Henry's Songbook

Come on boys and you'll see lads and lasses in their glee
Evergreen bowers would make your heart thrill
The boys they will not harm you the girls they all will charm you
Here's up 'em all says the boys of Fairhill

Come boys and have a drink of Fahy's well spring water
Though you are dry you are welcome here still
'Tis better than the Guinness's or J. J. Murphy's porter
That has been proved by the boys of Fairhill

Come boys round by Gurranabraher 'tis there you'll see the fields so green
The sun shines in splendour the lark sweetly sings
Thousands come from o'er the foam just to kiss th' old Blarney stone
You can view it alone from the groves of Fairhill

Come on boys and spend the day with our hurling club so gay
The clash of the ash it would make your heart thrill
Talk about the Kerry pike let them all come if they like
They're bound to be knocked out by the boys of Fairhill

Come on boys and spend the day with our harrier pack so gay
Around the Croppy Boy and th' old road called the Cill
Where many's the bloody Black and Tan and the treacherous Saxon gang
Were all laid low by the boys of Fairhill

Come on boys and spend the day with our bowling club so gay
The loft of the bowl it would make your heart thrill
When you hear the Shea boy say - Timmy Delaney's won the day
But we beat them all says the boys of Fairhill

Come boys up to Quinlan's pub that is where you'll join our club
Round us in gallons the porter does flow
And first we tap the half o' tierce drink a health to Dashwood's race
That's the stuff to give 'em says the boys of Fairhill

(as sung by Jimmy Crowley)

[1977:] This is one of the best known of Cork songs. Wherever Cork people gather in celebration you're sure to hear De Boys at some stage. Originally it was a song in praise of Cork's traditional pastimes, bowling, drag-hunting and hurling. Because of its popularity, verses were added and the original has almost been forgotten. This version learnt from Paul Frost is probably close to the original. A few of the north city landmarks are mentioned - Quinlans Pub in Blacpool also known as the Harrier Bar, the haunt of the local beaglers and, by way of contrast, Fahy's Well, near Wash Brew Lane famous for the purity of its spring water. (Notes Jimmy Crowley, 'The Boys of Fair Hill')

[1998:] I have purposely scuttled the more recent vulgar verses and have returned to the original lyric which I collected in 1976 from Hadda O'Callaghan of Blacpool, Cork, brother of the author Séan. It seems less a city song here and more a pastourelle. Not surprisingly, as almost all of Cork's Northside was then open country and famous for the singing of its larks. (Jimmy Crowley, notes 'Uncorked!')

See also
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=626 for a local and a pub version
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=5160 for another longer version