Darby O`Leary

One evening of late as I happened to stray

To the county Tipperary I straight took my way

To dig for potatoes and work by the day

For a farmer called Darby O'Leary

I asked him how far we were bound for to go

The night being dark and a cold wind did blow

I was hungry and tired and me spirits were low

For I got neither whiskey nor water

The dirty old miser he mounted his steed

To the Gull Belly Mountains he rode in great speed

I followed behind til my poor feet did bleed

And we stopped when his old horse was weary

When we came to his cottage I entered it first

It looked like a kennel or ruined old church

And I says to meself I am left in the lurch

In the house of old Darby O'Leary

I well recollect it was Michael mess night

To a hearty good supper he did me invite

A cup of sour milk that was more green then white

And it gave me a threatening disorder

The wet old potatoes would poison the cats

And the barn where me bed stood was sworn with rats

And the flees would have frightened the fearless Saint Pat

Who banished the snakes over the border

He worked me by day and he worked me by night

While he held an old candle to give me some light

I wished his potatoes would die of the blight

And himself would go off with the fairies

't Was on this old miser I looked with a frown

When the straw was brought in for to make me shake down

And I wished that I'd never seen him nor his town

Or the sky over Darby O'Leary

I worked in Kilconnal, I've worked in Kilmore

I've worked in Knockannie and Shanbalamore

And Pallas and Nigger and Salahatmore

With farmers so decent and cheery

I've worked in Tipperary, the rag in Rossgren

At the mount of Kilfacel, the bridge of Aleen

Such woefull starvation I never yet seen

As I got from old Darby O'Leary