Back On The Shore




Mursheen Durkin (Trad./O'Malley)


In the days I went a-courtin' I was never tired a-sortin'
To an ale-house and a play-house and many's the house besides.
But I told my brother Seamus I'll be off now and grow famous
And before I come home again I'll roam the world wide.

So goodbye Mursheen Durkin sure I'm sick and tried of workin'
No more I'll dig the praties no longer I'll be fooled
As sure my name is Carney I'll be off to Californey
And instead of diggin' praties I'll be diggin' lumps of gold.

Oh! I courted girls in Blarney In Kanturk and in Killarney
In Passage and in Queenstown I mean the Cobh of Cork
I'm tired of all these pleasure So now I'll take my leisure
And the next time that you hear t'will be a letter from New York.

Goodbye to the girls at home I'm going far across the foam
To try and make me fortune in far Amerikay
There's gold and jewels and plenty for the poor and for the gentry
And when I return again I never more will say

For years I am in Glory Land but here I am in desert sand
For Mr Bush has sent me far from Amerikay
As fast my legs will carry me I'll quit that killing company
And go on courtin' all the girls that're left on Erin's Isle.