In eighteen hundred and forty-one I put my cord 'roy breeches on I put my cord 'roy breeches on To work upon the railway Fili-me-ooree, eye-ri-ay To work upon the railway In eighteen hundred and forty-two I left the old world for the new Bad cess to the luck that brought me through To work upon the railway Fili-me-ooree, eye-ri-ay To work upon the railway When we left Ireland to come here And spent our latter days in cheer And bosses, they did drink strong beer And Pat worked on the railway Fili-me-ooree, eye-ri-ay To work upon the railway Our boss's name, it was Tom King He kept a store to rob the men A Yankee clerk with ink and pen To cheat Pat on the railway Fili-me-ooree, eye-ri-ay To work upon the railway It's: "Pat do this!" and "Pat do that!" Without a stocking or cravat And nothing but an old straw hat While Pat works on the railway
Fili-me-ooree, eye-ri-ay To work upon the railway One Monday morning to our surprise Just half an hour before sunrise The dirty divil went to the skies And Pat worked on the railroad Fili-me-ooree, eye-ri-ay To work upon the railway In eighteen hudnred and forty-three 'Twas then I met Miss Biddy McGhee An illygant wife she's been to me While workin' on the railway Fili-me-ooree, eye-ri-ay To work upon the railway In eighteen hundred and forty-seven Sweet Biddy McGhee, she went to heaven If she left one child, she left eleven To work upon the railway Fili-me-ooree, eye-ri-ay To work upon the railway In eighteen hundred and forty-eight I learned to take my whiskey straight 'Tis an illygant drink and can't be bate For working on the railway Fili-me-ooree, eye-ri-ay To work upon the railway