Irish traditional song lyrics — collected by Beer Belly Band.
In the days I went a courting I was never tired resorting
To an ale house or a playhouse and manys the house beside
I told my brother Seamus I’d go off and become famous
And I never would return again till I’d roam the world wide
Chorus:
Good bye Muirsheen I’m sick and tired of working
No more I’ll dig the praties and no longer I’ll be fooled
As sure and my name is Kearney I’ll be off to Californay
Where instead of digging praties I’ll be digging lumps of gold
I’ve courted girls in Blarney in Kanturk and in Killarney
In Passage and in Queenstown that is the Cobh of Cork
Good bye to all this pleasure I’ll be off to take my leisure
And the next time that you’ll hear from me will be a letter from New York
Chorus
Good bye to all the girls at home I’m going far across the foam
To try to make my fortune in far Americay
There’s gold and jewels in plenty for poor and for the gentry
And when I return again I never more will stray
Chorus
When I landed in Americay I met a man named Burke
He told me if I stay a while He’d surely find me work
But work he didn’t find me so there’s nothing here to bind me
I’m bound for San Francisco in Californiay
Chorus
I’m now in San Francisco an me fortune it is made
Me pockets loaded down with gold I’ll throw away me spade
I’ll go back to dear ould Erin spend me fortune never carin’
And I’ll marry Queen Victory Muirsheen Durkin for to spite
Chorus
Chorus