O'Reilly the Fisherman

As I roved out one evening, down by the Liffy side
I heard a maid complaining as the tears rolled from her eyes,
"This is a cold and stormy night", these words she then did say,
"And my love is on the ocean deep, bound for Amerikay."

"My love he is a fisherman, his age is scarce eighteen,
He is as fine a young man as ever yet was seen,
My father he has riches great but Reilly he is poor
And because I love my darling, he cannot him endure."

"John Reilly is my true love's name reared near the town of Bray,
My mother took me by the hand and this to me did say",
"Oh, daughter dear, I'm not severe, here is a thousand pounds,
Send Reilly to America to purchase there some ground."

It was twelve months after I was standing at the quay,
And Reilly had returned again to take his love away,
The ship was wrecked, all hands were lost, and it grieved her father sore
To see Reilly in her arms and they drowned upon the shore.

There was a letter in her breast, besprinkled o'er with blood,
Saying "Cruel was my father who thought to shoot my love.
Let this be a warning to all fair maids so gay,
Don't ever let the lad you love sail to Amerikay."