Angel's Irish Drinking Page

Hey, there you are! Come on in.

I've been spending a lot of time lately -- for some odd reason -- listening to old Irish drinking songs and thinking back. Being Irish, of course, I'm not unfamiliar with them, but I've tried to make a point of not being proud of my old habits; it was those old habits that more or less got me where I am today. I don't even really drink at all anymore, actually -- Merlot and a very occasional beer(like once a month)are pretty much the limit, barring exceptions. And these days I really am trying to make something of myself. So.

But nevertheless, there's nothing quite as fun as a good, rousing Irish drinking song. (My particular favorite is "The Pub With No Beer".) And as the night goes on it's always progressively harder to remember the words; so I thought I'd share the lyrics to some of my favorites here.

Now obviously, a lot of the words change from one version -- or person -- to the next, so don't take this as gospel. Just have a good deal of fun with it, and enjoy it as one of the less serious subjects on this site. Just in time for St. Patrick's Day.


The Pub With No Beer

Oh it's-a lonesome away from your kindred and all
By the campfire at night we'll hear the wild dingoes call
But there's-a nothing so lonesome, morbid or drear
Than to stand in the bar of a pub with no beer

Now the publican's anxious for the quota to come
And there's a far away look on the face of the bum
The maids gone all cranky and the cook's acting queer
Oh what a terrible place is a pub with no beer

Then the stockman rides up with his dry dusty throat
He breasts up to the bar and pulls a wad from his coat
But the smile on his face quickly turns to a sneer
As the barman says sadly the pub's got no beer

Then the swaggie comes in smothered in dust and flies
He throws down his roll and rubs the sweat from his eyes
But when he is told, he says what's this I hear
I've trudged fifty flamin' miles to a pub with no beer

Now there's a dog on the v'randa for his master he waits
But the boss is inside drinking wine with his mates
He hurries for cover and he cringes in fear
It's no place for a dog 'round a pub with no beer

And old Billy the blacksmith, the first time in his life
Why he's gone home cold sober to his darling wife
He walks in the kitchen, she says you're early Bill, dear
But then he breaks down and he tells her the pub's got no beer

Oh it's hard to believe that there's customers still
But the money's still tinkling in the old ancient till
The wine buffs are happy and I know they're sincere
When they say they don't care if the pub's got no beer

So it's-a lonesome away from your kindred and all
By the campfire at night we'll hear the wild dingoes call
But there's-a nothing so lonesome, morbid or drear
Than to stand in the bar of that pub with-a no beer



Galway Bay

Maybe someday, I'll go back again to Ireland
If my dear old wife would pass away
She nearly has my heart broke with all her naggin
she's got a mouth as big as Galway Bay

See her drinkin 16 pints of Pabst Blue Ribbon
And then she can walk home without a sway
If the sea were beer instead of salty water
She would live and die in Galway Bay

See her drinkin 16 pints of Padgo Murphy's
When the barman says "I think its time to go"
She doesnt try to speak to him in Gaelic
But a language that the clergy do not know

On her back she has tattooed a map of Ireland
And when she takes her bath on Saturday
She rubs the sunlight soap around by Claddagh
Just to watch the suds roll down on Galway Bay



Celtic Symphony

It was far across the sea,
When the devil got a hold of me,
He wouldn't set me free,
So he kept me soul for ransom.

Chorus 1
Na na na na na na na na na
na na na na na na na na.

I'm a sailor man from Glasgow town,
I've roamed this world round and round,
Hes the meanest thing that I have found,
In all mydays of wander.

But I could see his evil eyes,
'Twas then he took me by surprise,
Take me to your paradise,
I want to see the Jungle.

Here we go again,
We're on the road again,
We're on the road again,
We're on our way to Paradise,
We love the jungilty,
That's where the lion sleeps, (yeeeaaaaahhhh)
For in those evil eyes,
They have no place in Paradise.

Graffiti on the walls just as the sun was going down,
I seen graffitti on the walls( Of the CELTS, Of the CELTS),
Graffiti on the walls that says we're Magic, We're Magic,
Graffiti on the walls.......Graffiti on the walls........
And it said..............
Ooh ah up the Ra, say ooh ah up the Ra (x6).

We went to each jungle deep,
For the Paradise that we did seek,
Was noted for the weak,
There was some with the natives.

From the Amazon to Borneo,
From Africa to Tokyo,
To the darkest jungles of the world,
But nowhere could I lose him.

Around in circles every way,
He turned to me and he did say,
I think you're leading me astray,
I want your soul me boyo!



Whiskey In The Jar

As I was a goin' over the far famed Kerry mountains
I met with captain Farrell and his money he was counting
I first produced my pistol and I then produced my rapier
Saying "Stand and deliver" for he were a bold deceiver

Chorus:
Mush-a ring dum-a do dum-a da
Wack fall the daddy-o, wack fall the daddy-o
There's whiskey in the jar

I counted out his money and it made a pretty penny
I put it in me pocket and I took it home to Jenny
She sighed and she swore that she never would deceive me
But the devil take the women for they never can be easy

I went up to my chamber, all for to take a slumber
I dreamt of gold and jewels and for sure 't was no wonder
But Jenny blew me charges and she filled them up with water
Then sent for Captain Farrell to be ready for the slaughter

't was early in the morning, just before I rose to travel
Up comes a band of footmen and likewise Captain Farrell
I first produced me pistol for she stole away me rapier
I couldn't shoot the water, so a prisoner I was taken

Now there's some take delight in the carriages a' rolling
and others take delight in the hurling and the bowling
but I take delight in the juice of the barley
and courting pretty fair maids in the morning bright and early

If anyone can aid me 't is my brother in the army
If I can find his station in Cork or in Killarney
And if he'll go with me, we'll go rovin' through Killkenny
And I'm sure he'll treat me better than my own a-sporting Jenny


There are far more good songs than I can list here, but if you're interested in a couple other ones I tend to enjoy, you can try here:

Seven Drunken Nights
Song For Ireland
Galway Bay - The Real Version



I also found some incredible Irish-related quotes at This Site: "Give Ireland Back to the Irish". And since quite a few of them seemed not only apt but perfectly fitting, I decided to reproduce them here. (I don't think they'll mind; all quotes are acknowledged.) The ones I like the best are underlined.

"Even now, It's not too late to say sorry, it would mean so much." Mary Robinson

"What's the use of being Irish if the world doesn't break your heart?" John Fitzgerald Kennedy

"They say the sun never sets on the British empire.....Well baby, it's setting now." Frank McCourt

"If you can't get rid of the family skeleton, you might as well dance with it." author unknown

"Fill Erin Du Gael." (Pass me a bologna sandwich) translated- Return Ireland to the Irish. The Patriot

"The hours have gone, there are only minutes left, and the seconds are ticking away." Brian

"From most countries, you come back with memories, In Ireland, you leave your soul behind." Charlotte

"Do not fear your enemies, The worst they can do is kill you. Do not fear your friends, At worst, they may betray you. Fear those who do not care, They neither kill nor betray, but betrayal and murder exist because of their silent consent." Bruno Jasienski

"It is not those who can inflict the most, but those that can suffer the most who will conquer." Terence MacSwiney

"You cannot conquer Ireland. You cannot extinguish the Irish Passion for freedom. If our deed has not been sufficient to win freedom, then our children will win it by a better deed." Padraig Pearse

"If you strike at, imprison, or kill us, out of our prisons or graves, we will evoke a spirit that will thwart you, and perhaps, raise a force that will destroy you! We defy you! Do your worst!" James Connolly

"Everyone, Republic or otherwise has their own particular part to play. No part is too great or too small, No one is too old or too young to do something." Bobby Sands

"Always count your fingers after shaking hands with a Brit." Ryan (Note from Angel: Heh.)


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