Donegal Danny Lyrics

Dubliners Donegal Danny

I remember the night that he came in from the wintery
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 save and dry is my one and
only desire

So here's to those that are dead and gone, the friends
that I loved dear
And here's to you and I'll bid you adieu, sayin'
"Donegal Danny's been here, me boys,
Donegal Danny's been here"

Then in a voice that was hushed and low he said
"Listen, 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 beat'n me and I'll end my days on
the shore

So here's to those that are dead and gone, the friends
that I loved dear
And here's to you and I'll bid you adieu, sayin'
"Donegal Danny's been here, me boys,
Donegal Danny's been here"

One fateful night in the wind and the rain we set sail
from Killybegs town
There were five of us from sweet Donegal and one from
County Down
We were fishermen who worked the sea and never counted
the cost
But I never thought 'ere that night was done, that my
fine friends would all be lost

So here's to those that are dead and gone, the friends
that I loved dear
And here's to you and I'll bid you adieu, sayin'
"Donegal Danny's been here, me boys,
Donegal Danny's been here"

Then the storm it broke and drove the boat, to the
rocks about ten miles from shore
As we fought the tide, we hoped inside to see our homes
once more
Then we struck a rock and holed 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 ragin' sea was risin' still as we struck out
for the land
And she fought with all her cruelty to claim that
gallant band
By Saint John's point in the early dawn I dragged
myself on the shore
And I cursed the sea for what she'd done and vowed to
sail her never more

So here's to those that are dead and gone, the friends
that I loved dear
And here's to you and I'll bid you adieu, sayin'
"Donegal Danny's been here, me boys,
Donegal Danny's been here"

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

So here's to those that are dead and gone, the friends
that I loved dear
And here's to you and I'll bid you adieu, sayin'
"Donegal Danny's been here, me boys,
Donegal Danny's been here"

So here's to those that are dead and gone, the friends
that I loved dear
And here's to you and I'll bid you adieu, sayin'
"Donegal Danny's been here, me boys,
Donegal Danny's been here"