THE SHAMROCK AND THE THISTLE
(Hamish Henderson / anon)

Come all you true-born Glasgow boys
And listen to my song
I'm going to speak of Hogmanay
It won't detain you long
I've made this little tune for you
I've laid it on my whistle
And I think the name I'll gi'e to it
Is The Shamrock and the Thistle

Aboard the Royal Ulsterman
We had a dram or twa
When daylight broke we all awoke
And saw the Broomielaw
The journey o'er, we went ashore
Our friends all raised a cheer
And soon the word was going round
The Irishmen are here

We were not rash, we wore no sash
We sang no party lay
For we had come to join the fun
A real Scotch Hogmanay
We marched up to Argyle Street
Bought whisky, stout and rum
And the songs we sang were Sweet Strabane
And Britain Here We Come

A welcome rare we soon got there
It was a glorious fair
Bill Thompson cried, Get that inside
I see you're needing fare
So when we'd had a bite o'er 'ere
And feeling in good trim
Bill said, Come on, I'm for the Tron
So we went along wi' him

Many's the hoolie we've been at
At home across the sea
And at New Year wi' stout and beer
We'd go upon the spree
And the Scots they don't just make whoopee
Or drink with Mum and Dad
At the thirty-first of December, boys
They all go ravin' mad

Forgive me, friends, for being rude
I'm not, you will agree
The Irish too are a crazy crew
Just look at Bob and me
For a Scotsman seeing the New Year in
Is a sight for gods and men
And it takes an Irish Paddy, boys
To be equal to him then

For the Scotsmen have their thistle
And the Welshmen have their leek
The English have a rose, my boys
And lots of flamin' cheek
The Irish have their shamrock and
They hold it very dear
But you'll find it wi' the thistle
In auld Glasgow at New Year

As sung by The Corries

[1968:] A fragment of this song was collected by Hamish Henderson aboard the Irish ferry on numerous new year journeys. He only heard one fragment of the song and composed the major part of the song and tune himself. (Notes The Corries, 'Kishmul's Galley')