Oh my name is McShane from the plains of Kildare
I've travelled this country for many a year
Till I took a notion all on a promotion
To travel to England the harvest to shear
CHORUS Run too ra la, run too ra laddy
Run too ra la Musha run too ra lay
I landed in Dunfermline one fine summers evening
My bundle and pack I had them in my hand
There was some of them chaffing and some of them laughing
And most of them trying to put Paddy away
I went in to a woman and asked for a lodging
She instantly showed me a bed in a room
And I being so tired and weary from walking
Threw myself down on that bed in a room
But a lump of a beggar lay up in a corner
He swore that he'd fight and kill all that was there
Says I me bold beggar give over your bragging
I'm bold McShane from the plains of Kildare
He jumped up and hit me a punch in the stomach
I instantly fetched him a one in the throat
I knocked that old beggar arse over his elbow
Stuffed all his head in an old rusty pot
Well he lay on the floor like a pig he was bleeding
I swore that I'd cut off all of his life
But I lifted him up and sent down for a noggin
Me and the beggar we ended the strife
REPEAT FIRST VERSE
I hope the line breaks work. I read the instructions on posting but i'm a bit pissed. This is a great song to sing - if a bit violent! I suspect it's a music hall song, it has that feel to me but I haven't researched it. I used to introduce it by saying that McShane might have been great fighter but he didn't have a great sense of geography, he sets out to England and ends up in Dunfermline in Scotland.
I think the bit about 'trying to put Paddy away' might refer to the violence that was meted out to Irish people in 19th century Scotland. Apparently 'Hunt the Paddy' was a pastime in Glasgow when an innocent Irishman was pursued down the alleyways and beaten up. Coapare and contrast with Erin go Brach - another great song.
Sorry I missed the original thread but better late than never eh? (And don't do what I did on television and sing 'I went into a lodging and asked for a woman)