The Pratie Song

A repost, but still suitable for the day

especially as I've written nothing new on the subject.

(Now with audio! Click here to listen.)

The Pratie Song

An Irish-American Ballad

O, My name is Willie Brennan and my story I will tell

I was born in County Kerry and in Ireland I did dwell

But I had to leave my country in the year of '48

And go sailing for America to fill my bloody plate.

O, I'm sailing away for Americay

And I'll have a drink to try and lift my mood

For I'll miss my native peat

But I've nothing left to eat

And I'm going to sail away to find some food.

It was in the year of '48 I took my knife and fork

And boarded on a coffin ship headed for New York

For my people were all starving in every vale and field

And I had to sail two thousand miles to get a feckin' meal.

O, I'm sailing away for Americay

And you know I've searched the green land o'er and o'er

But I couldn't fill my platie

With a single boiled potatie

'Cos in Ireland there's no praties anymore.

A million empty bellies we laid beneath the sod

And we raised our empty glasses and commended them to God

And a million empty bellies from the towns of County Cork

Went sailing for the delis in the city of New York.

O, we're sailing away for Americay

Yes, we're going to find the praties once again.

For there was beef and corn and grain

But to Charles Trevelyan's shame

Not a crust or crumb for honest Irishmen.

So listen all my children and I'll tell you once again

Why the cities of America are filled with Irishmen

From the Cardinal's high cathedral

To the worker in the street

We all came to America

To get something to eat!

O, we're sailing away for Americay

And you know we'll miss old Ireland now and then

But we'll sit and eat our praties

In the dear United Staties

'Til the praties come to Ireland once again.

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Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig

agus go mbeannaí Dia duit

Cricket & Porcupine