Irish traditional song lyrics — collected by Beer Belly Band.
One day as I was walking past the bridge in Dolphin’s Barn
Down by the old canal I saw some children in a car
In the back they were shootin’ up smack, I had a bird’s eye view
When I dialed for help, told me there’s nothing we can do
Both sides of the river, clearly to be seen
Down along O’Connell Street and up to Stephen’s Green
Heroin sold openly; there was no need to hide
The drug squads were out numbered; it seems their hands were tied
John Whacker Humphries he’s a family man
Him and his wife they give their children everything they can
Faced with scourge of heroin, they’d not accept defeat
They joined other Concerned Parents to put the dealers off the street
They called on dealer’s houses and ordered them to quit
Time and time again, they warned, we’ve had enough of it
Dirty needles in our doorways, junkies hanging all about
Keep on dealing heroin and you’re gonna be moved out
From Saint Teresa’s gardens to the flats in Ballymun
Concerned Parents action had the dealers on the run
They swore they’d stand together till the heroin was stopped
Can anybody tell me why they got their fingers rapped
They were rounded up and charged with crimes against the state
Brought before the Green Street Court to decide their fate
Denied a trial by jury and there was no bail
The Concerned Parents were taken off to jail
I was sitting in the gallery among families, friends and wives
I strained to hear who told the truth and who was telling lies
Dealers, junkies and police on the prosecution side
I swear to God that’s what I saw before my very eyes
Whacker Humphries took the dealers on and he fought ’em tooth and nail
And a dozen well-armed soldiers took him to the Portlaoise Jail
He tried to protect his children, found guilty of a crime
One man gets a pension, another man gets time
This morning I was walking past the bridge in Dolphin’s Barn
I heard a small bird whisper, “Mind you come to any harm”