Another version. You can hear it here. I have boldfaced the words that are different from the lyrics already posted above.


BACK TO DONEGAL
As recorded by Dennis Day with Charles Dant and His Orchestra, 1946.

It seems like only yesterday I left the port o' Cork,
And on a ship from old Erin's isle, I landed in New York.
Without a friend to meet me there, and a stranger on the shore,
I wore an honest Irish heart and fortune came galore.

So here I am, going back to dear old Erin's isle.
The friends they'll meet me on the pier and they'll greet me with a smile.
There are faces there that I surely forget, for I was so long away,
But me mother will introduce them all and this to me will say:

CHORUS: Shake hands with your Uncle Mike, me boy; shake hands with your sister Kate;
And here is the girl you used to swing down by the garden gate.
Shake hands with all the neighbours, and kiss the colleens all.
You're as welcome as the flowers of May to dear old Donegal.

They'll give a party when I get back, and they'll come from near and far.
They'll line the roads for miles and miles with Irish jaunting cars.
The spirits'll flow and we'll all be gay, and we'll fill our hearts with joy.
The piper'll play an Irish reel to greet the Yankee boy.

For tomorrow off to the church I'll go and wedded I will be
To my pretty little colleen bawn, sweet Biddy McGee,
For Biddy was true and faithful to her Dinny o'er the sea.
We'll join the harp and shamrock to the stars of liberty.

There'll come Branigan, Flanagan, Milligan, Gilligan, Duffy, McCuffy, Malarkey, Mahone,
Rafferty, Lafferty, Donnelly, Connelly, Dooley, O'Dooley, Muldowney, Malone,
Rattigan, Cadigan, Lanihan, Flanihan, Fagan, O'Hagan, O'Hoolihan, Flynn,
Shanahan, Lanahan, Hogarty, Fogarty, Kelly, O'Kelly, Shapiro (sic), McGinn.

CHORUS: Then I'll shake the hand of me Uncle Mike, the hand o' me sister, Kate.
I'll hug and squeeze as much as I please the girl by the garden gate.
I'll invite all the neighbours to my weddin', great and small;
Then I'll live content and pay no rent in dear old Donegal.