The Irish Rover
Nathan Carter Lyrics

In the year of our Lord 1806
In the year 1806, as recognized in the Christian calendar, we begin our tale.

We set sail from the sweet cove of Cork
We departed from the charming and picturesque harbor of Cork.

Ah we were sailing away with a cargo of bricks
We embarked on our voyage loaded with bricks as our cargo.

For the Grand City Hall in New York
The destination of our journey was the prestigious Grand City Hall in New York.

'Twas a wonderful craft
The ship we traveled on was magnificent and remarkable.

She was rigged fore and aft
The ship was fully equipped with sails both at the front and the back.

And oh, how the wild winds drove her
The fierce winds propelled the ship powerfully across the sea.

She stood several blasts
The vessel withstood multiple intense storms.

She had twenty-seven masts
The ship boasted an impressive twenty-seven masts.

They called her The Irish Rover
This magnificent ship was known as The Irish Rover.

We had one million bags of the best Sligo Rags
Our cargo included a staggering one million bags filled with premium textiles from Sligo.

We had two million barrels of stone
We transported two million barrels filled with various types of stone.

Ah we had three million bails of nanny goats' tails
We also carried three million bales consisting of tails from nanny goats.

We had four million barrels of bones
Furthermore, our hold contained four million barrels filled with bones.

We had five million hogs
Our cargo included five million pigs.

Six million dogs
Alongside them were six million dogs.

Seven million barrels of porter
The ship also held seven million barrels of the rich dark beer known as porter.

We had eight million sides of old blind horses hides
We carried eight million pieces of leather made from the skins of aged, blind horses.

In the hold of The Irish Rover
All this was stored in the cargo hold of The Irish Rover.

There was Barney McGee
Among the crew was a character named Barney McGee.

From the banks of the Lee
He hailed from the scenic banks of the River Lee.

There was Lowry from County Tyrone
There was also a man named Lowry who came from County Tyrone.

Ah there was Jimmy McGurk
Another crew member was Jimmy McGurk.

Who was scared stiff of work
Jimmy was notably fearful of hard labor.

And yer man from Westmeath called Malone
There was also a fellow named Malone from Westmeath.

There was Slugger O'Toole
Among us was Slugger O'Toole.

Who was drunk as a rule
He was typically inebriated as a matter of course.

He as fighting Bill Treacy from Dover
He often got into brawls with Bill Treacy, who was from Dover.

And yer man Mick MacCann
Then there was Mick MacCann.

From the banks of the Bann
Mick hailed from the banks of the River Bann.

Was the skipper of The Irish Rover
He held the position of captain aboard The Irish Rover.

We sailed seven years
Our journey at sea lasted for seven long years.

When the measles broke out
Then an outbreak of measles occurred among the crew.

And the ship lost its way in the fog
The ship became disoriented and lost in a thick fog.

And the whale of the crew
The majority of the crew members were affected.

Was reduced down to two
Only two of us remained: myself and the captain's old dog.

Then that ship struck a rock
Eventually, the ship collided with a rock.

Oh Lord, what a shock
What a shocking and terrible incident that was!

And the bulk it turned right over
The ship capsized entirely.

It turned nine times around
It rolled over nine times in the tumultuous sea.

And the poor auld dog was drowned woof woof
Sadly, the old dog drowned during the chaos.

And the last of The Irish
This was the concluding chapter for The Irish Rover.

Everybody jump
Everyone was urged to leap in response to the calamity.

Oggi Oggi Oggi
A spirited chant or cry, perhaps to rally the remaining spirits during these dire times.