I am a roving hackler lad / The Hackler from Grouse Hall gospel christian songs free mp3 midi download

The Hackler from Grouse Hall

Melody -

1. I am a roving hackler lad
That loves the shamrock shore,
My name is Pat McDonnell
And my age is eighty-four;
Belov'd and well-respected
By my neighbors one and all
On St. Patrick's day I loved to stray
Round Lavey and Grouse Hall.

2. When I was young I danced and sung
And drank good whiskey, too.
Each shebeen shop that sold a drop
Of the real old mountain dew.
With the potheen still on every hill
The peelers had no call
Round sweet Stradone I am well known,
Round Lavey and Grouse Hall.

3. I rambled round from town to town
For hackling was my trade,
None can deny I think that I
An honest living made;
Where e'er I'd stay by night or day
The youth wud always call
To have some crack with Paddy Jack,
The hackler from Grouse Hall.

4. I think it strange how times have changed
So very much of late,
Coercion now is all the row
And Peelers on their bate.
To take a glass is now, alas,
The greatest crime of all
Since Balfour placed that hungry beast
The Sergeant of Grouse Hall.

5. The busy tool of Castle rule
He travels night and day,
He'll seize a goat just by the throat
For want of better prey;
The nasty skunk, he'll swear you're drunk
Tho' you took none at all
There is no peace about the place
Since he came to Grouse Hall.
6. 'Twas on pretense of this offense
He dragged me off to jail,
Alone to dwell in a cold cell
My fate for to bewail.
My hoary head on a plank bed,
Such wrongs for vengeance call
He'll rue the day he dragged away
The hackler from Grouse Hall.

7. He haunts the League just like a plague,
And shame for to relate
The priest can't be on Sunday free
The Mass to celebrate.
It's there he'll kneel encased in steel
Prepared on duty's call
For to assail and drag to jail
Our clergy from Grouse Hall.

8. Down into hell he'd run pell-mell
To hunt for potheen there
And won't be loath to swear an oath
'Twas found in Killinkere.
He'll search your bed from foot to head,
Sheets, blankets, tick and all
Your wife, undressed, must leave the nest
For Jemmy of Grouse Hall.

9. He fixed a plan for one poor man
Who had a handsome wife
To take away without delay
Her liberty and life.
He'd swear quite plain that he's insane
And got no sense at all,
As he has done of late with one
Convenient to Grouse Hall.

10. Thank God the day's not far away
When Home Rule will be seen,
And brave Parnell at home will dwell
And shine in College Green;
Our policemen will all be then
Our nation's choice and all,
Old Balfour's pack will get the sack
And banished from Grouse Hall.

11. Let old and young clear out their lungs
And sing this little song,
Come join with me and let him see
You all resent the wrong.
And while I live I'll always give
A prayer for his downfall
And when I die I don't deny
I'll haunt him from Grouse hall.