MONDAY EVENING MESS SESSIONS

STAR OF THE COUNTY DOWN

Near to Banbridge Town, in the County Down
One morning in July,
Down a boreen green came a sweet colleen,
And she smiled as she passed me by;
Oh, she looked so neat from her two white feet
To the sheen of her nut-brown hair,
Sure the coaxing elf, I'd to shake myself
To make sure I was standing there

CHORUS: Oh, from Bantry Bay up to Derry Quay,
And from Galway to Dublin town,
No maid I've seen like the brown colleen
That I met in the County Down.

As she onward sped I shook my head
And I gazed with a feeling quare,
And I said, says I, to a passer-by,
"Who's the maid with the nut-brown hair?"
Oh, he smiled at me, and with pride says he,
"That's the gem of Ireland's crown,
She's young Rosie McCann from the banks of the Bann,
She's the Star of the County Down.

"She’d a soft brown eye and a look so sly
Like a hare or a doe in June
And you hung on each note, from her lily white throat
As she lilted an Irish tune
At the Pattern Dance you were held in trance
As she tripped through a Real or Jig
And with her eyes she rolled, she coaxed upon my soul
A spud from a hungry pig

I've travelled a bit, but never was hit
Since my roving career began;
But fair and square I surrendered there
To the charms of young Rose McCann.
I'd a heart to let and no tenant yet
Did I meet with in shawl or gown,
But in she went and I asked no rent
From the Star of the County Down.

At the crossroads fair I'll be surely there
And I'll dress in my Sunday clothes
And I'll try sheep's eyes, and deludhering lies
On the heart of the nut-brown Rose.
No pipe I'll smoke, no horse I'll yoke
Though with rust my plow turns brown,
Till a smiling bride by my own fireside
Sits the Star of the County Down.

OLD JOE CLARK

1. Old Joe Clark, the preacher's son
Preached all over the plain
The only text he ever knew
Was high low jack and the game

[Chorus] Fare thee well Old Joe Clark
Fare thee well I'm bound
Fare thee well Old Joe Clark
Goodbye Betsy Brown

2. Old Joe Clark had a mule
His name was Morgan Brown
And every tooth in that mule's head
Was sixteen inches round

Chorus

3. Old Joe Clark had a yellow cat
She would neither sing nor pray
Stuck her head in a buttermilk jar
And washed her sins away

Chorus

4. Old joe clark had a house
Fifteen stories high
And every story in that house
Was filled with chicken pie

Chorus

5. I went down to Old Joe's house
He invited me to supper
I stumped my toe on the table leg
And stuck my nose in the butter

Chorus

6. Wished I had a sweetheart
Put her on the shelf
And every time she'd smile at me
I'd get up there myself

Chorus

CINDY

You ought to see my Cindy
she lives way down south
She's so sweet the honey bees
swarm around her mouth

Get along home Cindy Cindy
Get along home Cindy Cindy
Get along home Cindy Cindy
I'll marry you some day

The first I seen my Cindy
she was standing in the door
Her shoes and stocking in her hand
her feet all over the floor

She took me to her parlor
she cooled me with her fan
She said I was the prettiest thing
in the shape of mortal man

She kissed me and she hugged me
she called me suger plum
She throwed her arms around me
I thought my time had come

Oh Cindy is a pretty girl
Cindy is a peach
She threw her arms around my neck
and hung on like a leech

And if I was a sugar tree
standing in the town
Each time my Cindy passed
I'd shake some sugar down

And if had a needle and thread
fine as I could sew
I'd sew that gal to my coat tails
and down the road I'd go

I wish I was an apple
a-hanging on a tree
Every time that Cindy
passed she'd take a bite of me

SPANCIL HILL

Last night as I lay dreaming of pleasant days gone by
My mind being bent on rambling to Ireland I did fly
I stepped on board a vision and I followed with the wind
And I shortly came to anchor at the cross of Spancil Hill

It being the 23rd June the day before the fair
When lreland's sons and daughters in crowds assembled there
The young and the old, the brave and the bold their journey to fulfill
There were jovial conversations at the fair of Spancil Hill

I went to see my neighbors to hear what they might say
The old ones were all dead and gone and the young one's turning grey
I met with the tailor Quigley, he's a bould as ever still
Sure he used to make my britches when I lived in Spancil Hill

I paid a flying visit to my first and only love
She's as white as any lily and as gentle as a dove
She threw her arms around me saying "Johnny I love you still"
Oh she's Ned the farmers daughter and the flower of Spancil Hill

I dreamt I held and kissed her as in the days of yore
She said, "Johnny you're only joking like many's the time before"
The cock he crew in the morning he crew both loud and shrill
And I awoke in California, many miles from Spancil Hill.

WILD ROVER

I've been a wild rover for many a year
And I spent all my money on whiskey and beer,
And now I'm returning with gold in great store
And I never will play the wild rover no more.

cho: And it's no, nay, never,
No nay never no more,
Will I play the wild rover
No never no more.

I went to an ale-house I used to frequent
And I told the landlady my money was spent.
I asked her for credit, she answered me "nay"
Such a custom as yours I could have any day."

cho:

I took from my pocket ten sovereigns bright
And the landlady's eyes opened wide with delight.
She said "I have whiskey and wines of the best
And the words that I spoke sure were only in jest."

cho:

I'll go home to my parents, confess what I've done
And I'll ask them to pardon their prodigal son.
And if they caress (forgive) me as ofttimes before
Sure I never will play the wild rover no more.

DIRTY OLD TOWN

I met my love by the gas works wall
Dreamed a dream by the old canal
I kissed a girl by the factory wall
Dirty old town dirty old town

Clouds a drifting across the moon
Cats a prowling on their beat
Spring's a girl in the street at night
Dirty old town dirty old town

Heard a siren from the docks
Saw a train set the night on fire
Smelled the spring in the smokey wind
Dirty old town dirty old town

I'm going to make a good sharp axe
Shining steel tempered in the fire
Will chop you down like an old dead tree
Dirty old town dirty old town
Dirty old town dirty old town

CARRICKFERGUS

I Wish I was in Carrickfergus,
only for nights in Ballygran
I would swim over the deepest ocean,
the deepest ocean for my love to find

But the sea is wide and I cannot swim over
and neither have I wings to fly
If I could f ind me a handsome boatman
to ferry me over to my love and die

My childhood days bring back sad reflections
of happy times I spent so long ago
My boyhood friends and my own relations
have all passed on now like melting snow

But I'll spend my days in endless roaming
soft sit the grass my bed is free
Ah to be back in Carrickfergus
on that long road down to the sea

And in Kilkenny it is reported
there are marble stones as black as ink
With gold and silver I would support her,
but I'll sing no more now till I get a drink

I'm drunk today and I'm seldom sober,
a handsome rover from town to town
Ah, but I'm sick now, my days are numbered
so come all ye young men and lay me down

BLACK VELVET BAND

In a neat little town they call Belfast
Apprenticed in trade I was bound
And many an hour of sweet happiness
I spent in that neat little town

Till bad misfortune befell me
And caused me to stray from the land
Far away from my friends and relations
To follow the black velvet band

Her eyes they shone like the diamond
You'd think she was queen of the land
And her hair hung over her shoulder
Tied up in a black velvet band

Well, I was out strolling one evening
Not meaning to go very far
When I met with a pretty young damsel
She was selling her trade in a bar

When i watched, she took from a customer
And slipped it right into my hand
Then the Watch came and put me in prison
Bad luck to the black velvet band

Next morning before judge and jury
For our trial I had to appear
The judge, he said, "Young fellow
The case against you is quite clear

And seven years is your sentence
You're going to Van Dieman's Land
Far away from your friends and relations
To follow the black velvet band"

So come all you jolly young fellows
I'd have you take warning by me
And whenever you're out on the liquor
Beware of the pretty colleen

They'll fill your with whiskey and porter
Until You're not able to stand
And the very next thing that you know
You're landed in Van Dieman's Land

FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK

It was Christmas Eve babe
In the drunk tank
An old man said to me,
won't see another one
And then he sang a song
The Rare Old Mountain Dew
And I turned my face away
And dreamed about you

Got on a lucky one
Came in eighteen to one
I've got a feeling
This year's for me and you
So happy Christmas
I love you baby
I can see a better time
When all our dreams come true

They've got cars Big as bars
They've got rivers of gold
But the wind goes right through you
It's no place for the old
When you first took my hand
On a cold Christmas Eve
You promised me Broadway
was waiting for me
You were handsome
You were pretty
Queen of New York City
When the band finished playing
They howled out for more
Sinatra was swinging
All the drunks they were singing
We kissed on the corner
Then danced through the night

The boys of the NYPD choir
Were singing 'Galway Bay'
And the bells were ringing
Out for Christmas day

You're a bum You're a punk
You're an old slut on junk
Living there almost dead
on a drip In that bed
You scum bag You maggot
You cheap lousy faggot
Happy Christmas your arse
I pray God It's our last

I could have been someone
So could anyone
You took my dreams From me
when I first found you
I kept them with me babe
I put them with my own
Can't make it all alone
I've built my dreams around you

SEVEN DRUNKEN NIGHTS

As I went home on Monday night, as drunk as drunk could be.
I saw a horse outside the door, where my old horse should be.
I called my wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me,
who owns that horse outside the door, where my old horse should be?

Oh, you're drunk, you're drunk you silly old fool, and still you cannot see.
That's a lovely sow that my mother sent to me.
Well, it's many a day I've traveled, a hundred miles or more,
but a saddle on a sow, sure, I never saw before.

As I went home on Tuesday night, as drunk as drunk could be.
I saw a coat behind the door, where my old coat should be.
I called my wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me,
who owns that coat behind the door, where my old coat should be?

Oh, you're drunk, you're drunk you silly old fool, and still you cannot see.
That's a woolen blanket that my mother sent to me.
Well, it's many a day I've traveled, a hundred miles or more,
but buttons on a blanket, sure, I never saw before.

As I went home on Wednesday night, as drunk as drunk could be.
I saw a pipe upon the chair, where my old pipe should be.
I called my wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me,
who owns that pipe upon the chair where my old pipe should be.

Oh, you're drunk, you're drunk you silly old fool, and still you cannot see.
That's a lovely tin-whistle, that my mother sent to me.
Well, it's many a day I've traveled, a hundred miles or more,
but tobacco in a tin-whistle, sure, I never saw before.

As I came home on Thursday night, as drunk as drunk could be.
I saw two boots beside the bed, where my old boots should be.
I called my wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me,
who owns them boots beside the bed where my old boots should be.

Oh, you're drunk, you're drunk you silly old fool, and still you cannot see.
They're two lovely flower pots my mother sent to me.
Well, it's many a day I've traveled, a hundred miles or more,
but laces in flower pots I never saw before.

As I came home on Friday night, as drunk as drunk could be.
I saw a head upon the bed, where my old head should be.
I called my wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me,
who owns that head upon the bed, where my old head should be.

Oh, you're drunk, you're drunk you silly old fool, and still you cannot see.
That's a baby boy, that my mother sent to me.
Well, it's many a day I've traveled, a hundred miles or more,
but a baby boy with his whiskers on, sure, I never saw before.

LEAVING LIVERPOOL or FARE THEE WELL MY OWN TRUE LOVE

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

Chorus

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

Chorus

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

Chorus

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

Chorus

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

KITTY AND I ALONE

Saw a crow come flyin' low,
Kitty alone, Kitty alone.
Saw a crow come flyin' low,
Kitty alone, Kitty a-lye.
Saw a crow come flyin' low,
And a cat a-spinin' tow.
Kitty alone, a-lye.
Rock a-ma-rye, ree.
First came in a little bat,
Kitty alone, Kitty alone.
First came in a little bat,
Kitty alone, Kitty a-lye.
First came in a little bat,
With some butter and some fat
Kitty alone, a-lye.
Rock a-ma-rye, ree.
Next came in a honey bee.
Kitty alone, Kitty alone.
Next came in a honey bee.
Kitty alone, Kitty a-lye.
Next came in a honey bee.
with his fiddle 'cross his knee
Kitty alone, a-lye.
Rock a-ma-rye, ree.
Next came in two little ants.
Kitty alone, Kitty alone.
Next came in two little ants.
Kitty alone, Kitty a-lye.
Next came in two little ants.
fixin' for to have a dance.
Kitty alone, a-lye.
Rock a-ma-rye, ree.
Next came in was little Pete.
Kitty alone, Kitty alone.
Next came in was little Pete.
Kitty alone, Kitty a-lye.
Next came in was little Pete.
Fixin' for to go to sleep
Kitty alone, a-lye.
Rock a-ma-rye, ree.
Bye-O, bye-o, baby-o.
Kitty alone, Kitty alone.
Bye-O, bye-o, baby-o.
Kitty alone, Kitty a-lye.
Bye-O, bye-o, baby-o.
Bye-O, bye-o, baby-o.
Kitty alone, a-lye.
Rock a-ma-rye, ree.