Donegal Danny
I remember the night that he came in
From the wintery cold and damp
A giant of a man in an oilskin coat
and a bundle that told he was a tramp
He walked to the bar and he called a pint
Then turned and gazed at the fire
On a night like this, to be safe and dry
Is my one and only desire
Chorus:
So here's to those that are dead and gone
The friends that I loved dear
And here's to you then I'll bid you adieu
Sayin' "Donegal Danny's been here, me boys"
Donegal Danny's been here
Then in a voice that was hushed and low
He said "Listen, I'll tell you a tale"
How a man of the sea became a man of the road
And vowed never more to set sail
I fished out of Howth and Killybegs,
Ardglass and Baltimore
But the cruel sea has beaten me
And I'll end my days upon the shore
One fateful night in the wind and the rain
We set sail from Killybegs town
There were five of us from Donegal
And one from County Down
We were fishermen who worked the sea
And never counted the cost
But I never thought 'ere that night was past
That my five friends would all be lost
Then the storm it broke and broke the boat
on the rocks about ten miles from shore
As we fought the tide, we hoped inside
To see our homes once more
Then the ship struck a rock and holed the bow
And all of us knew that she'd go down
So we jumped right into the icy sea
And prayed to God we wouldn't drown
But the ragin' sea was risin' still
As we struck out for the land
And she fought with all her cruelty
To claim them gallant men
By Saint John's point in the early dawn
I dragged myself onto the shore
And I cursed the sea for what she'd done
And vowed to sail her never more
Ever since that night I've been on the road
Travelin' and trying to forget
That terrible night in the wind and rain
I see their faces yet
And sometimes at night when the wind is high
And the rain is tearing at my skin
I hear the cries of drowning men
Floating over on the wind
|