This is a great song! Here's my transcription from the recording at YouTube:


PADDY'S TOUR OF DUTY
As sung by Seamus Moore*

1. We boarded at Saint Brendan. We were bound for London town.
We didn't have much choice in it. 'Twas Holyhead or drown.
Work was getting very scarce and the budget wearing thin,
So it was Paddy's tour of duty once again.

2. When we get to London town, we're bound to find a start.
I hear there is a lot of work out on Canary Wharf.
The Docklands it is boomin' with the yuppies movin' in,
So it's Paddy's tour of duty once again.

CHORUS: It's Paddy tour of duty. Hand me down me trowel and hod.
I'm off to make me fortune with a little help from God.
I know I'll see you sometime, but couldn't tell you when,
'Cause it's Paddy's tour of duty once again.

3. The first time I came over was the summer of seventy-nine.
The crack well it was ninety and I was doin' fine.
I went home for the Christmas and came back in the spring
For to do me tour of duty once again. CHORUS

4. Now, when we're comin' over, we us'lly go by boat,
'Cause, boys, when you're out of work, the money can be short.
Make a big kill on the buildin's and we go back home by plane,
After Paddy's tour of duty once again.

5. So we'll all go down Saint Brendan and we'll sail for London town,
'Cause when you don't have money, it's Holyhead or drown.
The work here still is very scarce and the budget wearing thin,
So it's Paddy's tour of duty once again. CHORUS

Yes, I'm off to do me duty once again.


[*I was unable to confirm whether Seamus Moore also wrote this song.]

Here is Seamus Moore's MySpace page, where you can hear a few more songs—but not this one