Lyrics St. Brendan's Voyage - Christy Moore
A
boat
sailed
out
of
Brandon
in
the
year
of
501
'Twas
a
damp
and
dirty
mornin'
Brendan's
voyage
it
bega
Tired
of
thinnin'
turnips
and
cuttin'
curley
kale
When
he
got
back
from
the
creamery
he
hoisted
up
the
sail.
He
ploughed
a
lonely
furrow
to
the
north,
south,
east
and
west
Of
all
the
navigators,
St,
Brendan
was
the
best.
When
he
ran
out
of
candles
he
was
forced
to
make
a
stop,
He
tied
up
in
Long
Island
and
put
America
on
the
map.
Did
you
know
that
Honolulu
was
found
by
a
Kerryman,
Who
went
on
to
find
Australia
then
China
and
Japan.
When
he
was
touchin'
70,
he
began
to
miss
the
crack,
Turnin'
to
his
albatross
he
sez
"I'm
headin'
back".
To
make
it
fast
he
bent
the
mast
and
built
up
mighty
steam.
Around
Terra
del
Fuego
and
up
the
warm
Gulf
Stream,
He
crossed
the
last
horizon,
Mt.
Brandon
came
in
sight
And
when
he
cleared
the
customs
into
Dingle
for
the
night.
Whe
he
got
the
Cordon
Bleu
he
went
to
douse
the
drought,
He
headed
west
to
Kruger's*
to
murder
pints
of
stout
Around
by
Ballyferriter
and
up
the
Conor
Pass
He
freewheeled
into
Brandon,
the
saint
was
home
at
last.
The
entire
population
came
(281)
the
place
was
chock-a-block
Love
nor
money
wouldn't
get
your
nose
inside
the
shop.
The
fishermen
hauled
up
their
nets,
the
farmers
left
their
hay,
Kerry
people
know
that
saints
don't
turn
up
every
day.
Everythin'
was
goin'
great
'til
Brendan
did
announce
His
reason
for
returnin'
was
to
try
and
set
up
house.
The
girls
were
flabbergasted
at
St.
Bredan's
neck
To
seek
a
wife
so
late
in
life
and
him
a
total
wreck.
Worn
down
by
rejection
that
pierced
his
humble
pride,
"Begod",
sez
Brendan
"If
I
run
I'll
surely
catch
the
tide"
Turnin'
on
his
sandals
he
made
straight
for
the
docks
And
haulin'
up
his
anchor
he
cast
off
from
the
rocks.
As
he
sailed
past
Inishvickallaun
there
stood
the
albatross
"I
knew
you'd
never
stick
it
out,
'tis
great
to
see
you
boss"
"I'm
bailin'
out"
sez
Brendan,
"I
badly
need
a
break
A
fortnight
is
about
as
much
as
any
aul
saint
could
take."
CHORUS
"Is
it
right
or
left
for
Gibraltar"
"What
tack
do
I
take
for
Mizen
Head?"
"I'd
love
to
settle
down
near
Ventry
Harbour",
St.
Brendan
to
his
albatross
he
said
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