Lovely Rose Of Clare

Oh my lovely Rose of Clare, 
You're the sweetest girl I know.
You're the Queen of all the roses, 
Like the pretty flowers that grow.
You are the sunshine of my life, so beautiful and fair.
And I will always love you, my lovely Rose of Clare.

The sun, it shone out like a jewel, 
On the lovely Rose of Clare.
As I strolled along with my sweet love, 
One evening at the fair.
Her eyes they shone like silver threads, 
With her long long golden hair.
I stole the heart of a young sweet lass, 
My lovely Rose of Clare.

Now we walk down by the river banks, 
Where the lovely Shannon lies.
And listen to the nightingales, 
Singing songs for you and I.
And now to say goodbye, farewell, 
To all you people there.
For I have stole the heart of one, 
My lovely Rose of Clare.

Lord Nelson
Tommy Makem

Lord Nelson stood in pompous state,upon his pillar high 
And down along O'Connell Street he cast a wicked eye 
He thought how this barbaric race had fought the British Crown 
Yet they were content to let him stay right there in Dublin town! 

So remember Brave Lord Nelson, boys, 
He has never known defeat 
And for his reward they stuck him up 
In the middle of O'Connell Street! 

For many years, Lord Nelson stood, and no one seemed to care 
He would squint at Dan O'Connell who was standin right down there 
He thought the Irish love me or they wouldnt let me stay, 
All except that band of blighters that they call the IRA! 

And then in nineteen sixty six, on March the seventh day, 
A bloody great explosion made Lord Nelson rock and sway! 
He crashed, and Dan O'Connell cried,in woeful misery 
Now twice as many pigeons will come and shit on me!

lonely woods at Upton

Many homes are filled with sorrow and with sadness
Many hearts are filled with anguish and with pain
For old Ireland now she hangs her head in mourning
For the men who fell at upton for Sinn Fein

Let the moon shine out tonight along the valley
Where those men who fought for freedom now are laid
May they rest in piece those men who died for Ireland
And fell in that Upton ambush for Sinn Fein

Some were thinking of their mothers wifes and sweethearts
More were thinking of their dear old Irish homes
Did they think that as they drove along the valley
When they marched out from Cork Cituy to their Doom

Chorus

The morning cry rang out fix your bayonets
And quite gallatly they fixed them for the fray
Gallantly they fought and died for dear old Ireland
Round the lonely woods at upton far away

chorus

LOUGHALL AMBUSH 

I've sung so many songs of fallen heroes 
I really thought that I had said it all 
But if a song can fill our hearts and raise our spirits 
Then I'll sing about our martyrs at Loughall, 
When the Irish nation bowed its head in sorrow 
Such sadness as this country's seldom known 
For Monaghan has lost a gallant soldier 
With seven Volunteers from green Tyrone 

Oh England do you really think its over 
If you do you're going to have to kill us all 
For until you take your murderers out of Ireland 
Then we will make them rue the blood spill at Loughall 

It was on a warm and misty Friday evening 
The scent of apple blossom filled the air 
That village street seemed quiet and deserted 
But hidden eyes were watching everywhere, 
The digger bomb had only reached its target 
The trap was sprung and gunfire filled the air 
The SAS did not want any prisoners 
"Shoot to kill!" - their orders were quite clear 

Chorus 

They butchered eight brave volunteers that evening 
They were kicked and punched in case they were not dead 
They dragged their bodies up and down that village 
And filled their bodies full of British lead 
Did you think that it would teach us all a lesson 
As such savagery the whole world was appalled 
Don’t you know that there’s twenty more men waiting 
For everyone you butchered at Loughall 

Chorus 

Farewell Paddy Kelly and Jim Lynagh 
No more you'll lead your fighting unit forth 
Side by side with Pádraig McKearney and Tony Gormaley 
You died to drive the British from the north 
Declan Arthurs and the youthful Seamus Donnelly 
On that night you were the youngest of them all 
With Gerry O'Callaghan and the gallant Eugene Kelly 
Oh your blood still stains the pavements at Loughall 

Chorus 

 LAGAN LOVE 

Where Lagan stream sings lullaby 
There blows a lily fair 
The twilight gleam is in her eye 
The night is on her hair 
And like a love-sick lennan-shee 
She has my heart in thrall 
Nor life I owe nor liberty 
For love is lord of all 

And often when the beetle's horn 
Hath lulled the eve to sleep 
I steal unto her shieling lorn 
And thru the dorring peep. 
There on thye cricket's singing stone, 
She spares the bogwood fire, 
And hums in sad sweet undertone 
The songs of heart's desire 

Her welcome, like her love for me, 
Is from her heart within. 
Her warm kiss is felicity 
That knows no taint of sin. 
And when I stir my soot to go, 
'Tis leaving love and light 
To feel the wind of longing blow 
From out the dark of night 

LAKES OF COOLFIN

It was early one mornin' young Willie rose
and off to his comrade's bed chamber did go
sayin, "Arise dearest comrades! Let nobody know"
"It's a fine summer's mornin' and a bathin' we'll go!"

Well Willie plunged in and he swam to lay ground
'till he came to an island of soft marshy gound
crying, "Comrades dearest comrades, do not venture in!
For there's false and deep waters in the Lakes of Coolfin

well early next morning Willie's sister arose
and onto her mother's bedchamber did go
sayin', "I had a sad dream 'bout Willie last night
He was clad in a shroud, In a shroud of snow white"

Well later that evening Willie's mother stood there
she was ringing her fingers and tearing her hair
saying woe to the hour young Willie plunged in
For there's false and deep waters in the Lakes of Coolfin

Well I saw a fair maid standing fast by the shore
her face it was sad she was crying for sure
singing woe to the hour young Willie plunged in
For there's false and deep waters in the Lakes of Coolfin

LAKES OF PONTCHARTRAIN

T'was on one bright March morning I bid New Orleans adieu
And I took the rode to Jackson town, me fortune to renew
I cursed all foreign money, no credit could I gain
Which filled me heart with longin' for the Lakes of Pontchartain

I stepped on board of a railroad car beneath the morning sun
And I rode the roads 'til evening and I laid me down again
All strangers here, no friends to me 'til a dark girl towards me came
And I fell in love with a Creole girl from the Lakes of Pontchartrain

I said my pretty Creole girl, me money here's no good
If it weren't for the alligators I'd sleep out in the wood
You're welcome here kind stranger, our house it's very plain
But we never turn a stranger out at the Lakes of Pontchartrain

She took me to her mummy's house and she treated me quite well
The hair upon her shoulders in jet black ringlets fell
To try and paint her beauty I'm sure t'would be in vain
So handsome was my Creole girl from the Lakes of Pontchartrain

I asked her if she'd marry me, she'd said it could never be
For she had got another and he was far at sea
She said that she would wait for him and true she would remain
'Til he returned for his Creole girl from the Lakes of Pontchartrain

So fair thee well me bonny o' girl I never see no more
But I'll ne'er forget your kindness and the cottage by the shore
And at each social gathering a flowin' glass I'll raise
And drink a health to me Creole girl from the Lakes of Pontchartrain

LANIGAN'S BALL

In the town of Athy one Jeremy Lanigan
Battered away 'til 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 didn't forget him when it comes to the will
And if you'll but listen I'll make your eyes glisten
Of the rows and the ructions of Lanigan's Ball

Chorus:
Six long months I spent in Dublin
six long months doing nothing at all
Six long months I spent in Dublin
learning to dance for Lanigan's Ball

Myself to be sure got free invitation
For all the nice girls and boys I might ask
And just in a minute both friends and relations
Were dancing 'round merry as bees 'round a cask
Judy O'Daly, that nice little milliner
She tipped me a wink for to give her a call
And I soon arrived with Peggy McGilligan
Just in time for Lanigan's Ball

Chorus

There were lashings of punch and wine for the ladies
Potatoes and cakes; there was bacon and tea
There were the Nolans, Dolans, O'Gradys
Courting the girls and dancing away
Songs they went 'round as plenty as water
"The harp that once sounded in Tara's old hall,"
"Sweet Nelly Gray" and "The Rat Catcher's Daughter,"
All singing together at Lanigan's Ball

Chorus

They were doing all kinds of nonsensical polkas
All 'round the room in a whirligig
Julia and I, we banished their nonsense
And tipped them the twist of a reel and a jig
'Och mavrone, how the girls got all mad at me
Danced 'til you'd think the ceiling would fall
For I spent three weeks at Brooks' Academy
Learning new steps for Lanigan's Ball

She stepped out and I stepped in again
I stepped out and she stepped in again
She stepped out and I stepped in again
Learning new steps for Lanigan's Ball

Boys were all merry and the girls they were hearty
And danced all around in couples and groups
'Til an accident happened, young Terrance McCarthy
Put his right leg through miss Finnerty's hoops
Poor creature fainted and cried, "Meelia murther"
Called for her brothers and gathered them all
Carmody swore that he'd go no further
'Til he had satisfaction at Lanigan'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 lads declared she was painted
She took a small drop too much, I suppose
Her sweetheart, Ned Morgan, so powerful and able
When he saw his fair colleen stretched out by the wall
Tore the left leg from under the table
And smashed all the Chaneys at Lanigan's Ball

Boys, oh boys, 'twas then there were runctions
Myself got a lick from big Phelim McHugh
I soon replied to his introduction
And kicked up a terrible hullabaloo
Old Casey, the piper, was near being strangled
They squeezed up his pipes, bellows, chanters and all
The girls, in their ribbons, they got all entangled
And that put an end to Lanigan's Ball

LARK IN THE CLEAR AIR, THE

Dear thoughts are in my mind
And my soul soars enchanted
As I hear the sweet lark sing
In the clear air of the day
For a tender beaming smile
To my hope has been granted
And tomorrow she shall hear
All my fond heart would say

I shall tell her all my love
And my soul's adoration
And I think she will hear me
And will not say me nay
It is this that gives my soul
All its joyous elation
As I hear the sweet lark sing
In the clear air of the day

LARK IN THE MORNING

The lark in the morning she arises from her nest
And she ascends all in the air with the dew upon her breast
And with the pretty ploughboy she'll whistle and she'll sing
And at night she'll return to her own nest again

When his day's work is over, oh what then will he do
Perhaps then into some country wake he'll go
And with his pretty sweetheart, he'll dance and he'll sing
And at night he'll return with his love back again

And as they returned from the wake unto the town
The meadows they are mowed and the grass it is cut down
The nightingale she whistles upon the hawthorn spray
And the moon it is a shining upon the new mown hay

Good luck unto the ploughboys wherever they may be
They will take a winsome lass for to sit upon their knee
And with a jug of beer boys, they'll whistle and they'll sing
And the ploughboy is as happy as a prince or a king

LASS OF AUGHRIM, THE

If you'll be the lass of Aughrim
As I am taking you mean to be
Tell me the first token
That passed between you and me

O don't you remember
That night on yon lean hill
When we both met together
Which I am sorry now to tell

The rain falls on my yellow locks
And the dew it wets my skin;
My babe lies cold within my arms;
Lord Gregory, let me in

LEAVING OF LIVERPOOL, THE (1)

Farewell to you, my own true love
I am going far away
I am bound for California
But I know that I'll return some day

Chorus:
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 have shipped on a Yankee sailing ship
Davy Crockett is her name
And Burgess is the captain of her
And they say she is a floating hell

Chorus

Oh the sun is on the harbor love
And I wish I could remain
For I know it will be some long time
before I see you again

Chorus

LEAVING OF LIVERPOOL, THE (2)

Farewell to Prince's Landing Stage
River Mersey, fare thee well
I am bound for California
A place I know right well

Chorus:
So fare thee well, my own true love
When I return united we will be
It's not the leaving of Liverpool that's grieving me
But my darling when I think of thee

I'm bound off for California
By the way of stormy Cape Horn
And I'm bound to write you a letter, love
When I am homeward bound

I have signed on a Yankee Clipper ship
Davy Crockett is her name
And Burgess is the Captain of her
And they say she's a floating Hell

I have shipped with Burgess once before
And I think I know him well
If a man's a seaman, he can get along
If not, then he's sure in Hell

Farewell to lower Frederick Street
Ensign Terrace and Park Lane
For I think it will be a long, long time
Before I see you again

Oh the sun is on the harbor, love
And I wish I could remain
For I know it will be a long, long time
Till I see you again

LEGION OF THE REARGUARD, THE

Up the Republic, they raise their battle cry
Pearse and McDermott will pray for you on high
Eager and ready, for love of you they die
Proud march the soldiers of the Rearguard

Chorus:
Legion of the Rearguard, answering Ireland's call
Hark their martial tramp is heard from Cork to Donegal
Wolfe Tone and Emmett guide you, though your task be hard
De Valera leads you, soldiers of the Legion of the Rearguard

Glorious the morning, through flame and shot and shell
Now rally Ireland, your sons who love you well
Pledged, they'll defend you, through death or prison cell
Wait for the soldiers of the Rearguard

Chorus

Crimson the roadside, the prison wall, the cave
Proof of their valour, go sleep in peace ye brave
Comrade tread lightly, you're near a hero's grave
Proud die the soldiers of the Rearguard

LIMERICK YOU'RE A LADY

Chorus:
Limerick you're a lady
your Shannon waters tears of joy that flow
The beauty that surrounds you
Ill take it with me love where-e'er I go
While waking in the arms of distant waters
a new day finds me far away from home
And Limerick you're my lady
the one true love that I have ever known

As children you and I spent endless days of fun
In winter's snow or summer's golden sun
We fished in silver streams, the fabric of our dreams
Was fashioned by your loveliness and so I have to say:

The difference time has made, to travellers on their way
Seeking out the beauty of our lands
At shrines the children play, and bells ring out to say
Thank God we're living just to feel the freedom of each day

While walking in the arms of distant waters
A new day finds me far away from home
And Limerick you're my lady
the one true love that I have ever known

Little Armalite

I was stopped by a soldier he said you are swine
He hit me with his rifle and he kicked me in the groin
I begged and I peddled all me manners were polite
But sure all the time Is thinkin of me little armalite

And its down in the Bogside thats where I long to be
Lying in the dark with a provo company
A comrade on me left and another one on me right
And a clip of ammunition for me little armalite

Well a brave RUC man came walkin down our street
600 British soldiers he had lined up at his feet
come out ye cowardly Fenians come on out and fight
but he prayed Im only jokin when he heard the armalite

Well the army came to visit me was in the early hours
The saracens and solodins and fervered armoured cowards
They thought they had me covered but I gave em all a fright
With me armour piercin bullets of me little armalite

When Harry came to Belfast to see the battles won
The generals they had told him weve got them on the run
But corporals and privates when on patrol at night
Saying call for reinforcements its the bloody armalite

LORD OF THE DANCE

I danced in the morning when the world was begun
I danced in the moon, the stars and the sun
I danced down from Heaven and I danced on Earth
At Bethlehem I had my birth

Chorus:
Dance, then, wherever you may be
I am the Lord of the Dance, said He
And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be
And I'll lead you all in the dance, said He

I danced for the scribe and the Pharisee
They would not dance; they would not follow me
So I danced for the fisherman, for James and John
They came with me and the dance went on

I danced on the Sabbath and I cured the lame
They holy people said it was a shame
So they whipped, they stripped, they hung me high
And they left me on the cross to die

I danced on a Friday, when the sky turned black
It's hard to dance with the Devil on your back
Oh they buried my body, they thought I'd gone
But I and the dance still go on

They cut me down, but I lept on high
I am the light that will never, never die
But I'll live in you if you'll live in me
I am the Lord of the Dance, said He