Oh, sing a song for ireland my young love said to me
The hills of connemara, banks of my lovely lee
So i tuned up my fiddle in the town of ballybay
Oh sing for me and think of me she mournfully did say
Sure i´m an ulster orangeman from erin´s isle i came
Pure old dicey riley i´m still haunted by your name
I am a little beggarman and beggin´ i have been
In dr. johnson´s motorcar i´ll take you home kathleen

I´ve been a wild rover and i´ve been seldom sober
Drank many a pint topped up with foam
I tramped the world over from brisbane to dover
But i long to be back home

Limerick you´re a lady in the merry month of may
As i rode out to galway-town me heart is growing grey
If i were king of ireland and all thing at my will
I followed captain farrell and young eamonn of the hill
A long way to tipparary a long way from clare to here
Now i curse the time it takes to reach my cavan girl so fair
Tis of a brave young highwayman this story i will tell
You may talk and write and boast about and bid your last farewell

I´ve been a wild rover and i´ve been seldom sober
Drank many a pint topped up with foam
I tramped the world over from brisbane to dover
But i long to be back home