Lyrics

In the merry month of May
From my home I started,
Left the girls of Tuam so sad and broken hearted.
Saluted me father dear,
Kissed me darlin' mother,
Drank a pint of beer,
My grief and tears to smother
Then off to reap the corn, leave where I was born,
I cut a stout blackthorn
To banish ghost and goblin.
In a brand new pair of brogues,
Rattlin’ o'er the bogs,
I frightened all the dogs
On the rocky road to Dublin.

One, two, three, four five,
Hunt the hare and trodden her
Down the rocky road
And all the ways to Dublin,
Whack-fol-lol-de-ra.

In Mullingar that night,
I rested limbs so weary.
Started by daylight
Next mornin', bright and early.
Took a drop of the pure
To keep my heart from sinking
That's the Paddy’s cure
Whenever he's on for drinking.
To see the lasses smile,
Laughing all the while
At me curious style
'Twould set your heart a-bubblin'.
They asked if I was hired,
The wages I required
Till I was almost tired
Of the rocky road to Dublin.

In Dublin next arrived,
I thought it such a pity
To be so soon deprived
A view of that fine city.
Then I took a stroll
All among the quality,
My bundle it was stolen
In a neat locality;
Something crossed my mind,
Then I looked behind;
No bundle could I find
Upon my stick a wobblin'.
Enquirin' for the rogue,
They said me Connacht brogue
Wasn't much in vogue
On the rocky road to Dublin.

From there I got away,
My spirits never failin'
Landed on the quay Just as the ship was sailin';
Captain at me roared,
Said that no room had he,
When I jumped aboard
A cabin found for Paddy,
Down among the pigs
Skipped some funny rigs,
I danced some hearty jigs,
The water round me bubblin',
When off to Holyhead,
I wished myself was dead
Or better far instead
On the rocky road to Dublin.

The boys of Liverpool,
When we safely landed,
Called meself a fool;
I could no longer stand it;
Blood began to boil,
Temper I was losin',
Poor old Erin's isle
They began abusin',
"Hurrah my soul," sez I,
Shillelagh I let fly;
Some Galway boys were by and
Saw I was a hobblin',
With a loud hurray,
They joined in the affray.
We quickly cleared the way
For the rocky road to Dublin.