Úna Bhán

Along the bright plains of Mayo the wild deer wander free
The summer sun in glory shines but shineth not for me
I feel no breeze at twilight, nor I see no light at dawn
But I'll sing a hymn of sorrow for me darling Úna Bhán

The lights are quenched forever more in proud MacDermott's hall
The harp is sad and lonely too within its towers tall
The banshee from the mountainside at shades of night do call
But my true love neer shall waken from her cold unearthly thrall

I rode in joy and gladness oer each heathy hill and plain
I rode in grief and sorrow to my home right back again
I saw the snowwhite rocket tremble coolly in the night
Like the dewdrop from the heavens when the stars refuse their light

My sword is rusty in its sheath, that gallant woven lance
That threatens death to lyin foe of brave and generous France
The ribbons from my true love's hair twine round its hilt of gold
But the snowwhite hand that placed them there lies helpless now and cold

Along the bright plains of Mayo the wild deer swiftly sings
Along the bright plains of Mayo the hunter's bugle rings
My brave steed he is restless now, my strong hand on the rein
But his prancing hooves they neer shall touch the hunting ground again

I'll get my brave steed ready now and ride far far away
I'll get my brave steed ready and I'll ride the livelong day
Until I find my Žna's grave in that island in Lough Key
I'll pluck a flower of its flowers and kiss its cold cold clay

Me Girl Mary Ann

Now when young lads go out a-courting
They haven't the spunk of a mouse
They stand round the corner and whistle
They're afraid to go into the house

But I always walk in with a swagger
As if the ould place were me own
I sit meself down in the corner
Saying, How is old Mother Malone?

Refrain:
Then I kiss the old woman and hug the old man
I give Johnny a dollar and shake hands with Dan
Fight for his sister and do all I can
Do all I can
And then I'll walk out with me girl Mary Ann

Now Dan is me colleen's big brother
With him I keep on the right side
I sit and I joke with his sister
For she is me darling and pride

(Refrain)

I had scarcely been courting a fortnight
When her heart and her hand I had won
And the next time I went to the cottage
Sure the old lady called me her son

(Refrain)

When I asked the old man for his daughter
His son-in-law soon I would be
He said, Sure enough now young Seamus
You can have both me daughter and me

(Refrain)

Barney Come Home

Ah I just got a letter from my dear old mother
She wants her dear boy to come home
But that I can't do, dear mother, for you
I'm an exile and here I must roam
She said her heart's breaking, there's no one to care her
The cot I was born in is now all alone
My poor father's dead, O think of her trouble
O Barney, dear Barney, come home

Refrain:
Barney come home, she said in the letter
I know she's old and I cannot forget her
I'm an exile from Erin, in america I roam
But when Ireland's free, mother, your Barney'll come home

This is the letter I got from my mother
It's years since I had one before
And it makes my heart sad when I think of poor Dad
He's gone where I'll neer see him more
Tis a pardon she wants from the Queen for to get me
But I'll write and tell her to leave it alone
I'll wait till the sun shines from the crossroads in Ireland
And if you're living then, mother, your Barney'll come home

(Refrain)

Down Erin's Lovely Lee

On March the 6th in '69 we sailed from Queenstown Quay
With Fenian boys from Erin's isle bound for Americay
In journeying with that gallant band, as you may plainly see
We were forced to go from sweet (?) down Erin's lovely Lee

For six long weeks we plowed the main, from Queenstown Quay in Cork
Just like an arrow through the sky till we landed in New York
Those Yankee boys with Stars and Stripes came flocking round to see
This gallant band of Fenians bold from Erin's lovely Lee

A Yankee stepped up to me and he asked me did I know
The green woods of Tipperary or the Glen of Arlow
Or did I know where Crowley fell his native land to free
Or the tower that Captain Mackie sacked down Erin's lovely Lee

He also asked me could I tell where Wolfe Tone's body lay
Or could I tell the resting place of Emmett's sacred clay
Or what about the brave O'Dwyer, that Wicklow mountain lion
Or the three Manchester martyrs, Allen, Larkin and O'Brien

Yes, I can tell where Crowley fell, twas in Kilclooney Wood
And the tower that Captain Mackie sacked, twas by his side I stood
He gave the word, we raised a cheer that made the tyrant frown
And we raised the shamrock oer our heads, the harp without the crown

When I was leaving Ireland I came by sweet Kildare
And if I don't make a great mistake Wolfe Tone he is lying there
In journeying down by Dublin town I passed Glasnevin through
And tis there brave Robert Emmett lies, a patriot loyal and true

So now I'm tired of roving and I'm going to cross the foam
To feel the grip of friendship's hand when I return back home
And when I go to sweet (?) the boys they'll welcome me
And we'll help to float a Fenian boat down Erin's lovely Lee

The Tailor Bawn

Ye muses come listen a moment
And I'll sing you a sporting song
I'm not very good at composing
And I don't mean to keep ye long
The best of me songs they are broken
And others are going quite wrong
And twas lately I've heard it outspoken
That some of me lines are strong

A dozen long years I've been shaping
Singing and making rhymes
And very often contrary
And putting down airy times
Sleeping in very strange places
And often stayin out till the dawn
Sure tis how I would hear them comparing
Meself and the tailor Bawn

A pair of rollicking sportsmen
And very near the same size
And we both very fond of the porter
For twas bulging out both our eyes
The neighbors they're calling us topers
We often stay out till the dawn
Sure the dogs they'd be barking before us
And they welcoming home Dan Bawn

Now tis often I drank with this tailor
At market and fair each time
And on Sunday twas never a failure
Sure we thought the ould game was fine
He used to be actin old capers
And singin old quare (?)
With the landlady asking for payment
And she cursing the tailor Bawn

So now I'll go down to Moll Foley
For everyone knows she's fine
And twas ofttimes her mother she told me
The money and the place'd be mine
With Dan and the tailor out poaching
And often stayin out till the dawn
Sure tis how I do hear them comparing
Meself and the tailor Bawn

And I've me own little farm
Meself and me own dear wife
I won't be afraid of the storm
Destroying me of me life
And if there's a son or a daughter
And fortune should favor Sean
They'll be wondering who is the father
Meself or the tailor Bawn

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