"Irish Rover" - as played by The Dubliners and The Pogues
[Intro]
G C D G
[Verse 1]
G C
On the Fourth of July, eighteen hundred and six
G D
We set sail from the sweet Cobh of Cork
G C
We were sailing away with a cargo of bricks
G D G
For the Grand City Hall in New York
G D
‘Twas a wonderful craft, she was rigged fore and aft
G D
And oh, how the wild wind drove her
G C
She stood several blasts, she had twenty seven masts
D G
And they called her The Irish Rover
[Verse 2]
G C
We had one million bags of the best Sligo rags
G D
We had two million barrels of stone
G C
We had three million sides of old blind horse’s hides
G D G
We had four million barrels of bones
G D
We had five million hogs, and six million dogs
G D
Seven million barrels of porter
G C
We had eight million bails of old nanny-goats’ tails
G D G
In the hold of the Irish Rover
[Verse 3]
G C
There was old Mickey Coote who played hard on his flute
G D
When the ladies lined up for a set
G C
He was tootin’ with skill for each sparkling quadrille
G D G
Though the dancers were fluther’d and bet
G D
With his smart witty talk, he was cock of the walk
G D
And he rolled the dames under and over
G C
They all knew at a glance, when he took up his stance
G D G
That he sailed in The Irish Rover
[Instrumental verse]
[Verse 4]
G C
There was Barney McGee from the banks of the Lee
G D
There was Hogan from County Tyrone
G C
There was Johnny McGirr, who was scared stiff of work
G D G
And a man from Westmeath called Malone
G D
There was Slugger O’Toole, who was drunk as a rule
G D
And Fighting Bill Treacy from Dover
G C
And your man, Mick MacCann, from the banks of the Bann
G D G
Was the skipper of the Irish Rover
[Verse 5]
G C
For a sailor it’s always a bother in life
G D
It’s so lonesome by night and by day
G C
That he longs for the shore, and a charming young whore
G D G
Who will melt all his troubles away
G D
Oh, the noise and the rout, swillin’ poitin and stout
G D
For him soon the torment over
G C
Of the love of a maid, he is never afraid
D G
An old salt from the Irish Rover
[Verse 6]
G C
We had sailed seven years when the measles broke out
G D
And the ship lost its way in the fog
G C
And that whale of a crew was reduced down to two
G D G
Just myself and the Captain’s old dog
G D
Then the ship struck a rock, oh Lord what a shock
G D
The bulkhead was turned right over
G C
Turned nine times around, and the poor old dog was drowned
G D G
I’m the last of The Irish Rover
[Instrumental verse]
