


I dream of a beautiful picture,
No more need we think of the past
They're singing and dancing in Ireland
And the people are happy at last.

Chorus:
Sing, Irishman, sing
So the sound of your voices will ring
And let the world know, it really is so
Sing, Irishman, sing.

There's laughter in Belfast and Derry
The music rings over the land
In Cavan, Kilkenny and Kerry.
Oh, boys, I can tell you, it's grand.

Chorus

No more need little ones suffer
The rifles will bring no more pain
They're singing and dancing in Ireland
And the people are happy again.

Chorus

I know that it's only a dream now
But my hopes will always remain
To see the sun shine over Ireland
And the people are happy again.
Chorus


The Broad Black Brimmer


There's a uniform that's hanging in what's known as father's room
A uniform so simple in its style,
It has no braid of silk or gold, no hat with feathered plume,
Yet me mother has preserved it all the while
One day she made me try it on, a wish of mine for years
'Just in memory of your father Sean,' she said
And when I put the Sam Brown on, she smiling through her tears
As she place the broad black brimmer on me head

Chorus:
It's just a broad black brimmer, its ribbon frayed and torn
By the careless whisk of manys a mountain breeze
And old trench coat that's all battered stained and worn
And breeches almost threadbare at the knee
A Sam Brown belt with a buckle big and strong
And a holster that's been empty manys the day, but not for long
And when men claim Ireland's freedom, the one they'll chose to lead 'em
Will wear the broad black brimmer of the IRA

It was the uniform been worn by me father long ago
When he reach me mother's homestead on the run
It was the uniform me father wore in the little church below
When Father Mick he blessed the pair as one
And after truce and treaty and the parting of ways
He wore when he marched out with the rest, and the best
And when they bore his body down, that rugged heather braes
The placed the broad black brimmer on his breast
Chorus

Now that was many a day before and manys a fight between
And since that day I've grown from boy to man
And those who want our freedom are still fighting Erin's war
For the trouble is not over in the land
So like my father before me, and his oul' father too
I marched out with lads to join the fray
Pledged to Ireland's freedom and a bold Republic too
In the uniform of the IRA
Chorus