Mursheen Durkin lyrics and chords

This song is recorded by The Irish Rovers and by The Wolfe Tones as ''Goodbye Mrs. Durkin''. It was a big hit for Johnny McEvoy, also recorded by The Dubliners with Luke Kelly singing. A traditional song from the 1850's The video is of The Dubliners preforming Mursheen Durkin on the Ed Sullivan show, they were supposed to sing Seven Drunken Nights but Ed Sullivan said it was not fit for his show. The last verse was sent to me by Garrett Taylor. The sheet music is included. And here's a list of Johnny McEvoy song lyrics that are here on this site.

In[C] the days I went a [G]courtin', I was never tired re[C]sortin'
To the alehouse and the[G] playhouse or many a house be[C]side,
I told me brother[G] Seamus l'd go off and go right [C]famous
And before l'd[G] return again l'd roam the world[C] wide.

Chorus:
So goodbye Muirsheen Durkin, l'm sick and tired of working,
No more I'll dig the praties, no longer I'll be fool.
For as sure as me name is Carney
I'll be off to California, where instead of diggin'praties
I'll be diggin'lumps of gold.

I've courted girls in Blarney, in Kanturk and in Killarney
In Passage and in Queenstown, that is the Cobh of Cork.
But goodbye to all this pleasure, for l'm going to take me leisure
And the next time you will hear from me
Will be a letter from New York,


Goodbye to all the boys at home, l'm sailing far across the foam
To try to make me fortune in far America,
For there's s gold and money plenty for the poor and gentry
And when I come back again I never more will stray.
 
When i landed in America i met a man named Burke.
he told me if i wait awhile he'd surely find me work.
but work he did not find me so there's nothing here to bind me.
and i'm off to seek my fortune in californ-i-a.

The Irish Rovers play this song in the key of Eb, so to play along with The Irish Rovers version put a capo on the 2nd fret and
play the following chords.

[D]Goodbye Muirsheen [A]Durkin, I'm sick and tired of [D]workin'
No more, I'll dig the [A]prates and no longer, I'll be [D]fooled
As sure as me name is [A]Carney, I'll be off to Cali[D]forny
Where instead of diggin' [A]prates, I'll be diggin' lumps of [D]gold[A][D]

[D]In the days I went a [A]courtin', I was never tired re[D]sortin'
To an alehouse or a [A]playhouse and many's the house be[D]side
But I told me brother S[A]eamus, I'd go off and be right [D]famous
And I'd never would re[A]turn again till I'd roam the world [D]wide

Muirsheen Durin sheet music