The Ballad of Sean Murphy
My name is Sean Murphy, come from old County Antrim
Hard up a hillside by the cold Irish Sea
Seventh son of Mary, just a plain and sturdy working girl
My da was Sean Murphy, just the same as me
One day he did tell me, I’ve got nothing to give you
My name’s the sole measure of your poor legacy
So it was I found myself on a ship bound for America
Where fame and good fortune there awaited me
The first night at sea I spied a lass made my heart break
With hair fiery auburn and her eyes deepest green
There, Sean Murphy boy, said I, is your lover for this brave new world
A beautiful mother for your family to be
We sailed our new love across the great rolling ocean
Reeling with joy at what our future might be
Speeding much too quickly through the ice field south of Newfoundland
Steaming through darkness toward our shared destiny
Last thing I remember ‘fore the cold took all our breath away
My name is Sean Murphy, would you remember me
