G                           C              G
I am a little beggarman and begging I have been
G                               F
For three score or more in this little isle of green
G                         C       G
I'm known from the Liffey down to Segue
G                            D          G
And I'm known by the name of old Johnny Dhu
G                                     C              G
Of all the trade's that's going, sure begging is the best
G                               F
For when a man is tired, he can sit down and rest
G                                 C               G
He can beg for his dinner, he has nothing else to do
G                                   D         G
Only cut around the corner with his old rig-a-doo



F                         C
I slept in the barn, down at Caurabawn
  G                       F
A wet night came on and I slept 'till the dawn
     G                         C           G
With holes in the roof and the rain coming through
        G                            D              G
And the rats and the cats, they were playing peek-a-boo
F                            C
When who did I waken but the woman of the house
         G                          F
With her white spotty apron and her calico blouse
G                         C       G
She began to frighten and I said "boo
G                               D           G
Aarah, don't be afraid mam it's only Johnny Dhu"



G                           C        G
I met a little flaxy-haired girl one day
G                                 F
"Good morning little flaxy-haired girl" I did say
G                                 C          G
"Good morning little beggarman, a how do you do
G                                    D         G
With your rags and you tags and your old rig-a-doo"
G                              C            G
I'll buy a pair of leggings, a collar and a tie
G                          F
And a nice young lady I'll fetch by and by
G                                   C           G
I'll buy a pair of goggles and I'll colour them blue
G                                D        G
And an old fashioned lady I will make her too



F                     C
Over the road with my pack on my back
G                       F
Over the fields with my great heavy sack
G                             C            G
With holes in my shoes and my toes peeping through
G                                     D          G
Singing skinny-me-rink a doodle o and old Johnny Dhu
F                               C
I must be going to bed for it's getting late at night
    G                    F
The fire's all raked and out goes the light
   G                                C         G
So now you've heard the story of my old rig-a-doo
     G                                 D          G
It's good-bye and God be with you says old Johnny Dhu