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In the days that I was courtin', I was never tired resortin',
To an ale house or the playhouse and many's the house beside;
I told me brother Seamus I'd go off and grow right famous,
But before I'd return again I'd roam the world wide.
Ah, goodbye, Mursheen Durkin, I'm sick and tired of workin',
No more I'll dig the praties, no longer I'll be fooled;
As sure me name is Carney, I'll be off to Californie,
Instead of diggin' praties I'll be diggin' lumps of gold.
I've courted girls in Blarney, Kanturk, and Killarney,
For Passage down to Queenstown, that is the Cobh of Cork;
Goodbye to all this pleasure, for I'm off to take me leisure
And the next thing that you'll hear from me is a letter from New York.
Ah, goodbye, Mursheen Durkin, I'm sick and tired of workin',
No more I'll dig the praties, no longer I'll be fooled;
As sure me name is Carney, I'll be off to Californie,
Instead of diggin' praties I'll be diggin' lumps of gold.
Goodbye to all the boys at home, I'm sailing far across the foam,
To try to make me fortune in far Americay;
There's gold and jewels plenty for the poor and all the gentry,
But before I even come back again I never more will stray.
Ah, goodbye, Mursheen Durkin, I'm sick and tired of workin',
No more I'll dig the praties, no longer I'll be fooled;
As sure me name is Carney, I'll be off to Californie,
Instead of diggin' praties I'll be diggin' lumps of gold.
Johnny McEvoy brought this song into prominence in 1966 with his first hit single recording, Muirshin Durkin.
See more songs by Johnny McEvoy.
This variant was arranged and recorded by Ryan's Fancy live at The Black Knight Lounge in Halifax, Nova Scotia by Jack Hutchinson and George Taylor (An Irish Night At The Black Knight Lounge, trk#14, 1971, Marathon Music Incorporated, Scarborough, ON).
See more songs by Ryan's Fancy.
A variant was also recorded as Goodbye Mrs. Durkin by The Irish Rovers (The Unicorn, 1967).
The YouTube video below features an excellent cover performance of Muirsheen Durkin by Tony from Port St. Mary on the Isle Of Man.
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Notes On Guitar Tabs:
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All guitar tabs have been contributed by visitors to this site and represent their interpretation of the tune. We are unable to verify their accuracy.
[C] In the days I went a- [G7] courtin', I was never tired re- [C] sortin',
To the ale house and the [G] play house or many a house be- [C] side;
I told me brother [G7] Seamus I'd go off and get right [C] famous,
And before I'd re- [G7] turn again I'd roam the world [C] wide.
