Charlie Robison - John O'Reilly lyrics

My name is John O'Reilly And my father worked the fields In the hills of old k**areny Where I helped him turn the wheels My arms grew hard as iron for a boy of 17 And I used my fists for gambling in those wet k**arney streets Well the ship left for America and I brought my pack aboard Said goodbye to my dear Ireland said a prayer to my dear Lord I fought those sorry guineas in the kitchen they called hell I fought them for their dollar and those guineas paid me well [Chorus] Fair thee well fair Dover Fair thee well your seasons turn For my pockets will be jingling on the day of my return The day of my return I fought in New York City and I fought the Jersey shore My gut stayed full of whiskey and my bed stayed full of who*es They called my right a cannonball and my left they called the same I left em' all lyin' half in blood and half in shame I met a man on '32 and he stuck out his hand And he offered me a thousand if I'd fall before his man I said it could be done but only for another two He smiled at me and nodded as I stuck it in my shoe [Chorus] They rang the bell two times before I let him have my nose And I let him work my left until my eye was swollen closed Then I let loose a right that they still talk about today For that guinea didn't know that I had bet the other way They covered every dock and every port there on the coast Looking for that double crosser who had turned into a ghost But I was on a train my friend that rode the other way And i'll sail from California back to Dublin one fine day