from me home I started,
Left the girls o’ Tuam
nearly broken-hearted
Saluted father dear,
kissed me darling mother
Drank a pint o’ beer,
me grieves and tears to smother,
then off to reap the corn,
leave where I was born
Cut a stout blackthorn,
to banish ghost and goblins
[In a] brand new pair of brogues,
I rattled o’er the bogs,
a-frightenin’ all the dogs,
on the rocky road to Dublin1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Hunt the hare and turn her down
The rocky road and all the way to Dublin
A-whack-fa-lal-de-rah

In Mullingar that night
I rested limbs so weary
Started by daylight,
next morning bright and early
Took a drop o’ the pure,
tae keep me heart from sinkin’
That’s the Paddy’s cure,
Whenever he’s on the drinkin’
Now see the lassies smile,
Laughing all the while,
At me curious style,
‘Twould set your heart a-bubblin’
Asking was I hired,
Wages I required
‘Til I was almost tired
Of the rocky road to Dublin
1, 2, 3, 4, 5 …

In Dublin next arrived,
I thought it such a pity
To be so soon deprived
A view o’ that fine city
When I took a stroll,
all among the quality,
me bundle it was stolen
in that neat locality
A something crossed me mind
When I looked behind
Nay bundle I could finde
Upon me stick a-wobblin’
Inquiring for the rogue,
They said me Connacht brogue
It wasn’t much in vogue
On that rocky road to Dublin

1, 2, 3, 4, 5 …

From there I got away,
Me spirits never failing
Landed on the quay
Just as the ship was sailing
Captain at me roared,
Said that nay had he,
When I jumped aboard,
A cabin found for Paddy’s
Doon among the pigs,
I played some funny rigs,
I danced some hearty jigs
The water ‘round me bubblin’
Off to Hollishead(?),
Wished meself was dead,
Or better far instead
On the rocky road to Dublin

1, 2, 3, 4, 5 …

The boys of Liverpool,
when I safely landed,
called meself a fool
I could no longer stand it,
blood began to boil,
me temper I was losing
poor old Erin’s isle
they began abusing
“Hurrah me soul!” says I
Shillelagh I let fly,
Some Galway boys were nigh,
Saw I was a-wobbelin’
With a loud “Hurray!”
They joined in the afray
We quickly cleared the way,
For the rocky road to Dublin

1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Hunt the hare and turn her down
The rocky road, and all the way to Dublin
A-whack-fa-lal-de-rah