I'm an honest Irish laborer, I haul the brick and stone.

I left poor starving Munster ;  America I roamed.

We signed on with the railway to cut the Cumberland Road ;

Fardowners they surprised us there, they had us two to one.

Shillelaghs they did employ, and rocks they had in store---

We swore that when we'd meet again, we'd pay  'em back and more.

CHORUS:

I'm as strong as any lion;  I wear a vest so fine ;

I'm a terror to all fighting men on the Blue Ridge Railroad line.

We joined up with old Crozet, his tunnel for to try.

Connaught men were a-workin' on the western side.

One evening for pleasure we took our sticks along;

We caught the sleepin' paddies and burned their shanty down.

They'd had a bit of whiskey and they stumbled out the door,

As they fell out one by one we knocked  'em to the floor.

The sheriff raised a militia, Ulster proddies every one;

They took their guns and rifles and surrounded us at dawn.

"Top o' the mornin'  to ya,"  no chance to get out of here;

Take me away to your stockade --- it's the tunnel that we fear.

So if you cross the river or pay the railroad fare,

Look out on Vir-gin-i-a and see the work done there.

They didn't have the dynamite, there were no big machines;

All they had was sweat and blood and a jug of good poteen.

--- As sung by Kim and Jimbo Cary, 

     Nelson County, Virginia. 

     Words by Jimbo Cary.

     

The Blue Ridge Railroad Line

Hear the song!