O’Reilly the Fisherman

Play recording: O’Reilly the Fisherman

As I roved out one evening fair down by the riverside
I heard a lovely maiden complain, the tears fell from her eyes
‘This is a cold and stormy night,’ those words she then did say
‘My love is on the raging sea, bound for Americay.’

My love he was a fisherman, his age was scarce eighteen
He was as nice a young man as ever yet was seen
My father he had riches great, and Reilly he was poor
Because I loved this fisherman, they could not him endure.

John O’Reilly was my true-love’s name, reared near the town of Bray
My mother took me by the hand, and these to me words did say:
‘If you be fond of Reilly, let him quit this country;
Your father says he’ll take his life, so shun his company.’

‘Oh, Mother dear, don’t be severe! Where will you send my love?
My very heart lies in his breast, as constant as a dove.’
‘Oh, daughter dear, I’m not severe! Here is one thousand pounds,
So send Reilly to America to purchase there some ground.’

When Ellen got the money, to Reilly she did run
Saying, ‘This very night, to take your life, my father charged a gun!
Here is one thousand pound in gold my mother sent to you;
So sail away to Americay, and I will follow you.’

When Reilly got the money, next day he sailed away
And when he put his foot on board, these words she then did say:
‘Here is a token of true love, and we’ll break it now in two.
You’ll have my heart and half my ring until I find out you.’

It was three months after, as she was waiting by the shore,
When Reilly he came back again to take his love away.
The ship was wrecked; all hands were lost; her father grieved full sore
And found Reilly in her arms, and they drowned upon the shore.

He found a letter on her breast, and it was wrote with blood
Saying, ‘Cruel was my father, that thought to shoot my love.’
So let this now be a warning to all fair maids so gay:
To never let the lads they love go to Americay.