Master McGrath - The Dubliners

Eighteen sixty nine being the date anf the year

Those Waterloo sportsmen and more did appear

For to gain the great prizes and bear them awa'

Never counting on Ireland and Master Mcgrath

On the twelfth of November, that day of renown

Mcgrath and his keeper they left Lurgan town

A gale in the Channel, it soon drove them o’er

On the thirteenth they landed on England’s fair shore

Oh well when they arrived there in big London Town

Those great English sportsmen all gathered around

And one of those gentlemen standing nearby

Said, 'Is that the great dog you call Master Mcgrath?

'

Oh well one of the gentlemen standing around

Says, 'i don’t care a damn for your Irish greyhound!

'

And another he sneered with a scornful 'Ha!

Ha!

We’ll soon humble the pride of your Master Mcgrath.

'

Then Lord Lurgan came forward and said, 'Gentlemen

If there’s any amongst you has money to spend

For your grand English nobles I don’t care a straw

Here’s five thousand to one upon Master Mcgrath.

'

Oh, Mcgrath he looked up and he wagged his old tail

Informing his lordship, 'Sure I know what you mean

Don’t fear, noble Brownlow, don’t fear them agra

We’ll soon tarnish their laurels', says Master Mcgrath

Oh well Rose stood uncovered, the great English pride

Her master and keeper were close by her side;

They let them away and the crowd cried, 'Hurrah!

'

For the pride of all England and Master Mcgrath

Oh well Rose and the Master they both ran along

'i wonder', says Rose, 'what took you from your home

You should have stayed there in your Irish domain

And not come to gain laurels on Albion’s plain.

'

'Well, I know', says the Master, 'we have wild heather

Bogs

But, bedad, in old Ireland there’s good men and dogs

Lead on, bold Britannia, give none of your jaw

Stuff that up your nostrils', says Master Mcgrath

Well the hare she led on just as swift as the wind

He was sometimes before her and sometimes behind

He jumped on her back and held up his ould paw —

'Long live the Republic', says Master Mcgrath