1. Poor Little Fisherboy

Learned by Micho from his next-door neighbour, Thomas Conole. Micho did not particularly like Thomas’s air so he sings it to the tune of ‘The Tri-coloured Ribbon.’ This song has found popularity from Texas to Newfoundland and from Sussex to Aberdeen. In Ireland it has been collected in Galway and Kerry as well as Clare. Closely related to ‘The Farmer’s Boy,’ one can see in both songs a dream of escape from the bondage of poverty which must have been very close to the hearts of many of the song’s singers. This dream is now pursued by buying tickets for the National Lottery!

1
Down in the lowlands a poor boy did wander,
Down in the lowlands a poor boy did roam.
By his friends he was neglected - the boy looked as if rejected:
The poor little fisherboy so far away from home.

2
He stood on the beach and around him flowed the waters,
He stood on the beach, but alas, no father came.
“Here I am a stranger, exposed to every danger,”
Said the poor little fisherboy so far away from home.

3
A lady did not see him as she looked through her window
And in to her father’s house she desired the boy to go.
The tears came from her eyes, as she heard the boy’s cries,
For the poor little fisherboy so far away from home.

4
She begged of her father for him some employment;
She begged of her father not to let the boy to go.
Said the father: “Now, don’t grieve me, this boy will never leave me,
Poor lad, I will relieve you, so far away from home.”

5
’Tis many the day he laboured for his noble master,
’Tis many a day he laboured until he became a man.
Now he tells the stranger of the hardships and the danger
Of a poor little fisherboy so far away from home.