On Raglan Road on an autumn day

I saw her first and knew

That her dark hair would weave a snare

That I might one day rue,

I saw the danger yet I walked

Along the enchanted way

And I said let grief be a fallen leaf

At the dawning of the day

On Grafton Street in November

We tripped lightly along the ledge

Of a deep ravine where can be seen

The worth of passion’s pledge,

The queen of hearts still making tarts

And I not making hay

Oh I loved too much, by such, by such

Is happiness blown away

I gave her gifts of the mind

I gave her the secret sign that’s known

To the artists who have known the truth

Gods of sand and stone,

And word and tint I did not stint

For I gave her poems to say

With her own name there and her dark hair

Like clouds over fields of May

On a quiet street where old ghosts meet

I see her walking now

Away from me so hurriedly

My reason must allow,

That I have wooed not I should

A creature made of clay

When the angel woes the clay he’d loose

His wings at the dawn of day

A comradeship of heroes was laid

From every corner of the world came sailing

The Fifth International Brigade

They came to stand beside the Spanish people

To try and stem the rising fascist tide

Franco’s allies were the powerful and wealthy

Frank Ryan’s men came from the other side

Even the olives were bleeding

As the battle for Madrid it thundered on

Truth and love against the force of evil

Brotherhood against the fascist clan

Viva la Quinte Brigada

"No passeran" the pledge that made them fight

"Atalante" is the cry around the hillside

Let us all remember them tonight

Bob Hilliard was a Church of Ireland pastor

From Killarney across the Pyrenees he came

From Derry came a brave young Christian brother

Side by side they fought and died in Spain

Tommy Woods, aged 17, died in Cordoba

With the Fianna he learned to hold his gun

From Dublin to the Via del Grio

Where he fought and died beneath the blazing sun

Viva la Quinte Brigada

"No passeran" the pledge that made them fight

"Atalante" is the cry around the hillside

Let us all remember them tonight

Many Irishmen heard the call of Franco

Joined Hitler and Mussolini too

Propaganda from the pulpit and newspapers

Led old Duffy to enlist his crew

The word came from Maynooth, "Support the Nazis"

The men of cloth failed again

When the bishops blessed the Blueshirts in Dun Laoghaire

As they sailed beneath the swastika to Spain

Viva la Quinte Brigada

"No passeran" the pledge that made them fight

"Atalante" is the cry around the hillside

Let us all remember them tonight

This song is a tribute to Frank Ryan

Kit Conway and Dinny Cody too

Peter Daly, Charlie Reagan and Hugh Bonner

Though many died I can but name a few

Danny Boyle, Blazer Brown and Charlie Donnelley

Liam Tommisil and Jim Straney from the Falls

Jack Nalty, Tommy Patten and Frank Conroy

Jim Foley, Tony Fox and Dick O’Neill

Viva la Quinte Brigada

"No passeran" the pledge that made them fight

"Atalante" is the cry around the hillside

Let us all remember them tonight

Viva la Quinte Brigada

Viva la Quinte Brigada

Viva la Quinte Brigada

I know this takes some believing

I met a group of creatures

With the strangest looking features,

A poor old dog with a worm and a weed

And a fine old pigeon, yes indeed

The a Daddy Longlegs jumped up sprightly

And danced to the reel in the flickering light

On his thin and wispy spindlers

He was deft and he was nimble

His eyes were scientific

And his dancing was terrific,

And the rats and the worms they made a din

And the nettles in the corner took it in

"Oh God," says I, "tonight’s the night

We’ll dance to the reel in the flickering light"

Then he looked at me directly

With a gaze that could dissect me

And he asked me in a whisper

"Have you got any sisters ?"

"Good God Almighty, " says I to him

"What sort of a man do you think I am ?

I’ve only one, she’s not your type

She wouldn’t dance a reel in the flickering light"

Says he, "Does she come from another planet ?

Has she got a bee in her bonnet ?

Does she do her daily duties ?

You never know we might be suited,"

And the rats and the worms they began to laugh

And some of them started shuffling off

We’re going to have some fun tonight

Getting ready for the reel in the flickering light

I could see he had no scruples

When I looked into his pupils

They were purple or magenta

Like a statue during Lent,

I said "I’ll get her right away"

"Good man" says he, "Now don’t delay,

We’re going to have some fun tonight"

Then he flicked his legs in the flickering light

Then up stepped a red carnation

And they gave her an ovation

She was warm and enchanting

As she slowly started dancing,

And the bright auld pigeon peeled his eye

And the nettles and the weeds began to sigh

Daddy Longlegs said "My oh my,

Are we ready for the reel in the flickering light ?"

She was gentle, she was charming

And I heard him call her darling

He was graceful as a whisper

On his delicate legs of silver,

And the rats and the worms were still as mice

And the poor auld pigeon said "That’s nice"

A shimmering veil on a lovely bride

And they danced to the reel in the flickering light

In the year of 501

It was a damp and dirty morning

Brendan’s voyage had begun,

Tired of tin and turnips

And cutting curly kale

When he got back from the creamery

He hoisted up the sail

He ploughed the lonely furrow

To the north, south, east and west

Of all the navigators

St. Brendan was the best,

When he got low on candles

He was forced to make a stop

He tied up in Long Island

Put America on the map

Did you know that Honolulu

Was found by a Kerryman

Who went on to find Australia

Then China and Japan,

When he was touching 70

He began to miss the craic

And turning to his Albatross

Says he, "I’m heading back"

To make it fast he bent the mast

And built up mighty steam

Around Tierra del Fuego

And up the warm Gulf Stream,

He crossed the last horizon

Mount Brandon was in sight

And when he cleared the customs

Into Dingle for the night

When he got the cordon bleu

He went to douse the drought

He headed west to Crojers

To murder pints of stout,

Around by Ballyferreter

And up the Conor pass

He free-wheeled into Brandon

The saint was home at last

The entire population came

The place was chock-a-block

Oh love nor money would not get

Your nose inside the shop,

The fisherman hauled up their nets

The farmers left their hay

And the Kerry people know that saints

Don’t turn up every day

Everything was going grand

Till Brendan did announce

His reason for returning

Was to try and set up house,

The girls were flabbergasted

At St. Brendan’s neck

To seek a wife so late in life

A him a total wreck

Oh worn down by rejection

That pierced his humble pride

"Oh by God," says Brendan "If I run

I’ll surely catch the tide,"

Turning in his sandals

He made straight for the docks

And hauling up his anchor

He cast off from the rocks

As he sailed past Innisbhicalán

There stood the Albatross

"I knew you’d never stick it out

‘Tis great to see you boss,"

"I’m bailing out" says Brendan

"I badly need a break

A fortnight is about as much

As any old saint could take"

We signed on together, we coupled our fate

Hauled up our anchor, determined not to fail

For the heart’s treasure, together we sat sail

With no maps to guide us, we steered our own course

Rode out the storms, when the winds were gale force

Sat out the doldrums in patience and hope

Working together we learned how to cope

Life is an ocean and love is a boat

In troubled waters it keeps us afloat

When we started the voyage, there was just me and you

Now gathered ‘round us, we have our own crew

Together we’re in this relationship

We built it with care, to last the whole trip

Our true destination is not marked in any chart

We’re navigating for the shores of the heart

Life is an ocean and love is a boat

In troubled waters it keeps us afloat

When we started the voyage, there was just me and you

Now gathered ‘round us, we have our own crew

Life is an ocean and love is a boat

In troubled waters it keeps us afloat

When we started the voyage, there was just me and you

A man is in love

How do I know?

He came to walk with me

And he told me so

And the song he sang

And then I knew

A man is in love

With you

A man is in love

How did I hear?

I heard him talk too much

Whenever you’re near

A man is in love

How did I guess?

I figured it out while he was

Watching you dress

He’d give you his all

If you’d but agree

A man is in love

And he’s me

We set sail from the sweet cove of Cork

We were sailing away with a cargo of bricks

For the Grand City Hall in New York

'Twas a wonderful craft

She was rigged fore and aft

And oh, how the wild wind drove her

She stood several blasts

She had twenty seven masts

And they called her The Irish Rover.

We had one million bags of the best Sligo rags

We had two million barrels of stone

We had three million sides of old blind horses hides

We had four million barrels of bones

We had five million hogs

And six million dogs

Seven million barrels of porter

We had eight million bails of old nanny-goats' tails

In the hold of the Irish Rover.

There was awl Mickey Coote

Who played hard on his flute

When the ladies lined up for a set

He was tootin' with skill

For each sparkling quadrille

Though the dancers were fluther'd and bet

With his smart witty talk

He was cock of the walk

And he rolled the dames under and over

They all knew at a glance

When he took up his stance

That he sailed in The Irish Rover.

There was Barney McGee

From the banks of the Lee

There was Hogan from County Tyrone

There was Johnny McGurk

Who was scared stiff of work

And a man from Westmeath called Malone

There was Slugger O'Toole

Who was drunk as a rule

And Fighting Bill Treacy from Dover

And your man, Mick MacCann

From the banks of the Bann

Was the skipper of the Irish Rover.

We had sailed seven years

When the measles broke out

And the ship lost its way in the fog

And that whale of a crew

Was reduced down to two

Just myself and the Captain's old dog

Then the ship struck a rock

Oh Lord! what a shock

The bulkhead was turned right over

Turned nine times around

And the poor old dog was drowned

And the last of The Irish Rover

Traditional

Arrangement copyright 1987

Ho sognato che il vento dell’Ovest

Mi prendeva leggero per mano

E mi posava alla fine del mondo

Tra isole e terre lontane

Camminavo (al) tua fianco sul molo

Guardavamo le barche passare

Mi cantavi una musica dolce

Più dolce del canto del mare

L’orchestra suonava ‘The Blackbird"

Nel bar sulla strada del porto

I pescatori gridavano forte

Fra il vino e la birra e la carte

Raccontavi le storie di viaggi

Di strade e di amici caduti

Di amori incontrati lontano

E di amori che il tempo ha perduto

E i giorni correvano

E il tempo nel sogna volava

Stringevo la donna delle isole

E ballavamo leggeri nell’aria

I giorni passavano

E l’oceano li stava a cullare

Il vento alla fine del mondo

Portava un canto del mare

Seduti fra pietre e brughiera

Guardavamo I gabbiani volare

Raccontavi la storia del bimbo

Che un giorno scappò con le fate

Ma il vento dell’Ovest chiamava

E il cielo d’Irlanda svaniva

Mi svegliai in una stanza deserta

Ubriaco, mentre il sogno finiva

E I giorni che passano

Sono lunghi e coperti di nero

Mi trascino perduto nei vicoli

A maledire una terra straniera

I giorni sono secoli

Aspettando di poter tornare

Di nuovo all fine del mondo

Cullato dal canto del mare

In the town of Scariff

The sun was shining in the sky

When Willie Clancy played his pipes

And the tears welled in my eye,

Many years have passed and gone

Since the times we had there

But my heart’s tonight in Ireland

In the sweet County Clare

That August in Kilrush

When the rain was lashing down

And our hotel was that hay barn

On the outskirts of town,

We were all sick and feverish

And Dolan had the flu’

But Johnny produced some whiskey

And the sun came smiling through

Those nights in Six Mile Bridge

When the songs and music flowed

And when it came to closing time

Sure the lights were turned down low,

And the sergeant from Kilkishin

He would buy us all one more

And we’d never left that pub before

The clock was striking four

Lahinch and Enis-tymon

Liscannard and Kilkee

But best of all was Miltown

When the music flowed so free,

Willie Clancy in the County Clare

I’m ever in your debt

For the sights and sounds of yesterday

Are shining memories yet

My soul has been torn from me
And I am bleeding,
My heart it has been wrent
And I am screaming,
All the beauty around me fades
And I am crying,
I am the last of the Great Whales
And I am dying

Last night I heard the cry
Of my last companion,
The roar of the harpoon gun
And then I was alone,
I thought of the days gone by
When we were thousands,
But now they are no more
I'm the last leviathan