Padraig Óg Mo Chroídhe
I stood beside the Liffey's tide and gazed at its raging flood
I sighed when I thought how its waters deep ran red with our hero's blood
For all the world was sad and dark, but none so sad as we
When I think of my Irish rebel lad, my Padraig Óg Mo Chroídhe
His love for me was knid and true, it wove me in a spell
But how he loved his motherland no words of mine can tell
And when his comrades thought they'd strike a blow for liberty
The first to grasp his rifle was Padraig Óg Mo Chroídhe
For three long weary days he fought by the Liffey's swelling tide
And at Boland's Mills he helped to fill the ranks of the true and tried
And after three long weary days the sad news came to me
That in the midst of the fighting fell my Padraig Óg Mo Chroídhe
And when his comrades brought to me the news of his noble death
How he thought of me and he spoke of me with his last long dying breath
They laid him down for his last long sleep along with the brave and free
And left me here to mourn my dear, my Padraig Óg Mo Chroídhe
The Croppy Boy
Twas early early all in the spring
The small birds whistled and did sweetly sing
Changing their notes from tree to tree
And the song they sang was "Old Ireland Free"
Twas early early on a Tuesday night
The yeoman cavalry gave me a fright
To my misfortune and sad downfall
I was taken prisoner by Lord Cornwall
As I was marching up Wexford Street
My own first cousin I chanced to meet
My own first cousin did me betray
And for one bare guinea sold my life away
As I was standing on the scaffold high
My aged father was standing by
My aged father did me deny
And the name he gave me was the Croppy Boy
It was in Duncannon this young man died
And in Duncannon his body lies
All you good people that do pass by
Say a prayer, shed a tear for the Croppy Boy
The Sick Note
Dear Sir, I write this note to you to tell you of me plight
For at the time of writing I am not a pretty sight
My body is all black and blue, me face is deadly grey
And I hope you'll understand why Paddy's not in work today
While working on the fourteenth floor some bricks I had to clear
To throw them down from such a height was not a good idea
The foreman wasn't very pleasant, the bloody awkward sod
He said I'd have to carry em down the ladder in me hod
Now to clear away those bricks by hand it was so very slow
So I hoisted up a barrel and secured the rope below
But in my haste to do the job sure I was too blind to see
That a barrel full of building bricks was heavier then me
Now when I untied the rope the barrel fell like lead
And then clinging tightly to the rope I started up instead
I shot up like a rocket till to my dismay I found
That halfway up I met the bloody barrel comin down
Now the barrel broke me shoulder as to the ground it sped
And when I reached the top I banged the pulley with me head
I hung on tightly to the rope, but from this almighty blow
And the barrel spilled out half the bricks fourteen floors below
Now when those bricks had fallen from the barrel to the floor
Sure I then outweighed the barrel and I started down once more
I clung on tightly to the rope, me body racked with pain
And halfway down I met the bloody barrel once again
Now the force of this collision halfway up the office block
Caused multiple abrasions and a nasty state of shock
Still clinging tightly to the rope till I fell towards the ground
And landed on the broken bricks that were all scattered round
I lay there groaning on the ground, I thought the worst had passed
And then the barrel hit the pulley block and the bloody bottom burst
It rained down on me a shower of bricks, sure I hadn't got a hope
And I lay there groaning on the ground, I let go the bloody rope
Now the barrel then was heavier and it started down once more
And it landed straight across me as I lay there on the floor
I broke three ribs and my left arm and I can only say
That I hope you'll understand why Paddy's not in work today
Loughrea Love Song
Heartstrings make sweet music if I would think of you
And if you would call me darling I would wear a feather too
I would swim the (?) Slaney and the Shannon any day
Just to walk with you, lovely lady, and to take you round Loughrea
If I owned all Portumna and the markets of (?)
Or the walls and all the money that belongs to Limerick town
I would part unto (?) if you'd let me presume
Just to walk with you, lovely lady, and to be your squire in June
Some people say it's easy and (?)
But who was ever able for to harrow with the plow?
Not rare was I for labor or to watch the seasons play
But gambling, sport and dancing lost me my own, Loughrea
Last night abroad in London I spent my only crown
I posted my own one and after (?)
I walked the lands till morning and I heard your harkaway
I wish I was the red fox you hunt around Loughrea
Now Lent may last till easter and after summer comes
And feasting or fasting, wild sloebush buds in bloom
The queen of hearts is lonely but (?) joker's still in play
I will lead and I'll take her from you, O strong men of Loughrea
Moonlight in Mayo
It's just a year ago today I left old Erin's isle
My heart was throbbing in the soft light of my colleen's smile
In all my dreams I seem to hear her sweet voice soft and low
I know she's waiting where I said goodbye in old Mayo
Refrain:
Now two Irish eyes are shining
And an Irish heart is pining
Where I kissed her and caressed her
In the gloaming long ago
Loving Irish arms will press me
And two Irish (?) caress me
And sweet Irish lips will bless me
When it's moonlight in Mayo
Her Irish eyes like beacons shine out to the darkest night
I know her sweet loving will always fill the world with light
The roses of her cheeks will lend enchantment to the scene
And when the shamrock (?) I'll wed my sweet colleen
(Refrain)
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