The Irish Rover
The Pogues Lyrics

On the fourth of July eighteen hundred and six
On July 4th, 1806

We set sail from the sweet cove of Cork
We left Cork's lovely harbor

We were sailing away with a cargo of bricks
We transported bricks from Ireland

For the grand city hall in New York
To build a magnificent New York City Hall

'Twas a wonderful craft, she was rigged fore-and-aft
The Irish Rover was a remarkable, fore-and-aft-rigged ship

And oh, how the wild winds drove her
She withstood harsh winds and rough weather

She'd stood several blasts, she had twenty-seven masts
Despite several storms, the Irish Rover's 27 masts remained standing

And we called her the Irish Rover
We affectionately named the ship 'Irish Rover'

We had one million bags of the best Sligo rags
We loaded one million bags with the finest Sligo cloth

We had two million barrels of stones
2 million barrels of stone were also carried aboard

We had three million sides of old blind horses' hides
We transported 3 million sides of horsehide from blind animals

We had four million barrels of bones
4 million barrels held bones for commercial use

We had five million hogs, had six million dogs
Five million piglets and six million dogs were loaded too

Seven million barrels of porter
In addition, the ship carried 7 million barrels of porter

We had eight million bales of old nanny goats' tails
8 million bales of goat tails from old female goats

In the hold of the Irish Rover
All of these items were stored in the ship's hold

There was old Mickey Coote who played hard on his flute
Mickey Coote was an expert flutist

When the ladies lined up for his set
Women eagerly queued to dance for Mickey's music

He was tootin' with skill for each sparkling quadrille
Mickey skillfully played rhythmically for each lively quadrille

Though the dancers were fluther'd and bet
Although the dancers were confused and clumsy

With his sparse witty talk he was cock of the walk
Mickey's dry humor commanded great respect

And he rolled the dames under and over
He led the women through complex dance steps

They all knew at a glance when he took up his stance
All women could tell when he began to play

And he sailed in the Irish Rover
Mickey's talent was free to travel aboard the Irish Rover

There was Barney McGee from the banks of the Lee
Barney McGee hailed from the Lee River's banks

There was Hogan from County Tyrone
Hogan came from the province of County Tyrone

There was Jimmy McGurk who was scarred stiff of work
Jimmy McGurk was afraid to work hard

And a man from Westmeath called Malone
There was Malone, from Westmeath region

There was Slugger O'Toole who was drunk as a rule
Slugger O'Toole of Ireland was known for his alcoholism

And fighting Bill Tracey from Dover
Bill Tracey from Dover, UK, was known for his fighting spirit

And your man Mick McCann from the banks of the Bann
Mick McCann lived close to the Bann's shores

Was the skipper of the Irish Rover
Mick McCann was the Irish Rover's captain

For a sailor it's always a bother in life
For seafarers, life is full of trouble

It's so lonesome by night and by day
It's painfully lonely, during the day or night

'Til he launch for the shore and this charming young whore
Only after bedding a prostitute the sailor's agony can dissolve

Who will melt all his troubles away
Her company will relieve him of all his worries

All the noise and the rout, swillin' poitín and stout
Excessive drinking of poitin and stout combined with loud parties

For him soon the torment's over
Drinking will get rid of his troubles for a short while

Of the love of a maid, he's never afraid
The seafarer wouldn't fear falling in love with a woman

An old sot from the Irish Rover
The sailor is an old alcoholic from the Irish Rover

We had sailed seven years when the measles broke out
Measles broke out after a seven-year-long voyage

And the ship lost its way in a fog
The Irish Rover had lost its bearings in foggy weather

And that whale of the crew was reduced down to two
The once numerous crew was reduced to only two survivors

Just meself and the captain's old dog
Only myself and the captain's old dog were left alive

Then the ship struck a rock, oh Lord what a shock
The Irish Rover met with a huge accident when it hit a rock

The bulkhead was turned right over
The bulkhead was turned upside down

Turned nine times around, and the poor old dog was drowned
The bulkhead spun around nine times and the captain's dog perished

I'm the last of the Irish Rover
The artist is the last surviving member of the Irish Rover's crew