Gartloney Rats Lyrics

 (Terry Woods) 
  
 The boys from the village were festering sore  
 For a day on the rant with some music and more 
 They'd drink porter in Maura's way over in Fore
 And never get drunk but stay sober 
  
 There was Harry the banjo and Dunne of the swan
 With whose bone from the wing he'd beat the bodhran  
 And the song that he'd sing was of ganders and all
 He'd never get drunk but stay sober
  
 There was Woods on the Guitar and auld squeeze box too  
 Who came from a time before aeroplanes flew 
 He'd sit in a corner and mule quite a few
 And he'd never get drunk but stay sober  
  
 There was Mahon the singer who knew all the songs 
 And never was known to put a foot wrong  
 He'd sing through the night till the break o' the morn  
 And he'd never get drunk but stay sober  
  
 Then Harry the banjo now there was a man 
 A bottomless pit if ever there was one
 More porter he'd lower that there was in the land 
 And he'd Never get drunk but stay sober  
  
 Well the Gartloney Rats would play away  
 They'd play for the pints and not for the pay  
 And the pints they'd go down in the usual way  
 And they'd never get drunk but stay sober