| I remember the night that he came in From the wintry cold and damp
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| A giant of a man in an oilskin coat
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| And the bundle that told he was a tramp
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| He stood at the bar and he called a pint
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| Then turned and gazed at the fire
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| On a night like this to be safe and dry
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| Is my one and only desire
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| So here’s to those that are dead and gone
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| The friends that I loved dear
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| And here’s to you then I’ll bid you adieu
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| Saying Donegal Danny’s been here me boys
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| Donegal Danny’s been here
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| Then in a voice that was hushed and low
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| He said: Listen I’ll tell you a tale
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| How a man of the sea became a man of the roads
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| And never more will set sail
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| I’ve fished out of Howth and Killybegs
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| Ardglass and Baltimore
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| But the cruel sea has beaten me And I’ll end my days on the shore
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| So here’s to those that are dead and gone
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| The friends that I loved dear
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| And here’s to you then I’ll bid you adieu
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| Saying Donegal Danny’s been here me boys
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| Donegal Danny’s been here
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| One fateful night in the wind and the rain
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| We set sail from Killybegs town
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| There were five of us from sweet Donegal
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| And one from County Down
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| We were fishermen who worked the sea
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| And never counted the cost
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| But I never thought ere that night was done
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| That my fine friends would all be lost
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| So here’s to those that are dead and gone
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| The friends that I loved dear
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| And here’s to you then I’ll bid you adieu
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| Saying Donegal Danny’s been here me boys
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| Donegal Danny’s been here
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| Then the storm it broke and drove the boat
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| To the rocks about ten miles from shore
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| As we fought the tide we hoped inside
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| To see our homes once more
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| Then we struck a rock and holed the bow
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| And all of us knew that she’d go down
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| So we jumped right into the icy sea
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| And prayed to God we wouldn’t drown
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| But the raging sea was rising still
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| As we struck out for the land
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| And she fought with all her cruelty
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| To claim that gallant band
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| By St John’s Point in the early dawn
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| I dragged myself on the shore
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| And I cursed the sea for what she’d done
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| And vowed to sail her never more
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| So here’s to those that are dead and gone
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| The friends that I loved dear
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| And here’s to you then I’ll bid you adieu
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| Saying Donegal Danny’s been here me boys
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| Donegal Danny’s been here
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| Ever since that night I’ve been on the road
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| Travelling and trying to forget
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| That awful night I lost all my friends
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| I see their faces yet
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| And often at night when the sea is high
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| And the rain is tearing at my skin
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| I hear the cries of drowning men
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| Floating over on the wind
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| So here’s to those that are dead and gone
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| The friends that I loved dear
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| And here’s to you then I’ll bid you adieu
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| Saying Donegal Danny’s been here me boys
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| Donegal Danny’s been here
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| So here’s to those that are dead and gone
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| The friends that I loved dear
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| And here’s to you then I’ll bid you adieu
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| Saying Donegal Danny’s been here me boys
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| Donegal Danny’s been here |