Paddy On The Railway

In eighteen hundred and forty-one,
Me corduroy breeches I put on;
Me corduroy breeches I put on,
To work upon the railway, the railway.
I'm weary of the railway,
Poor Paddy works on the railway.

In eighteen hundred and forty-two,
From Bartley Pool I moved to Crewe,
To find meself a job to do,
Workin' on the railway.

I was wearing corduroy britches,
Digging ditches, pulling switches, dodging hitches,
I was workin' on the railway.

In eighteen hundred and forty-three,
I broke me shovel across me knee,
Workin' for the company,
In the Leeds and Selby Railway.

I was wearing corduroy britches,
Digging ditches, pulling switches, dodging hitches,
I was workin' on the railway.

In eighteen hundred and forty-four,
I landed on the Liverpool shore;
Me belly was empty, me hands were raw,
From workin' on the railway, the railway.
I'm weary of the railway,
Poor Paddy works on the railway.

In eighteen hundred and forty-five,
When Daniel O'Connell he was alive;
Daniel O'Connell he was alive,
And workin' on the railway.

I was wearing corduroy britches,
Digging ditches, pulling switches, dodging hitches,
I was workin' on the railway.

In eighteen hundred and forty-six,
I changed me trade from carryin' bricks;
Changed me trade from carryin' bricks,
To workin' on the railway.

I was wearing corduroy britches,
Digging ditches, pulling switches, dodging hitches,
I was workin' on the railway.

In eighteen hundred and forty-seven,
Poor Paddy was thinkin' of goin' to heaven;
Poor Paddy was thinkin' of goin' to heaven,
To work upon the railway, the railway.
I'm weary of the railway,
Poor Paddy works on the railway.

I was wearing corduroy britches,
Digging ditches, pulling switches, dodging hitches,
I was workin' on the railway.

####.... Author unknown. Irish traditional ....####

A variant of this popular ditty was recorded in the mid-70s by Ryan's Fancy singing as Sullivan's Gypsies.