"John O'Halloran" lyrics
My name is John O'Halloran, I'm eighty-one years old
I left my childhood days behind in search of fame and gold
I left my home in Tralee town in the twenty-second year
I would dig the shores of England and seek my fortune there
Oh, the weary days in search of work, I tramped along the ground
A shake-me-down in Camden town, it was my first abode
No friendly glance, no happy cheer, not one would hold my hand
There's no easy gold, only rain and cold in this god-forsaken land
I loved a girl in Liverpool, a sweet one from Mayo
I loved a girl in Tiger Bay her heart was cold as stone
I drank my sub in small shebeens I drank the porter black
In a dirty bed I lay my head and the lice crawled up my back
Go down the trench proud Irishman, for you are strong and big
Take your shovel by its neck, spit on your hand and dig
Pull out the guts of Mother Earth from the daylight till the dawn
In the nearest pub you'll spend your sub and drink and fight till dawn
My bones are getting weary now, my money is all spent
My once dark hair now grey with care, my body is all bent
Soon Sergeant Death will call me home and he'll take me by the hand
Far from Tralee town, lay my body down in this godforsaken land
I left my childhood days behind in search of fame and gold
I left my home in Tralee town in the twenty-second year
I would dig the shores of England and seek my fortune there
Oh, the weary days in search of work, I tramped along the ground
A shake-me-down in Camden town, it was my first abode
No friendly glance, no happy cheer, not one would hold my hand
There's no easy gold, only rain and cold in this god-forsaken land
I loved a girl in Liverpool, a sweet one from Mayo
I loved a girl in Tiger Bay her heart was cold as stone
I drank my sub in small shebeens I drank the porter black
In a dirty bed I lay my head and the lice crawled up my back
Go down the trench proud Irishman, for you are strong and big
Take your shovel by its neck, spit on your hand and dig
Pull out the guts of Mother Earth from the daylight till the dawn
In the nearest pub you'll spend your sub and drink and fight till dawn
My bones are getting weary now, my money is all spent
My once dark hair now grey with care, my body is all bent
Soon Sergeant Death will call me home and he'll take me by the hand
Far from Tralee town, lay my body down in this godforsaken land
