IF YOU FEEL LIKE SINGING, SING AN IRISH SONG
WILD COLONIAL BOY
There was a wild colonial boy,
Jack Duggan was his name. He was born and reared in Ireland in a place called Castlemaine.
He was his father’s only son, his
mother’s pride and joy.
And dearly did his parents love
the wild colonial boy.
At the early age of sixteen years
he left his native home
And to Australia’s sunny shores
he was inclined to roam He helped the poor he robbed the rich, their crops he would destroy
A terror to Australia was the
Wild Colonial Boy.
For two long years this daring
youth ran on his wild career With a heart that knew no danger
and a soul that felt no fear He held the Beechwood Coach up
and he robbed Judge McEvoy Who, trembling, gave his gold up
to the Wild Colonial Boy.
He bade the Judge ‘Good Morning’ and he told him to beware
For he never robbed an honest
judge who acted ‘on the square’ ‘Yet you would rob a mother of
her only pride and joy
And breed a race of outlaws like
the Wild Colonial Boy’.
One morning on the prairie while
Jack Duggan rode along
While listening to the mocking
bird a-singing out his song
Out jumped three troopers fierce and grim, Kelly, Davis and Fitzroy
Were detailed for to capture him,
the Wild Colonial Boy.
‘Surrender now Jack Duggan,
you can see we’re three to one Surrender in our Queen’s name
for you are a plund’ring son’ Jack drew two pistols from his
belt and glared upon Fitzroy
‘I’ll fight but not surrender!’ cried
the Wild Colonial Boy.
He fired a shot at Kelly and he
brought him to the ground He fired a shot at Davis too, who
fell dead at the sound
But a bullet pierced his brave young heart form the pistol of Fitzroy
And that was how they captured
him, the Wild Colonial Boy.
I KNOW MY LOVE
I know my love by his way of
walking
I know my love by his way of
talking
I know my love dressed in his jer
sey blue,
And if my love leaves me what
will I do-o-o.
Chorus
And still she cried ‘I love him the
best
And a troubled mind sure it
knows no rest’
And still she cried ‘Bonny boys
are few,
And if my love leaves me what
will I do.’
There is a dance house down in
Mardyke;
’Tis there my true love goes every
night
He takes a strange girl upon his
knee;
And don’t you think now that
vexes me?
If my love knew I could was and
wring;
If my love knew I could weave
and spin
I’d make a suit of the finest kind; But the want of money leaves me
behind.
I know my love is an arrant
rover;
I know my love roams the wide
world over
In some foreign town he may
chance to tarry;
And some foreign maid he will
surely marry.
SKIBBEREEN
Oh father dear I often hear you
speak of Erin’s Isle.
Her lofty scenes, her valleys green her mountains rude and wild.
They say it is a lovely land where
in a prince might dwell.
Oh why did you abandon it the
reasons to me tell.
Oh son, I loved my native land
with energy and pride
Until a blight came o’er my crops;
my sheep and cattle died
My rent and taxes were so high I
could not them redeem
And that’s the cruel reason why I
left old Skibbereen.
It is so well I do recall that bleak
December day
The landlord and the sheriff
came to drive us all away
They set my roof on fire with
their cursed English spleen And that’s another reason why I
left old Skibbereen.
Your mother too, God rest her
soul, fell on the snowy ground Her treasured life’s possessions
they lay trampled all around She never rose but passed away,
from life to mortal dream
And found a quiet resting place
in dear old Skibbereen.
And you were only two years old
and feeble was your frame I could not leave you with my friends; you bore your father’s name
I wrapped you in a blanket at the
dead of night unseen
I heaved a sigh and bade goodbye
to dear old Skibbereen.
Oh father dear the day will come
when vengeance loud will call All Irishmen with stem of faith
will rally one and all
I’ll be the man to lead the van
beneath the flag of green
And loud and high we’ll raise the
cry ‘Remember Skibbereen!’