Set 1, Song 11 of 15

The Irish Rover

lead vocals: WP

G C G G D...

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       G                       C           G
On the fourth of July eighteen hundred and six
       G                          D
we set sail from the Cobh quay of Cork
        G                   C        G
We were sailing away with a cargo of bricks
        G          D           G
for the grand city hall in New York
         G                      D
'Twas an elegant craft, she was rigged fore and aft
G                       D
and how the trade winds drove her
        G                          Em            C
She had twenty three masts and she stood several blasts
         G              D        G
and they called her the Irish Rover

Verse 2:
We had one million bags of the best Sligo rags
We had two million barrels of stones
We had three million sides of old blind horses hides
We had four million barrels of bone
We had five million hogs, six million dogs
Seven million barrels of porter
We had eight million bales of old nanny goats tails
In the hold of the Irish Rover

Verse 3:
There was Barney McGee from the banks of the Lee
There was Hogan from County Tyrone
There was Johnny McGuirk who was scared stiff of work
And a chap from Westmeath called Malone

There was Slugger O'Toole who was drunk as a rule
And fighting Bill Tracy from Dover
And your man Mick Mc Cann from the banks of the Bann
Was the skipper of the Irish Rover

-- Patterns 1 and 2 vocal tacet --

Last Verse:
We had sailed seven years when the measles broke out
and our ship lost it's way in the fog
Then the whole of the crew was reduced down to two
just myself and the captain's old dog
The ship struck a rock, oh Lord what a shock
and nearly tumbled over
(Slow Down)
It turned nine times around and the poor old dog was drowned
(A Tempo)
I'm the last of the Irish Rover