Irish traditional song lyrics — collected by Beer Belly Band.
I am a merry ploughboy boy, and I’m here to sing to you
And in case you didn’t know it, I’m Irish thru and thru
No matter where I chance to roam, over land or sea or sky
Beneath the orange, white and green, for Ireland, boys, I’ll die!
CHORUS:
We’re off to Dublin in the green, in the green
Where the helmets glisten in the sun
Where the bayonets flash and the rifles crash
To the echo of a Thompson gun
I am a merry ploughboy and I ploughed the fields all day
Till a sudden thought came to my head that I should roam away
For I’m tired of civilian life since the day that I was born
So I’m off to join the IRA and I’m off tomorrow morn
Alternate chorus:
And we’re off to Dublin with the green on the green
And the bayonets glitterin’ in the sun
And the Tans they fly like lightnin’ from
The rattle of me Thompson gun!
I’ll leave aside my pick and spade, I’ll leave aside my plough
I’ll leave aside my old grey mare, no more I’ll need them now
And I’ll leave aside my Mary, she’s the one that I adore
I wonder if she’ll think of me when she hears the rifles roar
I’ll take my Sharps revolver and my bandolero so
And with my comrades by my side, we’ll fight a foreign foe!
I had a girl I left behind, and her name was Mary, dear
And I hope that she proves true to me whenever I’m not near
And when the war is over and dear old Ireland’s free
I’ll take her to the church to wed and a rebel’s wife she’ll be