Johnny Doyle - The Dubliners

You sons of Dan O’Connels Isle

Pray pay attention to my ditty

For it’s all about a fair young man

His birthplace it was Dublin city

My song is for to demonstrate

A story with a pius moral

Beginning by the Carlisle bridge

And ending on the Isles of Coral

A scooner stood by George’s Quay

With sails all furled one saltry season

A maiden paced upon that quay

She wept like one bereft of reason

Oh Johnny Doyle’s me love it’s true

It’s true but full of deep contrition

For what will all the neighbours say

About yourself and my condition

Well the sails unfurled while the capstan turned

The scooner scudded down the Liffey

The maid she gave one piercing wail

She was a mother in a jiffy

They sailed across the harbour bar

And headed east for foreign waters

To China where they think they’re wise

And drown at birth their surplus daughters

Now years and yeas had come and gone

'Till Mary’s child grew self supporting

But how her poor old heart would break

When that young buck went out a-courting

He leaved me all alone she said

He leaved me alone in melancoly

I’ll dress meself in man’s attire

And sail the seven seas for Johnny

She signed on board of a pirate barque

That raided 'round the hot equator

And with them hairy buccaneers

There sailed a sweet and virtuos creature

Well the captain thought her name was Bill

His caracter it was nefarious

And with them hairy buccaneers

Her situation was precarious

Now in the Saragosa sea

Two rakish barques were idly lollin'

And Mary on the quarterdeck

The middlewatch was she patrolling

She gazed upon the neighbouring barque

And suddenly became exclaiment

For there upon that gilded poop

Stood Johhny Doyle in gorgeous raiment

They’re happy now in sweet Ringsend

The jewl that sparkles on the dodder

They lead a peaceful merchants life

A do a trade in oats and fodder

By marriage lines she’s Mrs Doyle

She keeps a store of periwinkles

When she says she’s in thay way again

His one good eye with joy it twinkles