Little Beggarman/After the Battle of Aughrim/Angus Campbell
I am a little beggarman and begging I have been For three score or more in this little isle of green I'm known from the Liffey down to Segue And I'm known by the name of old Johnny Dhu Of all the trade's that's going, sure begging is the best For when a man is tired, he can sit down and rest He can beg for his dinner, he has nothing else to do Only cut around the corner with his old rig-a-doo
I slept in the barn, down at Caurabawn A wet night came on and I slept 'till the dawn With holes in the roof and the rain coming through And the rats and the cats, they were playing peek-a-boo When who did I waken but the woman of the house With her white spotty apron and her calico blouse She began to frighten and I said boo Aarah, don't be afraid mam it's only Johnny Dhu
I met a little flaxy-haired girl one day Good morning little flaxy-haired girl I did say Good morning little beggarman, a how do you do With your rags and you tags and you old rig-a-doo I'll buy a pair of leggings, a collar and a tie And a nice young lady I'll fetch by and by I'll buy a pair of goggles and I'll colour them blue And an old fashioned lady I will make her too
Over the road with my pack on my back Over the fields with my great heavy sack With holes in my shoes and my toes peeping through Singing skinny-me-rink a doodle o and old Johnny Dhu I must be going to bed for it's getting late at night The fire's all raked and out goes the light So now you've heard the story of my old rig-a-doo It's good-bye and God be with you says old Johnny Dhu