Considered by some to be Ireland’s favourite traditional song, “The Rocky Road to Dublin” is synonymous with the Emerald Isle and has been recorded, it seems, in nearly every way, shape and form. The only question is: what is your favourite version?
From lively classic folk (The Dubliners) to haunting (Lankum); punkish Pogues to the Celtic Tenors; new rock (The Young Dubliners) to multi-gen (The Chieftans with the Rolling Stones); instrumental to movie soundtrack (Sherlock Holmes); a cappella (The Ramparts Chamber Choir) to a full-on Norwegian men’s choir (Trondhjems Studentersangforening)… there is truly a version for every taste.
There is no right or wrong one, of course, though one online observer astutely offered, “I really think you need to be drunk to sing this song,” which might rule out the Trondhjems.
For our purposes, however, we’ll steer the middle ground here – somewhere between The Clancy Brothers and The Dropkick Murphys – with this compelling version from 2016 by a lesser-known Irish band, The Kings of Connaught, and which offers the bonus atmosphere of some great Irish scenery.
So, let’s get to it: One, two, ‘tree’, four, five!
Lyrics
While in the merry month of May, from me home I started
Left the girls of Tuam so sad and broken hearted
Saluted father dear, kissed me darling mother
Drank a pint of beer, me grief and tears to smother
Then off to reap the corn, leave where I was born
Cut a stout black thorn to banish ghosts and goblins
Bought a pair of brogues rattling o’er the bogs
And fright’ning all the dogs on the rocky road to Dublin
One, two, three, four, five,
Hunt the Hare and turn her down the rocky road
All the way to Dublin, whack follol de rah
In Mullingar that night I rested limbs so weary
Started by daylight next morning blithe and early
Took a drop of pure to keep me heart from sinking
That’s a Paddy’s cure whenever he’s on drinking
See the lassies smile, laughing all the while
At me curious style, ‘twould set your heart a bubblin’
Asked me was I hired, wages I required
I was almost tired of the rocky road to Dublin
One, two, three, four, five
Hunt the Hare and turn her down the rocky road
All the way to Dublin, whack follol de rah
In Dublin next arrived, I thought it such a pity
To be soon deprived a view of that fine city
So then I took a stroll, all among the quality
Me bundle it was stole, all in a neat locality
Something crossed me mind, when I looked behind
No bundle could I find upon me stick a wobblin’
Inquiring for the rogue, they said me Connaught brogue
Wasn’t much in vogue on the rocky road to Dublin
One, two, three, four, five
Hunt the Hare and turn her down the rocky road
All the way to Dublin, whack follol de rah
From there I got away, me spirits never falling
Landed on the quay, just as the ship was sailing
The Captain at me roared, said that no room had he
When I jumped aboard, a cabin found for Paddy
Down among the pigs, played some hearty rigs
Danced some hearty jigs, the water round me bubbling
When off Holyhead, I wished meself was dead
Or better for instead on the rocky road to Dublin
One, two, three, four, five
Hunt the Hare and turn her down the rocky road
All the way to Dublin, whack follol de rah
Well, the boys of Liverpool, when we safely landed
Called meself a fool, I could no longer stand it
Blood began to boil, temper I was losing
Poor old Erin’s Isle they began abusing
“Hurrah me soul” says I, me Shillelagh I let fly
Some Galway boys were nigh and saw I was a hobble in
With a load “Hurray” joined in the affray
We quietly cleared the way for the rocky road to Dublin
One, two, three, four, five
Hunt the Hare and turn her down the rocky road
And all the way to Dublin, whack follol de rah