Am Em In eighteen-o-three we sailed out to sea G D Am Out from the sweet town of Derry Am Em For Australia bound, if we didn't all drown G D Am The marks of our fetters we carried Am Em In our rusty iron chains we cried for our weans Am Em Our good women we left in sorrow Am Em As the main sails unfurled, our curses we hurled G D Am On the English and thoughts of tomorrow Am Em At the mouth of the Foyle, bade farewell to the soil G D Am As down below decks we were lying Am Em O'Doherty screamed, woken out of a dream G D Am By a vision of bold Robert dying Am Em The sun burnt cruel as we dished out the gruel Am Em Dan O'Conner was down with a fever Am Em Sixty rebels today, bound for Botany Bay G D Am How many will reach their receiver C G Am G Am Oh oh oh oh oh I wish I was back home in Derry C G Am G Am Oh oh oh oh oh I wish I was back home in Derry I cursed them to hell as our bow fought the swell Our ship danced like a moth in the firelight White horses rode high as the devil passed by Taking souls to Hades by twilight Five weeks out to sea, we were now forty-three We buried our comrades each morning In our own slime we were lost in the time Endless night without dawning Oh oh oh oh oh I wish I was back home in Derry Oh oh oh oh oh I wish I was back home in Derry Van Diemen's Land is a hell for a man To end out his whole life in slavery Where the climate is raw and a gun makes the law Neither wind nor rain care for bravery Twenty years have gone by, I have ended my bond My comrades' ghosts walk beside me A rebel I came, I'm still the same On the cold winds of night you will find me Oh oh oh oh oh I wish I was back home in Derry Oh oh oh oh oh I wish I was back home in Derry
