Devil May Care (1850)
Musha, "Queen of the Sea" is it true what they sayAll about the grand "speeching" you had to'ther day.
About Ireland, and Dan, and Repeal ?--I declare
I think you were bullied ; but devil may care,
They shan't bully Paddy--so devil may care.
I heard when a boy you were gentle and true ;
That you lov'd poor old Ireland and Irishmen too--
That your heart was as just as your form was fair,
And I wish'd you were here ; but the devil may care
I've got my own darling--so devil may care
And you've got young Albert, and long may you reign
And lightsome and brightsome and strong be the chain
That binds you together in love, now so rare
To be found at "HEAD QUARTERS," but devil may care
That's a case for the lawyers--so devil may care
. But Paddy a "case" of his own has just now,
So off goes my "Caubeen," and here's my best bow ;
My belly is empty, my back is all bare
I'm hungry and naked ; but devil may care.
GOOD TIMES are approaching--so devil may care,
ACRUSHLA MACHREE," we are wounded and sore,
So bad that we cannot endure it much more,
A cure we must have though the Saxons may stare
And "cures like a trooper," but devil may care,
"SIN FRIN*" is our watch-word--so devil may care.
Through many a century of darkness and gloom
We writhed in our sorrow and wept at our doom;
We begged and implored, but they laughed at our prayer--
The answer they gave us was--" devil may care"--
You're "MERE Rebels"--so devil may care.
But no longer, like cowards, we'll kneel to the foe--
"Soft words they will butter no parsnips," we know,
Our rights they must give "on the nail"--"child's share"
We claim, and mcst get By St. Patrick we swear.
We won't be put off with a "Devil may care." T. K. of The Nation.
*"SIN FRIN" Ourselves alone. Notes From the Hobart newspaper The Irish Exile and Freedom's Advocate 2 Nov 1850 p. 4 . Top