HearthFire

Lannigan's Ball

In the town of Athy one Jeremy Lannigan

Battered away till he hadn’t a pound

His father he died and made him a man again

Left him a farm and ten acres of ground

He gave a grand party to friends and relations

Who did not forget when come to the wall

If you but listen, I’ll make your eyes glisten

At the rows, the ructions of Lannigan’s Ball

Six long weeks I spent in Dublin

Six long weeks doing nothing at all

Six long weeks I spent in Dublin

Learning to dance for Lannigan’s Ball

She stepped out, I stepped in again

I stepped out, She stepped in again

She stepped out and I stepped in again

Learning to dance for Lannigan’s Ball

Myself to be sure got free invitations

For all the nice girls and the boys I might ask

And just in a minute both friends and relations

Were dancing as merry as bees round a cask

Lashings of punch and wine for the ladies

Potatoes and cakes, there was bacon and tea

Nolans, Dolans, O’Grady’s, MacCarthy's

Courting the girls and dancing away

They were doing all kinds on nonsensical polkas

Around the room in a whirligig

Julia and I soon banished their nonsense

Tipped them a twist of a reel and a jig.

Oh, how that girl got mad on me

And danced till you’d think the ceilings would fall

For I spent three weeks at Brook’s Academy

Learning to dance for Lannigan’s Ball

The boys were as merry, the girls all hearty

Dancing away in couples and groups

Till an accident happened: young Terrence MacCarthy

He put his right leg through Miss Finerty’s hoops

The creature she fainted and cried ‘Meelia, murther’

Called for her brothers and gathered them all

Carmody swore that he’d go no further

He’d have satisfaction at Lannigan’s Ball

In the midst of the row Miss Kerrigan fainted

Her cheeks at the same time as red as a rose

Some of the boys decried she was painted

She took a small drop, too much I suppose

Her sweetheart Ned Morgan, so strong and able

He saw his fair colleen stretched out by the wall

The girls in their ribbons they all got entangled

And that put an end to Lannigan’s Ball

- traditional

Loch Lomond

By yon bonnie banks and by yon bonnie braes

Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond

Where me and my true love were ever wont to go

On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond

Oh! You'll take the high road, and I'll take the low road

And I'll be in Scotland before you

But me and my true love will never meet again

On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond

'Twas there that we parted, in yon shady glen

On the steep, steep side of Ben Lomond

Where in purple hue, the hieland hills we view

And the moon coming out in the gloaming

The wee birdies sing, and the wildflowers spring

And in sunshine the waters are sleeping

But the broken heart it can not second spring again

Tho' the woeful may cease from their grieving

- traditional

An Irish Barn Dance

- traditional

O Waly Waly

The water is wide, I cannot cross o'er

And neither have I wings to fly

Build me a boat that can carry two

And both shall row, my love and I

There is a ship and she sails the sea

She's laden deep, as deep can be

But not so deep as the love I'm in

I know not how I sink or swim

Oh love is handsome, and love is fine

The sweetest jewel when first it's new

But love grows old, and waxes cold

And fades away like summer dew

- traditional

Home Boys, Home

Well who wouldn't be a sailor lad, sailing on the main

To gain the goodwill of his Captain's good name

He came ashore, one evening for to be

And that was the beginning of my true love and me

And it's home boys, home...home I'd like to be!

Home for awhile in me own country

Where the oak and the ash and the bonnie rowan tree

Are all growing greener in the old country

Well I asked her for a candle for to light me way to bed,

And likewise for a handkerchief to tie around me head

She tended to me needs like a young maid aught to do

So then I says to her "Now would you jump in with me too?"

Well she jumped into the bed, making no alarm

Thinking a young sailor lad couldn't do her harm

Well I hugged her, I kissed her the whole night long

'Til she wished the short night had been seven years long

Well early the next morning the sailor lad arose

He told her "Girl I love you from your head down to your toes!

We'll have a boy child, and he'll wear the jacket blue

And go climbing up the rigging like his daddy used to do"

- traditional

Lament For Home

- traditional

From Clare To Here

There’s four of us who shared this room, we were caught up in the craic

And sleeping in on Sundays, we'd never get to Mass

It's a long, long way from Clare to here

It's a long, long way...it gets further every day

It's a long, long way from Clare to here

When Friday night comes around, we're only into fighting

My ma would like a letter home but I’m too tired for writing

Well it almost breaks my heart when I think of my family

I promised I’d be coming home with my pockets full of green

The only time I feel alright is when I'm into drinking

It eases off the pain awhile and levels out my thinking...

I sometimes hear a fiddle play or maybe it’s just a notion

I dream I see white horses dance out on another ocean

- Ralph McTell

Fare Thee Well Eniskillen

Our troop was made ready at the dawn of the day

From lovely Eniskillen they were marching us away

They put us then onboard a ship to cross the raging main

To fight in bloody battle in the sunny land of Spain

Fare thee well Enniskillen, fare thee well for a while

And all around the borders of Erin's green isle

And when the war is over we'll return in full bloom

And you'll all welcome home the Enniskillen Dragoons

Oh Spain it is a gallant land where wine and ale flow free

There's lots of lovely women there to dandle on your knee

And often in a tavern there we'd make the rafters ring

When every soldier in the house would raise his glass and sing

Well we fought for Ireland's glory there and many a man did fall

From musket and from bayonet, from thundering cannon ball

And many a foeman we laid low amid the battle throng

And as we prepared for battle you would often hear this song

Well now the fighting's over and for home we have set sail

Our flag above this lofty ship is fluttering in the gale

They've given us a pension, boys, of fourpence each a day

And when we reach Enniskillen never more we'll have to stray

- traditional

Caledonia

Oh I don't know if you can see

The changes that have come over me

These last few days I've been afraid

That I might drift away...

So I've been telling old stories, singing songs

That make me think about where I came from

And that's the reason why I seem so far away today

So let me tell you that I love you, and I think about you all the time

Caledonia, you're calling me, and I'm going home

And if I should become a stranger, know that it would make me more than sad

Caledonia, you're everything I've ever had

Now I have moved and I've kept on moving

Made the points that needed proving

I've lost some friends that needed losing

Found others on the way

And I have tried, and I kept on trying

Stolen dreams and there's no denying

I've travelled far, sometimes with conscience flying

Somewhere in the wind...

So now I sit before the fire

The empty room and the forest choir

The flames have died, can't get any higher

They're withered now, they're gone

So now I'm thinking my way is clear

I know what I must do tomorow

When hands have shaken and kisses flowing, then I will disappear...

- Dougie MacClean

I'm a Rover

I'm a rover, seldom sober, I'm a rover of high degree

It's when I'm drinking, I'm always thinking

How to gain my love's company

Though the night be dark as dungeon

Not a star can be seen above

I will be guided without a stumble

Into the arms of me only love

I went up to her bedroom window

Kneeling gently upon a stone

I rapped upon her bedroom window

"My darling dear, do you lie alone?"

She raised her head up from feather pillow

Raised her arms up around her breast

Saying "Who's that at me bedroom window

Disturbing me at me long night's rest?"

"It's only me, your own true lover

Open the door and please let me in

For I have come on a long night's journey

I am near drenched to the skin"

"I've walked alone the whole night through

These many miles to be with you"

She opened the door with the greatest pleasure

She opened the door and she let me in

We both shook hands and embraced each other

Until the morning we lay as one

Well now my love, I must go and leave you

Though the mountains be high above

I will climb them with greater pleasure

That I have been with me only love

- traditional

Leaving Of Liverpool

Farewell the Prince's Landing Stage

River Mersey fare thee well

I am bound for California

'Tis a land that I know right well

So fare thee well, my own true love

And when I return united we will be

It's not the leaving of Liverpool that grieves me

But my darling when I think of thee

I am bound on a Yankee Clipper ship

Davey Crockett it is her name

And Burgess is the captain of her

And they say that she's a floating grave

I have sailed with Burgess once before

He's a man that I know right well

When a man is a sailor he can get along

And if not he's sure in hell

Well the ship is on the harbor love

And I know that I can't remain

And I know it will be a long, long time

'Til I see your face again

- traditional

Danny Boy

Oh Danny Boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling

From glen to glen and down the mountain side

The summer's gone and all the roses falling

'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide

But come ye' back when summer's in the meadow

And when the valley's hushed and white with snow

Oh Danny Boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling

Oh Danny Boy, oh Danny Boy I love you so

- traditional