In the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and six
We set sail from the coal quay of Cork
We were sailing away with a cargo of bricks
For the grand city hall in New York
Verse 2
We'd an elegant craft, she was rigged fore and aft
And how the trade winds drove her
She had twenty three masts, and she stood several blasts
And they called her the Irish Rover
Verse 3
There was Barney Magee, from the banks of the Lee
There was Hogan from county Tyrone
There was Johnny McGurk, who was scared stiff of work
And a chap from Westmeath named Mallone
Verse 4
There was Slugger O'Toole, who was drunk as a rule
And fighting Bill Tracey from Dover
And your man Mick McCann, from the banks of the Bann
Was the skipper of the Irish Rover
Verse 5
We had one million bags of the best Silgo rags
We had two million barrels of bone
We had three million bales of old nanny goats tails
We had four million barrels of stone
Verse 6
We had five million hogs, and six million dogs
And seven million barrels of porter
We had seven million sides of old blind horses hides
In the hold of the Irish Rover
Verse 7
We had sailed seven years when the measles broke out
And our ship lost her way in a fog
And the whole of the crew was reduced down to two
'Twas meself, and the captain's old dog
Verse 8
Then the ship struck a rock, O Lord what a shock
And nearly tumbled over
Nine times turned around, then the poor dog was drown'
I'm the last of the Irish Rover