When goin' the road to sweet athy, hurroo, hurroo

When goin' the road to sweet athy, hurroo, hurroo

When goin' the road to sweet athy

A stick in me hand and a drop in me eye

A doleful damsel I heard cry

Johnny I hardly knew ye

 

With your drums and guns and guns and drums, hurroo, hurroo

With your drums and guns and guns and drums, hurroo, hurroo

With your drums and guns and guns and drums

The enemy nearly slew ye

Oh darling dear, ye look so queer

Johnny I hardly knew ye

 

Where are the eyes that looked so mild, hurroo, hurroo

Where are the eyes that looked so mild, hurroo, hurroo

Where are the eyes that looked so mild

When my poor heart you first beguiled

Why did ye run from me and the child

Oh Johnny, I hardly knew ye

 

With your drums and guns and guns and drums, hurroo, hurroo

With your drums and guns and guns and drums, hurroo, hurroo

With your drums and guns and guns and drums

The enemy nearly slew ye

Oh darling dear, ye look so queer

Johnny I hardly knew ye

 

Where are the legs we looked you run, hurroo, hurroo

Where are the legs we looked you run, hurroo, hurroo

Where are the legs that looked you run

But first you went to carry a gun

Indeed your dancing days are done

Oh Johnny, I hardly knew ye

 

With your drums and guns and guns and drums, hurroo, hurroo

With your drums and guns and guns and drums, hurroo, hurroo

With your drums and guns and guns and drums

The enemy nearly slew ye

Oh darling dear, ye look so queer

Johnny I hardly knew ye

 

Ye haven't an arm, ye haven't a leg, hurroo, hurroo

Ye haven't an arm, ye haven't a leg, hurroo, hurroo

Ye haven't an arm, ye haven't a leg

Ye're an armless, boneless, chickenless egg

You'll have to be left with a bowl out to beg

Oh Johnny I hardly knew ye

 

I'm happy for to see ye home, hurroo, hurroo

I'm happy for to see ye home, hurroo, hurroo

I'm happy for to see ye home

All from the island of sulloon

So low in flesh, so high in bone

Oh Johnny I hardly knew ye