On the Fourth of July, 1806
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We set sail from the sweet Cove of Cork
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We were sailing away with a cargo of bricks
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For the Grand City Hall in New York
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'Twas a wonderful craft
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She was rigged fore and aft
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And oh, how the wild wind drove her
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She stood several blasts
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She had twenty seven masts
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And they called her The Irish Rover
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We had one million bags of the best Sligo rags
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We had two million barrels of stones
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We had three million sides of old blind horses hides'
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We had four million barrels of bones
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We had five million hogs
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six million dogs
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Seven million barrels of porter
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We had eight million sides of old nanny goate tails
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In the hold of the Irish Rover
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There was awl Mickey Coote
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Who played hard on his flute
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And the ladies lined up for a set
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He would tootle with skill
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For each sparkling quadrille
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Though the dancers were fluther'd and bet
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With his smart witty talk
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He was cock of the walk
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As he rolled the dames under and over
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They all knew at a glance
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When he took up his stance
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That he sailed in The Irish Rover
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There was Barney McGee
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From the banks of the Lee
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There was Hogan from County Tyrone
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There was Johnny McGurk
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Who was scared stiff of work
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And a man from Westmeath called Malone
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There was Slugger O'Toole
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Who was drunk as a rule
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And Fighting Bill Tracy from Dover
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And your man, Mick McCann
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From the banks of the Bann
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Was the skipper of the Irish Rover
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For a sailor its' always a bother in life
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It's so lonesome by night and by day
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That he longs for the shore
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and a charming young whore
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Who will melt all his troubles away
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Oh, the noise and the rout
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Swillin' poiteen and stout
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For him soon the torment's over
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Of the love of a maid he is never afraid
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An old salt from the Irish Rover
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We had sailed seven years
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When the measles broke out
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And the ship lost its way in the fog
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And that whale of a crew
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Was reduced down to two
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Just myself and the Captain's old dog
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Then the ship struck a rock
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Oh Lord! what a shock
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The bulkhead was turned right over
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Turned nine times around
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And the poor old dog was drowned (1,2,3!)
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I'm the last of The Irish Rover
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The Irish Rover (with The Dubliners)
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| Pogues |
