Book of Song

Donegal Danny

by Phil Coulter

I remember the night that he came in
From the wintry cold and damp
A giant of a man in an oilskin coat
And a bundle that told he was a tramp
He stood at the bar and he called a pint
Then turned and gazed at the fire
On a night like this to be safe and dry
Is my one and only desire

( Chorus
So here's to those that are dead and gone
The friends that I loved dear
And here's to you, that I'll bid you adieu
Saying' Donegal Danny's been here me boys
Donegal Danny's been here. )

Then in a voice that was hushed and low
He said listen and I'll tell you a tale
How a man of the sea became a man of the road
And never more will set sail
I fished out of Howth and Killybegs
Ardglass and Baltimore
But the cruel sea has beaten me
And I'll end me days on the shore

Chorus

I remember the night in the wind and rain
We sat sail from Killybegs town
There were five of us from Donegal
And one from County Down
We were fishermen who worked the sea
And never counted the cost
But I never thought when that night was gone
That my fine friends would all be lost

Chorus
Well the storm it broke and broke our boat
With the rocks about ten miles from shore
As we fought the tide, we all hoped inside
To see our homes once more
Then we struck a rock and hold the bow
And all of us knew that she'd go down
So we jumped right into the icy sea
And prayed to God we wouldn't drown

But the raging sea was rising still
As We struck out for the land
And she tried with all her cruelty
To claim that gallant band
By Saint John's point in the early dawn
I dragged myself on to the shore
And I cursed the sea for what she'd done
And vowed to sail her never more

Chorus

Ever since that night I've been on the road
Traveling and trying to forget
That awful night that I lost all my friends
I see their faces yet
And often at night when the sea is high
And the wind is tearing at my skin
I hear the cries of drowning men
Floating over on the wind.

Chorus