Come all ye gallant seamen
Pray, to my song, give ear,
Concerning a brave fisherman
Who lived not far from here.
It being on the 2nd of October
The day being bright and clear
This fisherman named O’Malley
Set out for Inis Fraoil.
Aided by his two young sons,
He took the currach down;
With heart so light and spirits bright
He set out from Bun na hAbhainn.
The day being bright and sunny,
They quickly plied the oars
For to go and pull some crannach
As they often did before.
Across the deep blue ocean,
They pulled with might and main,
For to pull this precious seaweed
Which they’d sell to Mr. Kane.
They were only some hours at work
When the boys they got a fright,
For in from sea there came a fog
Which turned the day to night.
These boys, being only youngsters,
How must this brave man feel
As he stood in semi-darkness
On the lonely rocks of Fraoil.
The people on the mainland
They fell in deep dismay
And in the neighbouring houses
They all knelt down to pray.
They offered up the Rosary
As they often did before,
And they prayed to Him who stilled the waves:
Bring O’Malley safe to shore.
All praise be to his neighbours
And to his comrade Sean
Who kept the vigil by the fire
Til the day began to dawn.
Written by Mickey Walsh
Full Version available in “The Way it Was”
