The Thirteenth Lock
Arthur Griffith (1871 - 1922)
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Every night of the year about twelve of the clock
The spirits and spooks of the dread thirteenth lock
Sit winging their bodies a-this and that way
And singing in chorus: “Ri tooril li lay.”
Ri tooril li looril ri tooril li lay
Ri tooril li looril ri tooril li lay
Oh what would you think sir, and what would you say?
If you met with a ghost singing “Tooril li lay.”
There once was a captain so gallant and bold
He scorned all the warnings of young and of old
“Do you think, you poor oinseachs,” he’d scornfully say,
“That I’d fear a ghost sing “Tooril li lay.”
But one night at twelve coming home from Athy
He halted his ship when the lock he came nigh
And he jeered at the ghosts sitting there by the say
All mournfully singing “Ri tooril li lay.”
When we came to the harbour his wife good and true
Says “Jamesie my darling. Oh that it’s you.
And what will I get for your dinner ntoday?
“Oh Janey,” he answered, “Ri tooril li lay.”
Then off to the manager’s office he went
The log of the voyage to him to present
The manager, nodding, said “Very fine day,”
“Och aye,” says the captain “Ri tooril li lay.”
The manager jumped like a man on a tack
And he ups and he gives the poor captain the sack
And home to his wife went the sailor away
A-sighing and sobbing “Ri tooril li lay.”
When he got to his home sure he took to his bed
And to questions they asked and to all that they said
He just wagged his head in a sorrowful way
And mournfully answered “Ri tooril li lay.”
The doctor was sent for and just shook his head
“the divil a know I know what ’tis.” he said
“There’s no such disease in the Pharmacopay
That I ever heard tell of as “Ri tooril li lay.”
That evening at midnight the bold captain died
With his poor weeping wife and his friends by his side
And the last words he said when they asked him to pray
Were “Tooril li tooril. Ri tooril li lay.”
