In the sweet County Limerick on a cold winters night
All the turf fires were burning when I first saw the light
And the drunken old midwife went tipsy with joy
As she waltzed round the floor with her broth of a boy
Singing - Bainne na mbó dos na gamhna
And the juice of the barley for me!
When I was a garsún of eight years or so
With my turf and my primer to school I did go
To a dirty old schoolhouse without any door
Where lay the school master blind drunk on the floor
Now I never was much for the learning I'm thinking
But I soon beat the master entirely at drinking
Not a wake nor a wedding for five miles around
But myself in the corner was sure to be found
Then one Sunday the priest read me out from the altar
Saying I'd end up my days with my head in a halter
Then I'd dance a fine jig between heaven and hell
And his words they did fright me the truth for to tell
So the very next morning as dawn it did break
I went down to the vestry the pledge for to take
And there in that room sat the priests in a bunch
Round a big roaring fire drinking tumblers of punch
So from that day to this I have wandered alone
I'm the jack of all trades and the master of none
With the sky for my roof and the earth for my floor
And I'll tweak out my days drinking whiskey galore
