Donegal Danny

I remember the night when he came in
From the wintery cold and damp
A giant of a man in an oilskin coat
Bondell had told he was a tramp
Well, he stood at the bar and he called a pint
Turned and gazed at the fire
"On a night like this to be safe and warm
Is my one and only desire"

And here's to those that are dead and gone
To friends that I love dear
And here's to you and I'll bid you adieu
Say Donegal Danny's been here, me boys
Donegal Danny's been here

Oh, 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 of Killybegs
Our glass and bottles of ore
But the cruel sea has beaten me
Now I'll end my days on the shore"

And here's to those that are dead and gone
To friends that I love dear
And here's to you and I'll bid you adieu
Say Donegal Danny's been here, me boys
Donegal Danny's been here

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

And here's to those that are dead and gone
To friends that I love dear
And here's to you and I'll bid you adieu
Say Donegal Danny's been here, me boys
Donegal Danny's been here

Well, the storm it broke and drove the boat
On the rocks about ten miles from shore
As we fought the tide, well, we hoped inside
To see our homes once more
Then we struck a rock and hole a bow
All of us knew that she'd go down
So we jumped right into the icy sea
Prayed to God we wouldn't drown
But the raging sea was rising still
And we struck out for land
Fought with all her cruelty
To claim that gal and man
By St. John's Point in the early dawn
I dragged myself on the shore
And I cursed the sea for what she'd done
And I vowed I'd sail her nevermore

And here's to those that are dead and gone
To friends that I love dear
And here's to you and I'll bid you adieu
Say Donegal Danny's been here, me boys
Donegal Danny's been here

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

And here's to those that are dead and gone
To friends that I love dear
And here's to you and I'll bid you adieu
Say Donegal Danny's been here, me boys
Donegal Danny's been here
Here's to those that are dead and gone
To friends that I love dear
Here's to you and I'll bid you adieu
Say Donegal Danny's been here, me boys
Donegal Danny's been here