In the days I went a -portin'
To the alehouse or the playhouse
And many's a house beside
I'd go off and go right famous
And before I would return again
I'd roam the whole world wide
So, goodbye Mercer and Durkan,
I'm sick and tired of workin',
No more I'll dig the freighties,
no longer I'll be fooled,
For as sure as me name is Kearney,
I'll be off to Californie,
Where instead of diggin' freighties,
I'll be diggin' lumps of gold.
I've courted girls in Blarney,
in Canterkent and Killarney
In Passage and in Queenstown,
that is, the Cobb of Cork
But goodbye to all this pleasure,
for I'm going to take my leisure
And the next time that you hear from me,
I'll be living in New York
So, goodbye Merchandurken,
I'm sick and tired of working
No more, I'll take her for eighties,
For as sure as me name is Kearney,
I'll be off to Californie,
Where instead of digging for eighties,
Goodbye to all the boys at home,
I'm sailing far across the farm,
To try and make my fortune in far America.
And there's gold and money plenty
For the poor and for the gentry
And when I come back home again
So, goodbye Mershingirken
I'm sick and tired of working
No more I'll dig the prairies
For as sure as me name is Car ney
I'll be off to California
For instead of digging prairies
I'll be digging lumps of gold
So, goodbye Mershinkirken,
I'm sick and tired of working
No more I'll dig for britties,
For as sure as me name is Kearney,
I'll be off to California
Where instead of digging for britties,
I'll be digging lumps of gold