Irish Song Lyrics & More!

The Flowering Thorn

BELFAST MILL:
At the east end of town, at the foot of the hill
There's a chimney so high, it says "Belfast Mill."
But there's no smoke at all, coming out of the stack
For the mill has shut down, it's never coming back

Chorus:
And the only tune I hear is the sound of the wind
as it blows through the town, weave and spin, weave and spin.

There's no children playing in the dark narrow streets
Since the mill has shut down, its so quiet I can't sleep

.Chorus:

Since the mill has shut down, there's no work to do
tell me where will I go, tell me what will I do.

Chorus:

I'm too old to work, I'm too young to die,
Tell me what will we do, my family and I
.
Chorus:

At the east end of town, at the foot of the hill
There's a chimney so high, it says "Belfast Mill."
But there's no smoke at all, coming out of the stack
For the mill has shut down, it's never coming back

THE JOLLY TINKER:
As I went down a shady lane at a door I chanced to knock.
Have you any pots or kettles with rusty holes to block?

Chorus:
Well, Indeed I have , don't you know I have
To -me-right-ful-oor-a-laddy, Well, Indeed I have.

The Misses came out to the door, & she asked me to come in
Say'n you're welcome jolly tinker & I hope you brought your tin.

Chorus: Well, Indeed I did................

She took me through the kitchen & she led me through the hall
& the servants cried, "the devil, has he come to block us all"

Chorus: Well, Indeed I have...............

She took me up the stairs me lads to show me what to do
& she fell on the feather bed & I fell on it too

Chorus: Well, Indeed I did..........

She then picked up the frying pan & she begin to knock
for to let the servants know, me lads, that I was at me work

Chorus: Well, Indeed I was................

She put her hand into her pocket and she pulled put 20 pound,
take this me jolly tinker & we'll have another round

Chorus: Well, Indeed we will..............

Well, I've been a jolly tinker for these 40 years or more
Oh, but such a lovely job as that - I never did before

Chorus: Well, Indeed I didn't..........
(And that's the truth??)

FOGGY DEW:
As down the gIen one Easter morn, to a city fair rode I.
There armed lines of marching men in squadrons passed me by.
No pipes did hum, nor battIe drum did sound its Ioud tattoo.
But the AngeIus beIl o'er the Liffey sweII rang out in the Foggy Dew.

Right proudIy high in Dublin town they flung out the flag of war.
Twas better to die neath an Irish sky than at Suvla or Sudel Bar.
And from the plains of Royal Meath strong men came hurrying through.
WhiIe Britannia's sons, with their great big guns. Sailed in through the Foggy Dew.

Twas England bade our Wild Geese go that smaII nations might be free.
But their Ionely graves are by Suvla's waves or the fringe of the Great North Sea.
0' had they died by Pearse's side, or fought with Cathal Brugha true,
Their names we'd keep where the Fenians sleep, Neath the hills of the Foggy Dew

But the bravest feII, and the requiem bell rang mournfully and cIear.
For those who died that Eastertide in the springtime of the year.
O' the world did gaze, with deep amaze, at those fearless men, & true.
Who bore the fight that Freedom's Iight, might shine through the Foggy Dew.

THE SPINNING WHEEL:
MeIIow the moonlight, to shine is beginning.
Close by the window young EiIeen is spinning.
Bent o'er the fire her blind grandmother sitting
Crooning and moaning and drowsily knitting.

Eileen O Cara, I hear someone tapping.
Tis the Ivy, dear mother against the glass flapping.
Eileen, I surely hear somebody sighing.
Tis the sound, mother dear, of the Autumn winds dyIng.

Chorus:
Merrily, cheerfully, noiselessly, whirring.
Spins the wheel, rings the wheel, while the foot's stirring.
Lightly and brightly and airily ringing.
Sounds the sweet voice of the young maiden singing.

There's a form at the casement, the form of her true Iove.
He whispers with face bent "l'm waiting for you Iove".
Get up from the stool, through the Iattice step Iightly.
We'II rove in the grove while the moon's shining brightly.

The maid shakes her head, on her lip lays her fingers.
Steals up from the stool, longs to go, but yet lingers
A frightened glance turns to her drowsey grandmother.
With one foot on the stool, spins the wheel with the other.

Chorus:

Slower and slower and slower the wheel swings.
Lower and lower and lower the reel rings.
Ere the reel & the wheel - stop their ringing & moving.
Thro' the grove the young lovers by moonlight are roving.

Chorus: Chorus:

IRISH SOLDIER LADDIE:
Twas a morning in July, I was walking through Tipparary,
when I heard a battle cry from the mountain overhead,
when I looked up in the sky I saw an Irish soldier laddie,
who looked at me right fearlessly & said.

Chorus:
Will you stand in the band like a true Irish man
and go and fight the forces of the crown
Will you march with O'Neil to an Irish battlefield
for tonight we go and free old Wexford town

Said I to that soldier lad, would you take me to your captain,
it would be my pride and and joy for to march with you today,
my younger brother fell at Cork and my son at Enniscorthy,
and to the noble captain I did say

Chorus:

As we marched back again, in the shadow of the evening,
with our banners flying low, in the memory of our dead,
as we came unto our homes without our soldier laddie,
I still could hear those brave words he said.

Chorus: Chorus:

BOULAVOGUE:
At Boulavogue as the sun was setting,
O'er the bright May meadows of Shelmalier.
A rebel hand set the heather blazing,
& brought the neighbors from far & near.

Then Father Murphy from old Kilcormack
spurred up the rocks with a warning cry:
"Arm, arm!, he cried, "For I've come to lead you,
for Ireland's freedom we fight or die."

He led us on 'gainst the coming soldiers,
& the cowardly yeomen were put to flight;
"Twas at the Harrow, the boys of Wexford,
showed Bookey's regiment how men could fight.

Look out for hirelings, King George of England,
search every kingdom where breathes a slave.
For Father Murphy from County Wexford
sweeps o're the land like a mighty wave.
At Vinegar Hill, o're the pleasant Slaney,
our heroes vainly stood back to back,
& the yeo's at Tallow took Father Murphy,
& burned his body upon the rack.
God grant you glory, brave Father Murphy,
& open heaven to all your men;
That the cause that called you, may call tomorrow,
in another fight for the green again.

JOHNSON'S MOTOR CAR:
It was down by Branigan's Corner, One morning I did stray.
I met a fellow rebel, And to me he did say,
We've orders from the captain to assemble at Dunbar,
But how are we to get there, without a motor car?"

Oh Barney dear' be of good cheer, I'll tell you what we'll do.
The specials they are plentiful, the I.R.A. are few,
We'll send a wire to Johnson to meet us at Stranlar
And we'll give the boys a bloody good ride in Johnson's Motor Car."

When Dr. Johnson heard the news he soon put on his shoes
He says this is an urgent case. there is no time to lose,
He then put on his castor hat and on his breast a star
You could hear the din all through Glenfin of Johnson's Motor Car.

But when he got to the railway bridge, some rebels he saw there,
old Johnson knew the game was up, for at him they did stare,
He said "I have a permit to travel near and far."
"To hell with your English permit, we want your motor car."

"What will my loyal brethren think when they hear the news,
My car lt has been commandeered, by the rebels at Dunluce."
"We'll give you a receipt for it, all signed by Captain Barr.
When Ireland gets her freedom, boy, you'll get your motor car."

Well, we put that car in motion and filled it to the brim,
With guns and bayonets shining which made old Johnson grim,
And Barney hoisted a Sinn Fein flag, and it fluttered like a star,
And we gave three cheers for the I.R.A. and Johnson's Motor Car.

THE CASTLE OF DROMORE:
October winds lament around the castle of Dromore.
Yet peace is in its lofty halls, my loving treasure store.
Though Autumn leaves may droop and die......
A bud of spring are you

Chorus: (Twice) Sing hush a bye, lu, lo, lu, lo lan
Sing hush a by, lu, lo, loo.

Bring no ill wind to hinder us, my helpless babe and me
Dread spirit of the Blackwater, Clan Eoin's wild banshee.
And Holy Mary pitying us, In heaven for grace doth sue,

Chorus:

Take time to thrive, my ray of hope, in the garden of Dromore
Take heed young eaglet till thy wings are feathered fit to soar
A little rest and then the world is Full of work to do, Chorus:

RHODDY McCORLEY:
See that fleet foot host of men, who come with faces wan.
From farmstead and from fisher's cot along the banks of Bann.
They come with vengeance in their eye, too late, too late are they.
For young Rhoddy McCorley goes to die on the bridge of Toome today.

When he last stepped up that street, shining pike in hand.
About him marched in grim array, a stalwart, earnest band.
At Antrim town, at Antrim town, he led them to the fray.
Now young Rhoddy McCorley goes to die on the bridge of Toome today.

When he last stepped up that street, smiling proud and young.
About the hemp rope on his neck, the golden ringlets clung.
There was never a tear in his blue eye, both glad and bright are they.
As young Rhoddy McCorley goes to die on the bridge of Toome today.

There was never one of all your men, more bravely fell in fray,
than he who marches to his death on the bridge of Toome today.
True to the last true to the last, he treads the upward way.
As young Rhoddy McCorley goes to die on the bridge of Toome today.
As young Rhoddy McCorley goes to die on the bridge of Toome today.

DUBLIN IN THE RARE OLD TIMES:
Raised on songs and stories, heroes of renown
the passing tales and glories that once was Dublin town
The hallowed hills and houses, haunting children's rhymes.
That once was part of Dublin in the rare old times.

Chorus:
Ring-a-ring-a-rosie as the light declines
I remember Dublin City in the rare old times

My name it is Sean Dempsy, I'm Dublin as can be,
Born hard and late in Pimlico in a house that's ceased to be.
By trade I was a cooper, lost out to redundancy
Like my house that fell to progress, My trade's a memory.

Chorus:

I courted Peggy Tignan, pretty as you please
A rogue, a maid of Mary from the rebel Liberties
I lost her to a student chap, his skin as dark as coal
When he took her off to Birmingham, she took away my soul.

Chorus:

The years have made me bitter, the gargle's dimmed me brain.
Cause Dublin keeps on changing, nothing stays the same.
The Pillar and the Met are gone, the Royal's long since pulled down,
as that grey unyielding concrete makes a city of our town

Chorus:

So fare thee well Anna Liffey, I can no longer stay
And watch those new glass cages, that spring up along Wood Quay.
My minds too full of memories, too old to hear new chimes.
I'm a part of what was Dublin in the Rare old times.

Chorus: Chorus:

ON LONELY BANISTRAND:
Twas on Good Friday morning -all in the month of May
A german ship was signalling beyond there in the bay
With 20,0000 rifles all ready for to land
But no answering signal came from the lonely banistrand

No signal answered from the shore Sir Roger sadly said
No comrads here to welcome me, alas, they must be dead
But I must do my duty and at once I mean to land
So in a boat he put ashore to lonely banistrand

Twas in that English prison they laid him to his death
"I'm dying for my country" he said with his last breath
He's buried in a prison yard far from his native land
The wild waves sing his requiem on lonely banistrand.
Oh the wild waves sing his requiem on lonely banistrand.

DONEGAL DANNY:
I remember the night when he came in The wintery cold and the damp
A giant of a man with an oilskin coat and a bundle that said he was a tramp
He stood at the bar, and he called a pint, Then he turned and gazed into the fire
"On a night like this to be safe and warm Is my one and only desire."

Chorus:
And here's to those who are dead and gone The friends that I loved dear.
Here's to you and I bid you adieu
Singing, Donegal Danny's been here, me boys Donegal Danny's been here.

And then in a voice that was hushed and low, He said, "Listen. I'll tell to you a tale
How a man of the sea became a man of the road And never more will set sail.
I fished from Cork, and Killybegs, Argyle and Baltimore
But the cruel sea has beaten me I'll spend my days on the shore".

Chorus

That awful 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 had worked the sea and never counted the cost
I never thought e're that night would pass That all my friends they would be lost.

Chorus:

Then the storm it broke and it drove the boat On the rocks about 10 miles from shore
As we fought the tide, we hoped inside, To see our homes once more
Then the boat struck a rock and it holed the bow
And all of us we knew she would go down
As we jumped into the icy sea We prayed to God we wouldn't drown.

But the raging sea was rising still As we struck out for the land
And she tried with all her cruelty To drown that gallant band.
At St. John's point in the early morn I dragged myself on to the shore
And I cursed the sea for what she'd done And vowed to sail her never more.

Chorus

And since that day, I've been on the road Traveling and trying to forget
That awful night and the friends I lost I see their faces yet.
And often at night when the wind is high The rain is beating on my skin
I hear the cries of drowning men Born to the harbor on the wind.

Chorus

JOHN O DREAMS:
When midnight comes and people homeward tread,
Seek out your blankets and your featherbed
Home comes the rover, his journeys over.......
Yield up the night-time to old John O' Dreams
Yield up the night-time to old John O' Dreams

Across the hills the sun has gone astray,
Tomorrow's cares are many dreams away
The sighs are flying, your candles dying......
Yield up the darkness to old John O' Dreams
Yield up the darkness to old John O' Dreams

Both man and master in the night are one,
Some things are equal when the day is done
The prince and the plowman, the slave, the freeman......
All find their comfort in old John O' Dreams
all find their comfort in old John O' Dreams

When sleep it comes, your dreams come real & clear,
The hawks of morning cannot reach you here
Sleep is your river, flow on forever.......
And for your boatman choose old John O' Dreams
Yes, for your boatman choose old John O' Dreams

ROCK ON ROCKALL!:
Oh the empire tis finished, no foreign lands to seize
So the greedy eye of England is turning toward the seas
200 miles from Donegal, there's a place that's called Rockall.
And the groping hands of Whitehall -- rubbing at its wall.

Chorus:

Oh Rock on Rockall, you'll never fall
For Britain's greedy hands
Oh, you'll meet the same resistance
Like you did in many lands
May the seagulls rise above your eyes
And the water crush your shell
And the natural gas will burn your ass
And blow you all to hell.

This rock is part of Ireland, for it's written in folklore
Fin McCoul took a sod of grass and threw it to the fore.
Then he tossed a pebble across the sea - -
Where ever did it fall,
For the sod become the Isle of Man The pebble's called Rockall.

Chorus:

Oh the seas will not be silent while Britainia grabs the waves.
Remember that the Irish will no longer be your slaves
Remember that, Britainia well- She rules the waves no more
Keep your hands off Rockall - It's Irish to the core.

Chorus: Chorus:

THE TOWN I LOVED SO WELL:
In my memory, I will always see
The Town that I have loved so well.
Where the school played ball by the gas yard wall
And we laughed through the smoke and the smell
Going home in the rain, Running up the dark lane
Past the jail and down behind the fountain
Those were happy days, in so many many ways
In the Town that I loved so well.

In the early morning, the shirt factory horn
Called the women from Craigon, the Moors and the Bog
While the men on the dole, they played the mother's role
Fed the children and then walked the dog.
And when times they got tough,
there was just about enough
And we saw it through without complaining
For deep inside, was a burning, burning pride
In the Town that I loved so well.

There was music there, in the Derry air
Like a language that we could all understand
I remember the day that I earned my first pay
When I played in that small pick up band.
There I spent my youth, and to tell you the truth
I was sad to leave it all behind me
For I learned about life, and I found myself a wife
In the town that I loved so well.

But when I returned, how my eyes they did burn
To see how a town could be brought to its knees
By the armored cars and the bombed out bars
and the Gas that hangs on to every breeze.
For the army's installed by the old gas yard wall
and that damned barbed wire gets higher and higher
With their tanks and their guns,
Oh my God what have they done.....
to the town that I loved so well.

Now the music is gone, but they still carry on
though their spirit's been bruised, it's never broken
For they'll not forget, and they're hearts are set
On tomorrow and peace once again.
For what's won is won, and what's gone is gone
And what's lost, is lost and gone forever
I can only pray, for a brighter brand new day
For the town that I loved so well!

YE BANKS & BRAES:
Ye banks and braes o' bonnie Doon,
How can ye bloom sae fresh and fair;
How can ye chant ye little birds,
And I sae weary, full o' care!

Ye'll break my heart, ye warbling bird,
That wanton's thro' the flowering thorn:
Thou minds me o' departed joys,
Departed, never to return.

Oft have I rov'd by bonnie Doon,
To see the rose and woodbine twine;
And ilka bird sang o' its Luv,
And fondly sae did I o' mine.

Wi' lightsome heart I pulled a rose,
Full sweet upon its thorny tree;
And my false Luv, he stole my rose,
But, ah! he left the thorn wi' me.
But, ah! he left the thorn wi' me.

COURT"N IN THE KITCHEN:
Come single belle and beau, unto me pay attention,
Don't ever fall in love for it's the devil's own invention.
Once I fell in love with a maiden so bewitchin'
Miss Henrietta Bell out of Captain Kelly's kitchen.

Chorus:
With me -Toora loora li, & me toora loora laddy,
Toora loora li, & me toora loora laddy.

At the age of seventeen I was apprenticed to a grocer
Not far from Stephen's Green where Miss Henry used to go, Sir,
Her manners were sublime, she set me heart a twitchin'
And she invited, me to a hooley in the kitchen.

Chorus:

Next Sunday being the day we were to have the flare up.
I dressed meself quite gay, an' I frizzed and oiled my hair up,
The Captain had no wife, faith, he had gone out fishing.
So we kicked up high life down below stairs in the kitchen.

Chorus:

With me arms around her waist she slyly hinted marriage,
To the door in dreadful haste came Captain Kelly's carriage.
Her eyes soon filled with hate and poison she was spitting.
When the Captain at the door walked straight into the kitchen

Chorus:

When the captain downstairs, tho he saw my situation
In spite of all my prayers, I was marched off to the station.
For me they'd take no bail, and to get home I was itchin.
So I had to tell the tale, how I came into the kitchen

Chorus:

l said she did invite me but she gave a flat denial,
For assault she did indite me and I was sent for trial.
She swore I robbed the house in spite of all her screechin'.
And I got six months hard for me coortin' in the kitchen.

Chorus:

THERE WERE ROSES:
My song for you this evening it's not to make you sad,
nor for adding to the sorrows of our troubled northern land,
but lately I've been thinkin' and it just won't leave my mind,
I'll tell you of two friends one time who were both good friends of mine.

Isaac Scott from Banagh, he lived just across the fields.
A great man for the music & the dancing & the reels.
Macdonald came from south Armagh to court young Agnes fair,
and we'd often meet on the Ryan Road & laughter filled the air.

Chorus:
There were roses, roses, there were roses,
And the tears of the people ran together...

Now Isaac he was Protestant & Sean was Catholic born,
but it never made a difference for the friendship it was strong.
Sometimes in the evening when we heard the sound of drums.
We said it won't divide us, we always will be one.
For the ground our father's plowed & the soil it is the same
& the places where we say our prayers, they've just got different names.
We talked about the friends who died, we hoped there'd be no more.
As little then we realized the tragedy in store.

Chorus:
It was on a Sunday morning when the awful news came round.
Another killing had been done just outside "Camlet"town.
We knew that Isaac danced up there, we knew he liked the band.
When we heard that he was dead, we just could not understand.
We gathered at the grave side on a cold and rainy day.
The minister he closed his eyes, and for no revenge he prayed.
And all of us who knew him from along the Ryan Road,
bowed our heads and we said a prayer for the resting of his soul

Chorus:

Now fear it filled the countryside, there was fear in every home.
Late at night a car came prowling round'n Ryan Road?
A catholic would be killed tonight to even up the score.
Oh, Christ! It's young Macdonald that they've taken from the door.
"But Isaac was my friend", he cried, he begged them with his tears.
But the centuries of hatred have ears that cannot hear.
"An eye for an eye" it was all that filled their minds
And another eye for another eye Ôtil everyone is blind.

Chorus:

My song for you this evening it's not to make you sad,
nor for adding to the sorrows of our troubled northern land.
but lately I've been thinkin' and it just won't leave my mind.
I'll tell you of two friends one time who were both good friends of mine.
Now I don't know where the moral is or where this song should end.
But I wonder just how many wars are fought between good friends.
And those who give the orders - they are not the ones to die.
It's Scott & Macdonald and the likes of you and I.

Chorus:

PETER'S SONG: (By the Sands Family Band in honor of Peter)
Chorus:
There was Peter sittin in the corner, fiddle in his hand,
Playin away like you never did hear, and you'll never hear again.
There's Charlie on the banjo, Seannie on the bodhran, everything is grand
Oh, come on Mark and let me in, I want to join the band.

Said Maegen, "Come on" & she let me in, & I made my way along
The rafters rang with the reels and jigs, & someone sang a song,
There was flying bows and bodhran sticks, there wasn't room to turn.
But there was always a chair and a couple of beers for the lad who came to learn.

Chorus:

When the man said "Gentlemen please" and the gentlemen would go,
Some of us would stay around and sing songs real low.
Then Peter he'd play one last tune then put away the bow.
But his music is still playing, no matter where you go.

Chorus:

It was in the springtime, '76, that Peter he did die
And Furgie played the death march to his grave in Terrance Town,
As I stood there silently, it seemed from out the grave
, "Jenny's Chickens" could still be heard and I hear it all again.

Chorus:

The day that Peter passed away, we always will regret,
But the words he said and the songs he sang, we never will forget,
Now the heavenly choirs they pluck there lyres and the angels strum their harps,
They're nothing but the penny of the Golden Goose, and this is their remark.

New Chorus:
There is Peter, sittin in the corner, fiddle in his hand,
Playin' away like you never did hear, and you'll never hear again.
There's Paul on the banjo, Moses on the bodhran, everything is grand,
Oh mighty God will you let me in, I want to join the band. Regular

Chorus: