George Quay or The Forgetful Sailor

Ye sons of Dan O’Connell’s Guard,
pray pay attention to my ditty,
It’s all about a sailor lad,
his birthplace was in Dublin city.
My song is for to demonstrate,
a story with a pious moral,
Beginning close to Carlisle Bridge
and ending in the isles of coral.

A schooner sailed from George’s Quay
for foreign parts one sultry season,
And on the shore a maiden stood
and wept like one bereft of reason;
O! Johnny Doyle, my love for you
is true but full of deep contrition,
For what will all the neighbors say
about myself and my condition.

The captain turned, and sails unfurled,
the schooner scudded down the Liffey,
The damsel gave a piercing wail,
she was a mother in a jiffy;
The vessel crossed the harbor bar,
her course was set for foreign waters,
To China where they’re very wise,
and drown at birth their surplus daughters.

Now years and years are passed and gone
and Mary’s child is self-supporting,
And Mary’s heart is fit to break
when that young buck goes out a-courting;
And so, says she, on one fine day
he’ll leave me lone and melancholy,
I’ll dress me up in sailor’s clothes
and scour the seven seas for Johnny.

She shipped aboard a pirate bold
which raided on the hot equator,
And with these hairy buccaneers
there sailed this sweet and virtuous crathur;
The Captain thought her name was Bill,
his character was most nefarious,
Consorting with this heinous beast
her situation was precarious.

‘Twas in the Saragossa sea
two rakish barques were idly rolling,
And Mary in the middle watch
the quarter deck she was patrolling;
She calmly watched the neighboring ship
then suddenly became exclamant,
For there upon the gilded poop
stood Mr. Doyle in gorgeous raiment.

And now they’re back in the sweet Ringsend,
that gem that sparkles on the Dodder,
He lives a peaceful merchant’s life
and does a trade in oats and fodder;
she runs a stall of perry winkles,
And when he hears she’s that-a-way
his single eye with joy it twinkles.

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Other website link: Fresno State