A few years ago me wee farm it was small bu*ter and eggs and an a** in the stall But the landlord came by and I blackened his eye And I burst his ould skull wen I caused him to fall And it's oh where has my money all gone Me clothes are in rags me watch is in the pawn Whiskey and women have led astray And the law keeps me moving along I took to the roads on a cold winter's day With the clothes on me back and the devil to pay I robbed an ould miser in the town of Strabane
And sailed for Quebec with the police on the way Well I've fished off the banks and I've worked in the trees Built dams in Ontario in mud to me knees Drove cows in the west oh I've harvest the wheat Digging gold in the Yukon me body did freeze With the work and the drink me ould back it is bent Me days like me money are nearly all spent I'll go back to me home and build a wee still And the whiskey will keep me well fed and content