Little Mary Cassidy

Oh ‘tis little Mary Cassidy, the cause of all my misery

The reason I am not now the boy I used to be

She beats the beauties we read about in history

Sure half the country-side is as hot for her as me

Travel Ireland up and down, hill, village, vale and town

Fairer than the coleen donn [brown haired girl] you’re looking for in vain

I’d rather live in poverty with little Mary Cassidy

Than emperor, without her be, of Germany or Spain

Twas at the dance at Dermody’s that first I caught a sight of her

I heard her sing ‘The Draighneán Donn,’ the tears came in my eyes

Ever since that blessed hour I’m dreaming day and night of her

The devil a wink of sleep at all, I get from bed to rise

Cheeks like the rose in June, song like the lark in tune

Working, resting, night or noon, she never leaves my mind

Till singing by my cabin fire sits little Mary Cassidy

I’m sure it’s ease or happiness I will ever find.

What is wealth, what is fame, what do people fight about

To a kind word from her lips or a love-glance from her eye?

Though troubles throng my breast, sure they’d soon go to the right-about

If I thought the curly head of her would rest there by and by

Take all I own today, kith, kin, and care away

Take them all across the sea, or to the frozen zone

Leave me an orphan bare, leave me Mary Cassidy,

I never would feel lonesome with the two of us alone.