Flushed with success, I'll chance my arm on a song entitled (around here at least) 'The Fox Chase' about a land agent in the 19th century who kills a landlord in a dispute, flees on foot chased by men with dogs, runs around 200 miles and eventually escapes to America
Jim Carroll
Not a real fox, but one of the finest narrative ballads in Ireland.
Jim Carroll

FARMER MICHAEL HAYES.

I am a bold and undaunted fox that never was before on tramp,
My rent, rates and taxes I was willing for to pay,
I lived as happy as king Saul and loved my neighbours great and small,
I had no animosity for either friend or foe,

I made my den in fine good land between Tipperary and Knocklong,
Where my forefathers lived for three hundred years or more,
But now of late I was betrayed by one who was a fool or knave,
He told me I should quit the place and show my face no more.

But as soon as he evicted me, I thought, 'twas time that I should flee,
I stole away his ducks and geese and murdered all his drakes,
I knew I could no longer stand because he had the hounds at hand,
I tightened up my garters and then I was away.

But soon there was a great look-out by land and sea to find me out,
From Dublin quay to Belfast Town along the raging sea,
By telegraph they did insert this great reward for my arrest,
My figure, size and form (forearm) and my name without a doubt.

They wore their brogues, a thousand pair, this great reward for to
But still there was no tidings of me or my retreat,                     
They searched Tipperary o'er and o'er, the cornfields round
But they si went on to Wexford, but there did not delay.

Through Ballyhale and Stranmore they searched the woods as they went on,
Till they got very hungry at the approach of day.
Now search the world both far and near, the likes before you did not
A fox to get away so clear as I did from the hounds.                              

They searched the rocks, the gulfs, the bays, the ships and liners at the quays,
The ferryboats and steamers as they were going to sea,
Around the coast they took a steer from Poolbeg lighthouse to Cape
Killarney Town and Sweet Tralee, and then crossed into Clare!

And when they landed on the shore they searched Kilrush from top to toe,
The bathing baths in Miltown, called otherwise Malbay,      
And Galway being a place of fame they thought it there I would
But still there journey was in vain for I gave them leg bail

They searched the train at Oranmore as she was leaving for Athlone,
And every waggon, coach and car as that went along the road,
And Connemara being remote, they thought it there I would resort,
Then when they got weary they resolved to try Mayo.

In Balinrobe they had to rest until the hounds were quite refreshed,
From thence they went to Westport and searched it high and low,
To Caslebar they took a trot, they heard I was in Castlerock,
But still they were delude, there I lodged the night before*,

At Swinford Town as I sat down I heard a dreadful cry of hounds.
I took another notion to retaliate the chase,
And I being weary from the road I took a glass at half past four,
Then I was renovated while the hounds were getting weak,

The night being dark in Castlebar, I knew not how to make my way,
I had neither den nor manger to shield me from the cold,
But when the moon began to shine I said I'd make for a foreign
I'm in the land of liberty and three cheers for Michael Hayes,