Bold Belfast Shoemaker Come all you true born Irishmen wherever you may be, I hope you'll pay attention and listen unto me, I am a bold shoemaker from Belfast town I came, And to my great misfortune I listed in the train. I had a fair young sweetheart Jane Wilson was her name, She said it grieved her to the heart to see me in the train, She told me if I would desert to come and let her know, She would dress me up in her old clothes that I might go to and fro. We marched through Chapelizod like heroes stout and bold, I'll be no more a slave to them my officer I told, For to work upon a Sunday with me did not agree, And so brave boys I did declare to take my liberty. When encamped near Tipperary we soon got his command, For me and for my comrade bold that night on guard to stand, The night it being both wet and dark and so we did agree, That on that very night brave boys we'd take our liberty. The night that I deserted I had no place to stay, I went into a meadow and lay down in the hay, It was not long that I lay there till I arose again, And looking all around me I espied six of the train. We had a bloody battle and soon I beat them all, And soon the dastard cowards for mercy loud did call, saying spare our lives brave Irwin and we will pray for thee, And by all that's fair we will declare for you and liberty. As for George Carrick I own he ís very mean, For the sake of forty shillings he had me took again, They locked me in the guardroom my fate for to deplore, With four on every window and six on every door. I being in close confinement I soon looked all around, I leaped out of the window and knocked four of them down, The light horse and the train my boys they soon did follow me, But I kept my road before them and preserved my liberty. I next joined Father Murphy as you will plainly hear, And many's the battle did I fight with his brave Shelmaliers, With four hundred of his croppy boys we battered Lord Mountjoy, And at the battle of New Ross we made ten thousand fly. I am a bold shoemaker and Irwin is my name, I could beat as many Orangemen as listed in the train, I could beat as many Orangemen as could stand in a row, I would make them fly before me like an arrow from a bow. JM oct99
Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!