About four years ago I was digging the land
With me brogues on me feet and me spade in me hand
Says I to me self, what a pity to see
Such a fine strapping lad footing turf round Tralee

With me too ren a na, with me too ren a na
With me too ren and you ren a na

So I buttered me brogues, an' shook hands with me spade
An' away down the road, like a dashing young blade
When up comes a sergeant an he asks me to 'list
Arrah, sergeant a grá, stick a bob in me fist!

With me too ren a na, with me too ren a na
With me too r?n and you ren a na

Now the first thing they gave me it was a red coat
With a fine strap of leather to go 'round me throat
And the next thing they gave me, I asked what was that
And they told me it was a cockade for me hat

With me too ren a na, with me too ren a na
With me too ren and you ren a na

And the next thing they gave me, they called it a gun
With powder an ball an' a place for me thumb
First it spit fire, lads, and then it spewed smoke
An' it gave me oul shoulder such a hell of a stroke

With me too ren a na, with me too ren a na
With me too ren and you ren a na

And the first place they sent me was down to the sea
All on board of a warship bound for the Crimea
Three sticks in the middle all rolled round with sheets
Lord, she walked through the water without any feet!

With me too ren a na, with me too ren a na
With me too ren and you ren a na

And when at Balaclava we landed quite sound
Cold, wet, and hungry we lay on the ground
Next morning for action the bugle did call
And we had a hot breakfast of powder and ball

With me too ren a na, with me too ren a na
With me too ren and you ren a na

Well we fought at the Alma, likewise Inkermann
But the Russians they whiled us on the Redan
In scalin' the walls there, meself lost an eye
And a big Russian bullet ran away with me thigh

With me too ren a na, with me too ren a na
With me too ren and you ren a na

Well 'twas there that I lay stretched upon the cold ground
Heads, legs, and guts they were scattered all around
I wish that me ma and me cleaveens were nigh
So they'd bury me decent and give a loud cry

With me too ren a na, with me too ren a na
With me too ren and you ren a na

Well the doctor was called and he soon staunched the blood
And he made me an elegant leg made of wood
They gave me a medal and tenpence a day
So contented with Síle, I'll live on half pay

With me too ren a na, with me too ren a na
With me too ren and you ren a na