The Dubliners - Johnny Doyle

Johnny Doyle

You sons of Dan O'Connels Isle
Pray pay attention to my ditty
For it's all about a fair young man
His birthplace it was Dublin City

My song is for to demonstrate
A story with a pill sorrel
Beginning by the Carlyle Bridge
And ending on the Isle's of Coral

A schooner stood by George's Quay
With sails all folded one sultry season
A maiden paced upon that quay
She wept like one bereft of reason

Oh, Johnny Doyle's me love it's true
It's true but full of deep contrition
For what will all the neighbours say?
About yourself and my condition

Well the sails unfurled while the capstan turned
The schooner scooted down the Liffey
The maid she gave one piercing wave
She was a mother in a Jiffey

They sailed across the Harber Bar
And headed east for foreign waters
To China were they think their wife's
And drowned at birth their surplus daughters

Now years and years had come and gone
Till Mary's child grow self-supporting
But how her poor old heart would break
When that young buck went out a courting

He leaves me all alone she said
He leave me 'lone and melancholy
I'll dress myself in mans attire
And sail the seven seas for Johnny

She signed on board of a pirate bark
That raided 'round the hot equator
And with them hairy buccaneers
There sailed a sweet and virtuous creature

Well the captain thought her name was Bill
His character it was nefarious
And with them hairy buccaneers
Her situation was precarious

Now in the Sarra Agassa sea
Two rakish barks were idly lowland
And Mary on the quarter deck
The middle watch was she patrolling
She gazed upon the neighbouring bark
And suddenly became ex claimant
For they're upon that guilder'd poop
Stood Johnny Doyle in gorgeous raiment

They're happy now in sweet Ringsend
That jewel that sparkle on the Dodder
They lead a peaceful merchant's life
And do a trade in oats and fatter

By marriage line she's misses Doyle
She keeps a stall of periwinkles
When she says she's in that way again
His one good eye with joy it twinkles