Molly Malone (aka Cockles and Mussels)
In Dublin's fair city, where the girls are so pretty
I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone
As she wheeled her wheel-barrow
Through streets broad and narrow
Crying cockles and mussels, alive, alive-O!
Alive, alive-O! alive, alive-O!
Crying cockles and mussels, alive, alive-O!
She was a fish-monger, but sure 'twas no wonder
For so were her father and mother before
And they each wheeled their barrow
Through streets broad and narrow
Crying cockles and mussels, alive, alive-O!
Alive, alive-O! alive, alive-O!
Crying cockles and mussels, alive, alive-O!
She died of a fever, and no one could save her
And that was the end of sweet Molly Malone
But her ghost wheels her barrow
Through streets broad and narrow
Crying cockles and mussels, alive, alive-O!
Alive, alive-O! alive, alive-O!
Crying cockles and mussels, alive, alive-O!
As I Roved Out (Version 1)
As I roved out on a May morning
On a May morning right early
I met my love upon the way
Oh, Lord but she was early
And she sang lilt-a-doodle, lilt-a-doodle, lilt-a-doodle-dee,-
And she hi-di-lan-di-dee, and she hi-di-lan-di-dee and she lan- day
Her boots were black and her stockings white
And her buckles shone like silver
She had a dark and a rolling eye
And her ear-rings tipped her shoulder
And she sang lilt-a-doodle, lilt-a-doodle, lilt-a-doodle-dee,-
And she hi-di-lan-di-dee, and she hi-di-lan-di-dee and she lan- day
"What age are you my bonny wee lass
What age are you my honey?"
Right modestly she answered me
"I'll be seventeen on Sunday"
And she sang lilt-a-doodle, lilt-a-doodle, lilt-a-doodle-dee,-
And she hi-di-lan-di-dee, and she hi-di-lan-di-dee and she lan- day
"Where do you live my bonny wee lass
Where do you live my honey?"
"In a wee house up on the top of the hill
And I live there with my mammy"
And she sang lilt-a-doodle, lilt-a-doodle, lilt-a-doodle-dee,-
And she hi-di-lan-di-dee, and she hi-di-lan-di-dee and she lan- day
"If I went to the house on the top of the hill
When the moon was shining clearly
Would you arise and let me in
And your mammy not to hear you?"
And she sang lilt-a-doodle, lilt-a-doodle, lilt-a-doodle-dee,-
And she hi-di-lan-di-dee, and she hi-di-lan-di-dee and she lan- day
I went to the house on the top of the hill
When the moon was shining clearly
She arose to let me in
But her mammy chanced to hear her
And she sang lilt-a-doodle, lilt-a-doodle, lilt-a-doodle-dee,-
And she hi-di-lan-di-dee, and she hi-di-lan-di-dee and she lan- day
She caught her by the hair of the head
And down to the room she brought her
And with the butt of a hazel twig
She was the well-beat daughter
And she sang lilt-a-doodle, lilt-a-doodle, lilt-a-doodle-dee,-
And she hi-di-lan-di-dee, and she hi-di-lan-di-dee and she lan- day
"Will you marry me now my soldier lad
Will you marry me now or never?
Will you marry me now my soldier lad
For you see I'm done forever"
And she sang lilt-a-doodle, lilt-a-doodle, lilt-a-doodle-dee,-
And she hi-di-lan-di-dee, and she hi-di-lan-di-dee and she lan- day
"I can't marry you my bonny wee lass
I can't marry you my honey
For I have got a wife at home
And how could I disown her?"
And she sang lilt-a-doodle, lilt-a-doodle, lilt-a-doodle-dee,-
And she hi-di-lan-di-dee, and she hi-di-lan-di-dee and she lan- day
A pint at night is my delight
And a gallon in the morning
The old women are my heart break
But the young ones is my darling
And she sang lilt-a-doodle, lilt-a-doodle, lilt-a-doodle-dee,-
And she hi-di-lan-di-dee, and she hi-di-lan-di-dee and she lan- day
As I Roved Out (Version 2)
And who are you, me pretty fair maid
And who are you, me honey?
And who are you, me pretty fair maid
And who are you, me honey?
She answered me quite modestly:
I am me mother's darling.
cho: With me too-ry-ay
Fol-de-diddle-day
Di-re fol-de-diddle
Dai-rie oh.
And will you come to me mother's house,
When the sun is shining clearly ( repeat )
I'll open the door and I'll let you in
And divil 'o one would hear us.
So I went to her house in the middle of the night
When the moon was shining clearly ( repeat )
She opened the door and she let me in
And divil the one did hear us.
She took me horse by the bridle and the bit
And she led him to the stable ( repeat )
Saying "There's plenty of oats for a soldier's horse,
To eat it if he's able."
Then she took me by the lily-white hand
And she led me to the table ( repeat )
Saying: There's plenty of wine for a soldier boy,
To drink it if you're able.
Then I got up and made the bed
And I made it nice and aisy ( repeat )
Then I got up and laid her down
Saying: Lassie, are you able?
And there we lay till the break of day
And divil a one did hear us ( repeat )
Then I arose and put on me clothes
Saying: Lassie, I must leave you.
And when will you return again
And when will we get married ( repeat )
When broken shells make Christmas bells
We might well get married.
An Ulster Man I Am Proud To Be
By: Henry Joy McCracken
An Ulster man I am proud to be,
From the Antrim glens I come.
Although I labour by the sea,
I have followed flag and drum.
I have heard the martial tramp of men;
I�ve seen them fight and die.
Ah! lads I well remember when
I followed Henry Joy.
I pulled my boat in from the sea,
I hid my sails away.
I hung my nets upon a tree
And scanned the moonlit bay.
The boys were out, the redcoats too,
I bade my wife good-bye,
And then beneath the greenwood glade
I followed Henry Joy.
Alas, for Ireland�s cause we fought
For home and sire we bled.
Though our arms were few, our hearts beat true
And five to one lay dead.
And many a lassie missed her lad
And mother mourned her boy,
For youth was strong in the dashing throng
That followed Henry Joy.
In Belfast town they built a tree
And the redcoats mustered there.
I watched him come as the roll of the drum
Sounded on the barrack square.
He kissed his sister, went aloft
Then waved a last good-bye,
And as he died, I turned and cried
They have murdered Henry Joy.
Black Velvet Band
In a neat little town they call Belfast,
An apprentice boy I was bound,
And many's the happy hour
I have spent in that neat little town.
But bad misfortune o'ertook me,
And caused me to stray from the land,
Far away from my friends and relations,
Betrayed by the black velvet band.
Oh, one evening late as I rambled,
Not meaning to go very far,
When I met with a gay young deceiver.
She was plyin' her trade in a bar.
Oh, her eyes they shone like the diamonds,
And I thought her the pride of the land,
And her hair hung over her shoulders,
Tied up with a black velvet band.
Oh, one evening a flashman, a watchman
She happened to meet on the sly.
I could tell that her mind it was altered,
By the roll of her roving dark eye.
Oh, that watch she took from his pocket.
She slipped it right into my hand.
Then she gave me in charge to the policeman.
Bad luck to the black velvet band.
before the Lord Mayor I was taken.
My guilt they proved quite plain,
And he said if I was not mistaken,
I should have to cross the salt main.
Now its sixteen long years have they gave me,
To plough upon Van Dieman's land,
Far away from my friends and relations,
A curse on the black velvet band.
So come all ye jolly young fellows,
I'll have ye take warning from me.
Whenever you're out on the liquor,
Beware of them pretty colleens.
They'll treat you to whiskey and porter,
Till you are not able to stand;
And the very next thing that you know, my lads,
You'll end up in Van Dieman's land.
Bold Fenian Men
'Twas down by the glenside, I met an old woman
She was picking young nettles and she scarce saw me coming
I listened awhile to the song she was humming
Glory O, Glory O, to the bold Fenian men.
'Tis fifty long years since I saw the moon beaming
On strong manly forms and their eyes with hope gleaming
I see them again, sure, in all my daydreaming
Glory O, Glory O, to the bold Fenian men.
Some died on the glenside, some died near a stranger
And wise men have told us that their cause was a failure
They fought for old Ireland and they never feared danger
Glory O, Glory O, to the bold Fenian men.
I passed on my way, God be praised that I met her
Be life long or short, sure I'll never forget her
We may have brave men, but we'll never have better
Glory O, Glory O, to the bold Fenian men.
By A Lonely Prison Wall
By: Peter St. John
By a lonely prison wall,
I heard a young girl calling,
"Michael, they are taking you away."
For you stole Treveleyn's corn,
So the 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 wind,
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 call,
Nothing matters Mary when your free.
Against the Famine and the Crown,
I rebelled, they ran 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 wind,
We had dreams and songs to sing.
It's so lonely 'round the Fields of Athenry.
By a lonely harbour wall,
She watched the last star falling.
As the prison ship sailed out against the sky.
Sure she'll wait and hope and pray,
For her love in Botany Bay.
It's so lonely 'round the Fields of Athenry.
Low, lie the fields of Athenry,
Where once we watched the small free birds fly.
Our love was on the wind,
We had dreams and songs to sing.
It's so lonely 'round the Fields of Athenry.
Black and Tans
I was born on a Dublin street where the royal drums do beat
And the loving English feet they tramped all over us
And each and every night when my father'd come home tight
He'd invite the neighbors outside with this chorus:
O come out ye Black and Tans, come out and fight me like a man
Show your wives how you won medals down in Flanders
Tell them how the IRA made you run like hell away
From the green and lovely lanes in Killeshandra.
Come tell us how you slew them poor arabs two by two
Like the Zulu they had spears and bows and arrows
How you bravely faced each one with your 16 pounder gun
Till you frightened them poor natives to their marrow.
O come out ye Black and Tans, come out and fight me like a man
Show your wives how you won medals down in Flanders
Tell them how the IRA made you run like hell away
From the green and lovely lanes in Killeshandra*.
Come let us hear you tell how you saved the great Parnell
When you thought him well and truly persecuted
Where are the sneers and jeers that you bravely let us hear
When our heroes of '16 were executed.
O come out ye Black and Tans, come out and fight me like a man
Show your wives how you won medals down in Flanders
Tell them how the IRA made you run like hell away
From the green and lovely lanes in Killeshandra.
Well the time is coming fast and will surely come at last
When each yeoman will be cut aside before us
And if there'd be a need, sure my kids would sing Godspeed
To a verse or two of "Stephen Beehann's Chorus".
O come out ye Black and Tans, come out and fight me like a man
Show your wives how you won medals down in Flanders
Tell them how the IRA made you run like hell away
From the green and lovely lanes in Killeshandra*.
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