Vol. 25 - Energetic Celtic Folk - (ft. The Wild Murphys, Harbour Folk Band, Dust Rhinos & more)

Good evening, all me jolly lads, I’m glad to see you well If you’ll gather all around me, now, a story I will tell I have a situation; begorrah and begob I can swear that I have a weekly wage of nineteen bob It’s twelve months come October since I left me native home After working them Killarney boys to cut the harvest down But now I wear a geansaí and around me waist’s a belt I’m the gaffer o’ the lads that lays the hot asphalt We laid it in the hollows and we laid it in the flat If it doesn’t

last forever, oh, I swear, I’ll eat me hat I’ve wandered up and down the world but sure I never felt Any surface that was equal to the hot asphalt The other day this policeman comes; he says to me, “McGuire, Would you kindly let me light me pipe down at your boiler fire?” And then he stands before us with his coat-tails up so neat Here, says I, “me decent man, you’d better go and mind your beat” “Ah, well”, says he, “I know of you, I’m up to all your pranks I know you for a traitor from the Tip

perary ranks” I hit him from the shoulder, I gave him such a belt That he landed in the boiler full of hot asphalt We laid it in the hollows and we laid it in the flat If it doesn’t last forever, oh, I swear, I’ll eat me hat I’ve wandered up and down the world but sure I never felt Any surface that was equal to the hot asphalt We quickly pulled him out again and put him in the tub And with soap and warm water we began to rub and scrub Ah, but [?] the devil, the tar came off and turned hard as st

one And with every scrape we gave, boys, you could hear the copper groan It’s the rubbing and the scrubbing, sure, he caught his death of cold For scientific purposes, his body it was sold In the Kelvin Grove Museum, boys, he’s hanging from his belt As a monument to the Irish laying hot asphalt We laid it in the hollows and we laid it in the flat If it doesn’t last forever, oh, I swear, I’ll eat me hat I’ve wandered up and down the world but sure I never felt Any surface that was equal to the ho

t asphalt Well, twa recruiting sergeants came frae the Black Watch Through market and farm; some recruits for to catch But all that they’ve enlisted is forty and twa Enlist, me bonnie laddie, and come, come awa Far over your mountains, across the raging Main Through Gibraltar, to France, and to Spain Get a feather tae your bonnet, lad, your kilt aboon your knee Enlist, me bonnie laddie, and come awa wi’ me O’, laddie, if you ken, o’, the danger that you’re in If your horses was to flag, or your

owsen to rin Hell, I didn’t heed the young farmer, he would nae pay your fee Enlist, me bonnie laddie, and come awa wi’ me Far over your mountains, across the raging Main Through Gibraltar, to France, and to Spain Get a feather tae your bonnet, lad, your kilt aboon your knee Enlist, me bonnie laddie, and come awa wi’ me And it’s out o’ the farmyard and intae the byre The stingy young farmer thinks that ye’ll never tire It’s a hell of an existence, a life of low degree Enlist, me bonnie laddie, a

nd come awa wi’ me Far over your mountains, across the raging Main Through Gibraltar, to France, and to Spain Get a feather tae your bonnet, lad, your kilt aboon your knee Enlist, me bonnie laddie, and come awa wi’ me Wi’ your tattie poorins and your meal and your kale Your soor sowan soorins and your ill-brewed ale Your buttermilk, and whey, your breid fired raw Enlist, me bonnie laddie, and come, come awa Far over your mountains, across the raging Main Through Gibraltar, to France, and to Spai

n Get a feather tae your bonnet, lad, your kilt aboon your knee Enlist, me bonnie laddie, and come awa wi’ me O’, laddie, if ye’ve met your sweetheart or bairn Ye’ll easily get rid o’ that ill-spun yarn Twa rattles o’ the drum, boy, and that’ll pay it all Enlist, me bonnie laddie, and come, come awa Far over your mountains, across the raging Main Through Gibraltar, to France, and to Spain Get a feather tae your bonnet, lad, your kilt aboon your knee Enlist, me bonnie laddie, and come awa wi’ me

Twa recruiting sergeants came frae the Black Watch Through market and farm; some recruits for to catch But all that they’ve enlisted is forty and twa Enlist, me bonnie laddie, and come, come awa Far over your mountains, across the raging Main Through Gibraltar, to France, and to Spain Get a feather tae your bonnet, lad, your kilt aboon your knee Enlist, me bonnie laddie, and come awa wi’ me Oh, see the host of fleet foot men Who speed with faces wan From farmstead and from fishers’ huts Along th

e banks of the Bann They come with vengeance in their eyes Too late, too late are they And young Roddy McCorley goes to die On the bridge of Toome today Up the narrow streets, he steps A shining pike in hand Around the hemp rope ‘round his neck The golden ringlets hung There was never a tear in his blue eyes Both strong and bright were they And young Roddy McCorley goes to die On the bridge of Toome today There never was one of all our dead Who more bravely fell in fray Than he who marches to hi

s death On the bridge of Toome today True to the last, as we say goodbye He climbs the upward way And young Roddy McCorley goes to die On the bridge of Toome today ’twas on a dreary New Year’s Eve As the dead of night came down A lorry load of volunteers Approached a border town There was men from Dublin and from Cork Fermanagh and Tyrone And their leader was a Limerick man That Sean South from Garryowen Their sergeant, he spied their daring plan He spied them through the door With Sten gun and

with rifle shots A hail of death did roar And when that awful night had passed Two men lay cold as stone One was from a border town And your man from Garryowen No more he’ll hear the seagull’s cry Or the murmuring Shannon tide For he fell beneath a northern sky Brave Hanlon by his side He has gone to join that gallant band Of Conlon, of Pearse and Tone Another martyr for old Ireland Sean South from Garryowen Farewell to your bricks and mortar Farewell to your dirty lies Farewell to your gangways

and your gang planks And to hell with your overtime For the good ship Ragamuffin is lying at the quay For to take old Pat with a shovel on his back To the shores of Botany Bay I’m on me way down to the quay Where the ship, it anchored, lay To command a gang o’ navvies They told me to engage I thought I’d pop in for a drink Before I went away For to take a trip on an emigrant ship To the shores of Botany Bay Farewell to your bricks and mortar Farewell to your dirty lies Farewell to your gangways

and your gang planks And to hell with your overtime For the good ship Ragamuffin is lying at the quay For to take old Pat with a shovel on his back To the shores of Botany Bay The boss came up this morning And said, “well, Pat, you know If you don’t get your navvies out I’m afraid you’ll have to go” I asked him for me wages And demanded all me pay I told him straight that I’d emigrate To the shores of Botany Bay Farewell to your bricks and mortar Farewell to your dirty lies Farewell to your gan

gways and your gang planks And to hell with your overtime For the good ship Ragamuffin is lying at the quay For to take old Pat with a shovel on his back To the shores of Botany Bay And when I reach Australia I’ll go and dig for gold There’s lots there for the taking Or so I have been told Or else I’ll go back to me trade And a hundred bricks I’ll lay [?] On the shores of Botany Bay Farewell to your bricks and mortar Farewell to your dirty lies Farewell to your gangways and your gang planks And

to hell with your overtime For the good ship Ragamuffin is lying at the quay For to take old Pat with a shovel on his back To the shores of Botany Bay Farewell to your bricks and mortar Farewell to your dirty lies Farewell to your gangways and your gang planks And to hell with your overtime For the good ship Ragamuffin is lying at the quay For to take old Pat with a shovel on his back To the shores of Botany Bay Well, Jimmy played harmonica in the pub where I was born He played it from the night

time ’til the peaceful early morn’ He soothed the souls of psychos and the men who had the horn They all looked very happy in the morning But Jimmy didn’t like his place right in this world of ours The elephant man broke strong men’s necks when he’d had too many powers So sad to see the grieving of the people that we’re leaving He took the road for God knows in the morning We walked him to the station in the rain And we kissed him as we put him on the train And we sang him a song from the times

long gone Though we knew that we’d be seeing him again I’m sad to say I must be on my way So buy me beer and whiskey ‘cause I’m going far away I’d like to think I’ll be returning when I can To the greatest little boozer and to Sally MacLennane The years went by, and sad to say, I grew to be a man I learned to love the fortunes of sweet Sally MacLennane I took the jeers, and drank the beers, crawled back on the floor I ended up a barman in the morning I banged the pump and I took the hump and I

watered whiskey down I talked of whores and horses to the men who had a frown I heard them say that Jimmy’s making money far away Some people left for heaven without warning We walked him to the station in the rain And we kissed him as we put him on the train And we sang him a song from the times long gone Though we knew that we’d be seeing him again I’m sad to say I must be on my way So buy me beer and whiskey ‘cause I’m going far away I’d like to think I’ll be returning when I can To the great

est little boozer and to Sally MacLennane When Jimmy came back home, he was surprised that they were gone He asked me all the details about the train that they went on Some people they were scared to joke, but Jimmy drank until he choked And he took the road for heaven in the morning We walked him to the station in the rain And we kissed him as we put him on the train And we sang him a song from the times long gone Though we knew that we’d be seeing him again I’m sad to say I must be on my way S

o buy me beer and whiskey ‘cause I’m going far away I’d like to think I’ll be returning when I can To the greatest little boozer and to Sally MacLennane I’ll tell me ma when I go home The boys won’t leave the girls alone I’ll tell me ma when I go home The boys won’t leave the girls alone They pulled my hair and stole my comb But that’s alright ’til I go home She is handsome, she is pretty She is the belle of Belfast City She is courtin’, one, two, three Pray, won’t you tell me who is she? Albert

Mooney says he loves her And all the boys sure are fighting for her Comin’ to the door, and they’re ringing on the bell Saying, “oh, my true love, are you well?” Out she comes as white as snow Rings on her fingers and bells on her toes Old Jenny Murray says she will die If she doesn’t get the fellow with the roving eye I’ll tell me ma when I go home The boys won’t leave the girls alone They pulled my hair and stole my comb But that’s alright ’til I go home She is handsome, she is pretty She is

the belle of Belfast City She is courtin’, one, two, three Pray, won’t you tell me who is she? Let the wind and the rain and the hail blow high And the snow come a-tumblin’ from the sky She’s as nice as apple pie She’ll get her own lad by and by When she gets a lad of her own Well, she won’t tell her ma ’til she gets home Let them all come as they will For it’s Albert Mooney she loves still I’ll tell me ma when I go home The boys won’t leave the girls alone They pulled my hair and stole my comb

But that’s alright ’til I go home She is handsome, she is pretty She is the belle of Belfast City She is courtin’, one, two, three Pray, won’t you tell me who is she? I’ll tell me ma when I go home The boys won’t leave the girls alone They pulled my hair and stole my comb But that’s alright ’til I go home She is handsome, she is pretty She is the belle of Belfast City She is courtin’, one, two, three Pray, won’t you tell me who is she? I’ll tell me ma when I go home The boys won’t leave the girl

s alone They pulled my hair and stole my comb But that’s alright ’til I go home She is handsome, she is pretty She is the belle of Belfast City She is courtin’, one, two, three Pray, won’t you tell me who is she? Wrote her name and address on the back of a cigarette pack Should’ve known then that I’m never going back The ferry was leaving when we pulled up to the quay When we reached Holyhead I was as sick as I could be Didn’t choose this way that they made me go Was a week on the job and I want

ed to go back home What I wouldn’t do for a glimpse of the Christmas tree Or to hear all your voices calling me If I go back home again I’d just be hanging ‘round Well, maybe next year, if the ship doesn’t run aground Should’ve listened to my brother Moran when he said I was a fool But it’s too late now and I didn’t make the rules So, God, please have mercy on me I’m all alone in another man’s city And I don’t ask for much, just wanna go back home See Mum and Dad and the boys; oh, God! Should’ve

listened to my brother Moran when he said I was a fool But it’s too late now and I didn’t make the rules So, God, please have mercy on me I’m all alone in another man’s city And I don’t ask for much, just wanna go back home See Mum and Dad and the boys; oh, God! Yeah, just see Mum and Dad and the boys; oh, God! On the fourth of July, eighteen hundred and six We set sail from the that old quay of Cork We were sailing away with a cargo of bricks For the Grand City Hall in New York Was a wonderful

craft, rigged fore-and-aft And how the trade winds drove her She had twenty seven masts, she could stand any blast And they called her the Irish Rover We had old ‘Mickey Toot’ who played hard on a flute When the ladies lined up for his set He were tootin’ with skill for each sparkling quadrille And the dancers were fluther’d and bet With his sharp witty talk, he was cock of the walk And he rolled the dames under and over They all knew from a glance, as he took up his stance He sailed on The Iri

sh Rover We had Barney McGee from the banks of the Lee And there was Hogan from out county Tyrone There was Johnny McGurk, he was scared stiff of work And a [?] from Westmeath called Malone There was Slugger O’Toole who was drunk as a rule And fighting old Bill Tracy from Dover And your man, Mick McCann, from the banks of the Bann Was the skipper on the Irish Rover - (here we go!) For the sailor, it’s always a bother in life It gets so lonesome by night and by day And he longs for the shore, and

a charming young whore Who can melt all his troubles away With the noise and the rout, swilling poitin and stout ’til his worldly torment’s done and over And to take up a maid, he was never afraid He sailed on the Irish Rover We had one million bags of the best Sligo rags We had two million barrels of bones We had three million bails of old nanny-goats’ tails We had four million sacks full of stones We had five million hogs, six million dogs Seven million barrels of porter We had eight million

sides of old blind horses’ hides In the hold of the Irish Rover But we’d sailed seven years when the measles broke out And our ship lost its way in the fog Then the whale of the crew was reduced down to two Just myself and the Captain’s old dog Then the ship struck a rock and, Lord, what a shock The boat it done turned right over She turned nine times around, and the poor old dog was drowned I’m the last of the Irish Rover! In Amsterdam, there lived a maid (Mark well what I do say!) In Amsterdam

, there lived a maid And she was mistress of her trade I’ll go no more a-rovin’ with you fair maid A-rovin’, a-rovin’, since roving’s been my ruin I’ll go no more a-rovin’ with you fair maid I put my arm around her waist (Mark well what I do say!) I put my arm around her waist She said, “young man, you’re in great haste” I’ll go no more a-rovin’ with you fair maid A-rovin’, a-rovin’, since roving’s been my ruin I’ll go no more a-rovin’ with you fair maid I put hand upon her knee (Mark well what

I do say!) I put hand upon her knee She said, “young man, you’re rather free” I’ll go no more a-rovin’ with you fair maid A-rovin’, a-rovin’, since roving’s been my ruin I’ll go no more a-rovin’ with you fair maid I put my hand upon her thigh (Mark well what I do say!) I put my hand upon her thigh She said, “young man, that’s way too high” I’ll go no more a-rovin’ with you fair maid A-rovin’, a-rovin’, since roving’s been my ruin I’ll go no more a-rovin’ with you fair maid I put my hand yet high

er still (Mark well what I do say!) I put my hand yet higher still She said, “young man, that’s quite a thrill” I’ll go no more a-rovin’ with you fair maid A-rovin’, a-rovin’, since roving’s been my ruin I’ll go no more a-rovin’ with you fair maid She promised she’d be true to me (Mark well what I do say!) She promised she’d be true to me She spent my money fast and free I’ll go no more a-rovin’ with you fair maid A-rovin’, a-rovin’, since roving’s been my ruin I’ll go no more a-rovin’ with you

fair maid When I came home to flog her head (Mark well what I do say!) When I came home to flog her head A sailor had her in his bed! I’ll go no more a-rovin’ with you fair maid A-rovin’, a-rovin’, since roving’s been my ruin I’ll go no more a-rovin’ with you fair maid A-rovin’, a-rovin’, since roving’s been my ruin I’ll go no more a-rovin’ with you fair maid (Ready, boys?) Oh, in eighteen hundred and forty-one My corduroy britches I put on - (x2) To work upon the railway, the railway I’m weary

of the railway Poor Paddy works on the railway In eighteen hundred and forty-two From Hartlepool, I moved to Crewe Found myself a job to do Working on the railway I was wearing corduroy britches, digging ditches Pulling switches, dodging hitches I was working on the railway In eighteen hundred and forty-three I broke my shovel across my knee Went to work for the company In the Leeds to Selby Railway I was wearing corduroy britches, digging ditches Pulling switches, dodging hitches I was working

on the railway Oh, in eighteen hundred and forty-four I landed on the Liverpool shore My belly was empty, my hands were raw From working on the railway, the railway I’m sick to my guts of the railway Poor Paddy works on the railway In eighteen hundred and forty-five When Danny O’Connell, he was alive Danny O’Connell, he was alive And working on the railway I was wearing corduroy britches, digging ditches Pulling switches, dodging hitches I was working on the railway In eighteen hundred and forty

-six I changed my trade in carrying bricks Changed my trade just carrying bricks To working on the railway I was wearing corduroy britches, digging ditches Pulling switches, dodging hitches I was working on the railway Oh, in eighteen hundred and forty-seven Poor Paddy was thinking of going to heaven - (x2) To work upon the railway, the railway I’m sick to my guts of the railway Poor Paddy works on the railway I was wearing corduroy britches, digging ditches Pulling switches, dodging hitches I w

as working on the railway I had one pint of beer and one shot of scotch One bottle of wine and a bourbon on the rocks I had one lassie on me right and another on the left I looked that puppet in the eye, and said, “give me the test” A long time ago in a pub far away I sat on a barstool just drinking away I couldn’t hold it down, I guess I had too much I felt a tremor in the force and then I lost my lunch Woke up in a desert land, feeling hot and sick I saw a bearded man, he looked like some kind

of hick He slowly waved his hand and my pain was gone He said, “let’s go see Yoda and I’ll teach you this song” I had one pint of beer and one shot of scotch One bottle of wine and a bourbon on the rocks I had one lassie on me right and another on the left I looked that puppet in the eye, and said, “give me the test” We got on a starship and I flew off into space He said his name was Obi-Wan; there was no time to waste I have to get you trained before it is too late So drink this bottle of whis

key and don’t give in to hate Training went on, and I’d drank most of the bar We had to stop off for supplies on the nearest Death Star I learned to control my fear and hold my alcohol Soon I was able to stand when Obi-Wan would fall I had one pint of beer and one shot of scotch One bottle of wine and a bourbon on the rocks I had one lassie on me right and another on the left I looked that puppet in the eye, and said, “give me the test” Sat down beside him and I looked him in the eye He looked r

ight back at me and said you judge me by my size Obi-Wan said careful, for Yoda is the best Said ok shorty, bring on this test I’ll tell you how it ended, tell you some lies Let’s just say that on that night the force was on his side I got all riled up, they threw me in the jail I said I don’t believe it, Yoda said that’s why I failed! One pint of beer and one shot of scotch One bottle of wine and a bourbon on the rocks I had one lassie on me right and another on the left I looked that puppet in

the eye, and said, “give me the test” I had one pint of beer and one shot of scotch One bottle of wine and a bourbon on the rocks I had one lassie on me right and another on the left I looked that puppet in the eye, and said, “give me the test” Yeah, I looked that puppet in the eye and said “give me the test” Yeah, I looked that little runt right in the eye Well, last night, as I slept, I dreamt I met with Behan I shook him by the hand and we passed the time of day I questioned him on his views

on the crux of life’s philosophies He had but these few clear and these simple words to say I am going, I am going Any which way the wind may be blowing I am going, I am going Where streams of whiskey are flowing I have cursed, bled, and sworn; jumped bail, and landed up in jail Now life has tried to stretch me when the rope always went slack So, now that I’ve a pile, well, I’m off down to the Chelsea Where I’ll walk in on my feet, oh, but I’ll leave there on my back Because I’m going, I am goi

ng Any which way the wind may be blowing I am going, I am going Where streams of whiskey are flowing Now the words that he spoke seemed the wisest of philosophies There’s nothing ever gained by a wet thing called a tear When the world is a bit dark and I need that light inside of me Well, I’ll walk into the bar and I’ll drink fifteen pints of beer Because I’m going, I am going Any which way the wind may be blowing I am going, I am going Where streams of whiskey are flowing Going, I am going Any

which way the wind may be blowing I am going, I am going Where streams of whiskey are flowing - (x2) Where the streams of whiskey are flowing And her hair hung over her shoulder Tied up with a black velvet band (1, 2, 3, 4!) As I came out walking down Broadway Not intending to stay very long I met a frolicsome damsel As she came a-drifting along You know her eyes they shone like the diamonds You’d think she was the queen of the land - (and she was!) And her hair hung over her shoulder Tied up wi

th a black velvet band The watch that she took from a customer She slipped it right into me hand Bad luck from the first day I met her Bad luck from the black velvet band You know her eyes they shone like the diamonds You’d think she was the queen of the land - (and she was!) And her hair hung over her shoulder Tied up with a black velvet band Before a judge and a jury In the morning did both us appear A gentleman, he claimed his jewellery And the case against us, it was clear You know her eyes

they shone like the diamonds You’d think she was the queen of the land - (and she was!) And her hair hung over her shoulder Tied up with a black velvet band Seven long years transportation Right down into Van Dieman’s land Far away from my friends and companions Betrayed by the black velvet band You know her eyes they shone like the diamonds You’d think she was the queen of the land - (and she was!) And her hair hung over her shoulder Tied up with a black velvet band I said, her eyes, they shone

like the diamonds You’d think she was the queen of the land - (and she was!) And her hair hung over her shoulder Tied up with a black velvet band I took a stroll down the old long walk On the day-aye-ay aye-ay Met a little girl and we stopped to talk On the fine soft day-aye-ay And I asked you, boys, tell me what would you do If her hair was black and her eyes were blue? So I took her hand, and I gave her a whirl On the Salthill Prom with the Galway girl We were halfway there when the rain came

down On the day-aye-ay aye-ay She led me up to her flat downtown On the fine soft day-aye-ay And I asked you, boys, tell me what would you do If her hair was black and her eyes were blue? So I knew right then I’d be taking a whirl And I lost my heart to the Galway girl But when I woke up I was all alone With a broken heart and a ticket home And I asked you, boys, tell me what would you do If her hair was black and her eyes were blue? See, I’ve travelled around, been all over the world I ain’t s

een nothing like a Galway girl He was standing in some tiny town On fair Prince Edward’s Island Waiting on a ship to come and find him A one-horse place, a friendly face Some coffee and a tiny trace Of fiddling in the distance far behind ‘em A dime across the counter then A shy hello, a brand new friend Walking along the street in the wintery weather A yellow light, an open door A welcome friend, there’s room for more And now they’re standing there, besides, together He said, “I heard that tune

before somewhere But I don’t remember when Was it on some other friendly shore? I’d have heard it on the wind” “Was it written on the sky above? I’d have heard it from someone I love But I’ve never heard it sound so sweet since then” And now his feet begin to tap And a little boy said, “I’ll take your hat” He’s caught up in the magic of his smile Then leaped the heart inside him Went on and off across the floor He sends his clumsy body, graceful as a child He said, “there’s magic in the fiddler’

s arms There’s magic in this town There’s magic in the dancers’ feet And the way they put ‘em down” “Smiling faces everywhere Coloured boots and ribbons; locks of hair Laughter and old blue suits and Easter gowns” Now the sailor’s gone, the room is bare The old piano’s sitting there Someone’s hat’s left hanging out on the rack The empty chairs, the hardwood floor That feel the touch of shoes no more Waiting on the dancers coming back And the fiddle’s in the closet Of some daughter of the town We

ll, the strings are [?], and the bow is gone And the case is buttoned down Sometimes on a wintery night When the moon is full and the air is right You can hear this melody rambling through the town (Take it away, girls!)