Well, here goes mine....

She Sang of Old Ballinderry

Now when I was a young man I took to the sea
And I lived the free life of the sailor.
From the Pacific Ocean to the Antarctic Sea,
Well, I followed the trail of the whaler.
Then in 1860, my captain said, "Son,
It's time to stop sailing, my fortune is won."
So he gave me all my tin in the afternoon sun
And we set our course to the shore.
And I heard her sing of old BallinderryBR> As the ship pulled into Frisco Bay
And midst all the cheers, singing, and flowing bears,
I found a ship to sail on the sea

And how well I remember those terrible days,
How the storms grounded and pounded the wreck
And of how in that hell of the Atlantic Ocean
We were rolled around all over the deck
Poisiedon, he was ready, he primed himself well.
He showered us with sea foam, and he screamed a ghastly yell
And in five minutes flat, he'd blown us all to hell,
Nearly blew us back home to the harbor.
And I heard her sing of old Ballinderry
As we stopped in the eye of the storm,
We lashed our masts, cut loose the whale
Then we started all over again.

And those that were left, well we tried to survive
In that mad world of rain, wind and water.
And for ten weary moments I kept myself alive
Though around me I heard all the slaughter.
Then a big salty arm knocked me ass over head
And when I awoke in me liquid salt bed
And saw what it had done, well I wished I was dead.
Never knew there were worse things than dying.
For I'll go no more a hunting the whale,
All around the world far and near
To whip up the strands, a man needs both hands,
No more sailing the world for me.

So I floated onwards, all battered and maimed
Silently awaiting to greet my maker
I was laying there, crying with a pain unnamed
As I floated to the Norwegian breakers.
And when I looked up, oh what did I see
But a barechested mermaid abeckoning me
And I thank Christ I was saved from the sea
And I howled and I shouted with glee.
And she sang of old Ballinderry
As I paddled on to the Lyse fjord
I lay by her side in the sinking tide,
And listened to the great ocean roar.

So now every April I sit on me porch
And I watch the waves pound before me.
And I see the old liners, how proudly they march
Living all their dreams of new glory,
And the sails are furled, filled with wonderful tales
The captains are screaming, "We're hunting the whales
It's oil we are seeking, so brave all the gales"
I imagine all this and smile.
And she sings of old Ballinderry,
And me heart pours out with pure love
But as year follows year, our children will grow
For her, I thank the Lord above.

Oft times I sailed to bonny Ram's Island,
Side by side with Phelim, my diamond,
And often he'd court me, and I'd be coy -
In my heart how I loved him, my darling boy.
Ochone, O! ochone! ochone! ochone!

Amergin