As I was a-goin' over the far-fit Gilgarra Mountain's
I met with Captain Farrell, and his money he was countin'.
I first produced me pistols and I then me produced my rapier,
Sayin' "Stand and deliver, for you are a bold deceiver." 
Musha ringum duram da,
Whack fol the daddy-o,
Whack fol the daddy-o,
There's whiskey in the jar. 

I counted out his money and it made a pretty penny;
I put it in me pocket and I took it home to Jenny.
She sighed and swore that she never would deceive me,
But the devil take the women, for they never could be easy!
Musha rungum duram da
Whack fol the daddy-o,
Whack fol the daddy-o,
There's whiskey in the jar. 

I went into me chamber but all for to take a slumber,
I dream of golden jewels, and for sure it was no wonder:
But Jenny threw me charges and she filled them up with water,
And sent for Captain Farrell to be ready for the slaughter.
Musha rungum duram da
Whack fol the daddy-o,
Whack fol the daddy-o,
There's whiskey in the jar. 

It was early in the mornin', just before I rose for travel,
A-came a band of footmen and likewise Captain Farrell.
I first produced me pistols, for she'd stole away me rapier,
But I couldn't shoot the water. But a prisoner I was taken
Musha rungum duram da
Whack fol the daddy-o,
Whack fol the daddy-o,
There's whiskey in the jar. 

Now there's some take delight in the carriages and rollin',
And others take delight in the hurley or the bollin',
But I take delight in the juice of the barley,
And courtin' pretty Fair- Maids in the mornin', brighe an early!
Musha ringum duram da
Whack fol the daddy-o,
Whack fol the daddy-o,
There's whiskey in the jar. 

If any one can aid me ti's me brother, in the army;
If I can find a stationed, in Cork or in Killarney.
And if he will go with me we will go roamin' in Kilkenny,
And I'm sure he'd treat me better than me darlin' sportin' Jenny!
Musha ringum duram da
Whack fol the daddy-o,
Whack fol the daddy-o,
There's whiskey in the jar. 

"Whiskey in the Jar" is a famous Irish traditional songabout a highwayman 
(usually in the Cork and Kerry mountains), who is betrayed by his wife or lover. 
It is one of the most widely performed traditional Irish songs,

Whiskey in the Jar

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Whiskey in the Jar" is a famous Irish traditional song about a highwayman (usually in the Cork and Kerry mountains), who is betrayed by his wife or lover. It is one of the most widely performed traditional Irish songs,

[History)

The song's exact origins are lost in the mists of history. Judging from the mention of a rapier it is likely that the lyrics date back to at least the late eighteenth century. In at least one version, the rapier is replaced with a sabre; the reference to the rapier could have originally referred to a rapaire ("half-pike" in Irish) and the highwayman could have been a rapparee - Irish irregular soldiers and bandits of the 17th and 18th centuries.

In his book The Folk Songs of North America, noted folk music historian Alan Lomax suggests that the song originated in the seventeenth century. As evidence for this, Lomax cites the similarities between "Whiskey in the Jar" and John Gay's The Beggar's Opera, which dates to 1728. Lomax confidently suggests "Whiskey in the Jar" inspired "Beggar's Opera," meaning that by 1728, "Whiskey in the Jar" would have been widely distributed throughout the Celtic world. In regard to the history of the song, Lomax states, "The folk of seventeenth century Britain liked and admired their local highwaymen; and in Ireland (or Scotland) where the gentlemen of the roads robbed English landlords, they were regarded as national patriots. Such feelings inspired this rollicking ballad." Lomax points out the song is about a Robin Hood-like figure, who steals from the rich.

At some point, the song came to the United States, and was a favorite in Colonial America because of its irreverent attitude towards British officials. The American versions are sometimes set in America and deal with American characters. One such version, from Massachusetts, is about Alan McCollister, an Irish-American soldier who is sentenced to death by hanging for robbing British officials.

(Story)

"Whiskey in the Jar" is the tale of a highwayman who, after robbing a military or government official, is betrayed by a woman named Jenny or Molly; whether she is his wife or sweetheart is not made clear. Various versions of the song take place in Kerry, Kilmagenny, Cork, Gilgarra Mountain, Sligo Town, and other locales throughout Ireland. The narrator of the song is not usually named. The only consistently named figures are the sweetheart who betrays the narrator, "Jenny"/"Molly", and the Anglo-Irish official, "Captain Farrell"/"Colonel Pepper", neither of which aid in the dating of the song. In some versions, the narrator remains imprisoned for his crime, in other versions, the narrator escapes from prison and flees the town of his imprisonment to pursue his love of 'the good life.' .

Like most Irish drinking songs, "Whiskey in the Jar" has no single standard set of lyrics. This variation is largely due to regional differences in dialect as well as the variable stages of inebriation in which it is sung.

The title "Whiskey in the Jar", heard in the chorus, has little to do with the rest of the lyrics to the song.

A rapier is a relatively slender, sharply pointed sword, used mainly for thrusting attacks, in use in Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries.