A Criminal of Me

My great granddad was a king, a monarch stout and noble

He surveyed this land so green, and he said "She's fair and humble"

As far as the eye can see, from Carrauntoohil to Giant's Causeway

Was ours until they went and made a criminal of me

Many a Celtic head had rolled and rolled upon the hillside

And they bathed their horses hooves in Hibernian blood and their hide

In exile they did flee, and set up a church and home there

'Til the landlord and the bailiff made it criminality

And on the road they came to run and run until the runnin's done

Run far away from fettered chain, the land was ours to barter

We succumb from sweat and strain, and look they're right behind again

If they catch me boys, I know they'll make a criminal of me

A criminal of me, a criminal of me

Wandering forever, hungering eternally

A criminal of me, a criminal of me

Run, run, before they make a criminal of thee

Across the sea they sailed, to a land both bright and noble

For they'd watched their neighbors starve and the bloodline as it fumbled

As they reached the safer side, old Papa said to Jimmy

To try and live a life so they'd not make a criminal of he

"Go and be alert," sad Da, "do not perish for the gentry."

Though poor but proud was he, whenever they called discretely

Well he'd smash their faces in and in gaol he died poorly

"But," he said, "don't let them try and make a criminal of thee"

And on the road they came to run and run until the runnin's done

Run far away from fettered chain, the land was ours to barter

We succumb from sweat and strain, and look they're right behind again

If they catch me boys, I know they'll make a criminal of thee

A criminal of thee, a criminal of thee

Wandering forever, hungering eternally

A criminal of thee, a criminal of thee

Run, run, before they make a criminal of thee

A criminal of me, a criminal of me

Wandering forever, hungering eternally

A criminal of me, a criminal of me

Run, run, before they make a criminal of me

Oh, now my boss he steps so gay, so gaily up the street

While I dull the pain in pubs and still can't afford to eat

He is dashing, he is fancy and he'll never want, you see

Evan as the factory shuts his shoes reflect the criminal in me

Violent and drunk now in the street with nothing to sustain me

I'm gonna die here in this hole, the kids I can't take care of with me

But it must be taught to let the blame and hatred out of their heads

For anger and danger make you just another pathetic, drunken, violent paddy dead

And on the road they came to run and run until the runnin's done

Run far away from fettered chain, the land was ours to barter

We succumb from sweat and strain, and look they're right behind again

If they catch me boys, I know they'll make a criminal of me

A criminal of me, a criminal of me

Wandering forever, hungering eternally

A criminal of me, a criminal of me

Run, run, before they make a criminal of thee

Run, run, before they make a criminal of thee

Run, run, before they make a criminal of thee