Back Home In Derry

In 1803 we sailed out to sea Out from the sweet town of Derry For Australia bound if we didn't all drown The marks of our fetters we carried In the rusty iron chains we cried for our wean's Our good women we left in sorrow As the main sails unfurled, our curses we hurled At the English and thoughts of tomorrow At the mouth of the Foyle, bid farwell to the soil As down below decks we were lying O'Doherty screamed, woken out of a dream By a vision of bold Robert dying The sun burned cruel as we dished out the gruel Dan O'Connor was down with the fever Sixty rebels today bound for Botany Bay How many will reach their receiver? Oh, oh, I wish I was back home in Derry Oh, oh, I wish I was back home in Derry I cursed them to hell, as our bow fought the swell Our ship danced like a moth in the firelight Wild horses rode high as the devil passed by Taking souls to Hades by twilight Five weeks out to sea, we were now forty-three We buried our comrades each morning In our own slime, we were lost in the time Endless night without dawning Oh, oh, I wish I was back home in Derry Oh, oh, I wish I was back home in Derry Van Diemen's land is a hell for a man To end out his whole life in slavery Where the climate is raw and the gun makes the law Neither wind nor rain care for bravery Twenty years have gone by, I've ended my bond My comrades' ghosts walk behind me A rebel I came, I'm still the same On the cold winter's night you will find me Oh, oh, I wish I was back home in Derry Oh, oh, I wish I was back home in Derry Oh, oh, I wish I was back home in Derry Oh, oh, I wish I was back home in Derry