While in the merry month of May,
Now from me home I started,
Left the girls of Tuam
All nearly broken hearted.
Saluted father dear.
Kissed me darlin' mother.
Drank a pint of beer,
Me grief and tears to smother.
Then off to reap the corn
And leave where I was born.
Cut a stout blackthorn
To banish ghosts and goblins.
A brand new pair of brogues
To rattle over the bogs,
And frighten all the dogs,
On the rocky road to Dublin,
One, two, three, four, five.
Hunt the hare and turn her down,
The rocky road and all the ways to Dublin,
Whack fol lol de dah!
In Mullingar that night
I rested limbs so weary.
Started by daylight,
Next morning bright and early.
Took a drop of the pure,
To keep me heart from shrinkin'.
That's the Paddy's cure
Whene'er he's on for drinkin'.
To hear the lasses smile,
Laughin' all the while
At me curious style,
'T'would set your heart a-bubblin'.
They asked me was I hired,
And wages I required,
'Till I was almost tired
Of the rocky road to Dublin,
One, two, three, four, five.
Hunt the hare and turn her down,
The rocky road and all the ways to Dublin,
Whack fol lol de dah!
In Dublin next arrived,
I thought it such a pity
To be so soon deprived
A view of that fine city.
Then I took a stroll
All among the quality.
Bundle it was stole,
When in the neat locality.
Something crossed me mind,
Then I looked behind,
No bundle could I find
Upon me stick a-wobblin'.
Enquiring of for the rogue,
They said my Connaught brogue
It wasn't much in vogue
On the rocky road to Dublin,
One, two, three, four, five.
Hunt the hare and turn her down,
The rocky road and all the ways to Dublin,
Whack fol lol de dah!
From there I got away,
Me spirit's never failin'.
Landed on the quay
Just as the ship was sailin'.
Captain at me roared,
Said that no room had he,
When I jumped aboard,
A cabin found for Paddy
Down among the pigs.
Did some hearty rigs,
I played some hearty jigs,
The water 'round me bubblin'.
When off Holyhead,
I wished meself was dead,
Or better far, instead,
On the rocky road to Dublin,
One, two, three, four, five.
Hunt the hare and turn her down,
The rocky road and all the ways to Dublin,
Whack fol lol de dah!
The boys of Liverpool,
Well when we safely landed,
Called meself a fool,
I could no longer stand it.
Blood began to boil.
Temper I was losin'.
Poor old Erin's isle,
They began abusin'.
"Hurray, me soul!", sez I,
My shillelagh I let fly.
Galway boys were by
And saw I was a hobblin'.
Then with a loud Hurray!
They joined all in the affray,
Quickly cleared the way
For the rocky road to Dublin,
One, two, three, four, five.
Hunt the hare and turn her down,
The rocky road and all the ways to Dublin,
Whack fol lol de dah!
Now from me home I started,
Left the girls of Tuam
All nearly broken hearted.
Saluted father dear.
Kissed me darlin' mother.
Drank a pint of beer,
Me grief and tears to smother.
Then off to reap the corn
And leave where I was born.
Cut a stout blackthorn
To banish ghosts and goblins.
A brand new pair of brogues
To rattle over the bogs,
And frighten all the dogs,
On the rocky road to Dublin,
One, two, three, four, five.
Hunt the hare and turn her down,
The rocky road and all the ways to Dublin,
Whack fol lol de dah!
In Mullingar that night
I rested limbs so weary.
Started by daylight,
Next morning bright and early.
Took a drop of the pure,
To keep me heart from shrinkin'.
That's the Paddy's cure
Whene'er he's on for drinkin'.
To hear the lasses smile,
Laughin' all the while
At me curious style,
'T'would set your heart a-bubblin'.
They asked me was I hired,
And wages I required,
'Till I was almost tired
Of the rocky road to Dublin,
One, two, three, four, five.
Hunt the hare and turn her down,
The rocky road and all the ways to Dublin,
Whack fol lol de dah!
In Dublin next arrived,
I thought it such a pity
To be so soon deprived
A view of that fine city.
Then I took a stroll
All among the quality.
Bundle it was stole,
When in the neat locality.
Something crossed me mind,
Then I looked behind,
No bundle could I find
Upon me stick a-wobblin'.
Enquiring of for the rogue,
They said my Connaught brogue
It wasn't much in vogue
On the rocky road to Dublin,
One, two, three, four, five.
Hunt the hare and turn her down,
The rocky road and all the ways to Dublin,
Whack fol lol de dah!
From there I got away,
Me spirit's never failin'.
Landed on the quay
Just as the ship was sailin'.
Captain at me roared,
Said that no room had he,
When I jumped aboard,
A cabin found for Paddy
Down among the pigs.
Did some hearty rigs,
I played some hearty jigs,
The water 'round me bubblin'.
When off Holyhead,
I wished meself was dead,
Or better far, instead,
On the rocky road to Dublin,
One, two, three, four, five.
Hunt the hare and turn her down,
The rocky road and all the ways to Dublin,
Whack fol lol de dah!
The boys of Liverpool,
Well when we safely landed,
Called meself a fool,
I could no longer stand it.
Blood began to boil.
Temper I was losin'.
Poor old Erin's isle,
They began abusin'.
"Hurray, me soul!", sez I,
My shillelagh I let fly.
Galway boys were by
And saw I was a hobblin'.
Then with a loud Hurray!
They joined all in the affray,
Quickly cleared the way
For the rocky road to Dublin,
One, two, three, four, five.
Hunt the hare and turn her down,
The rocky road and all the ways to Dublin,
Whack fol lol de dah!