Lyrics

So early in the morning Billy Heaney arose
And down to his comrade Johnny Bathin he goes
Rise up loving comrade and let nobody know
And down to the lough and till a bathe we will go

As we went out a walking down Johnny Bathin’s long lane
We met Sergeant Johnston likewise Pat O’Neill
They tried to advise us but all was in vain
For our lot was to die on a deep watery main

Johnny Bathin he stripped off him he swam the lough around
He swam to the island then back to dry land
Saying it's comrade loving comrade don't you venture in
For there’s death in deep water in the lough of Shaulin.

Then Billy stripped off him he swam the lough around
He swam to the island but not to dry land Saying it’s murder it is murder is there no help at all To venture their lives and til save my dear son
Saying its Mary it is Mary that we reared a son
We reared a large family all handsome and young We reared a large family all of handsome young men Crying no relief that's the flower of them’s gone   It is for Bessie Smith she will mourn night and day For the loss of her Billy he is laid in the clay

So early in the morning to the garden she’ll go
She will pluck the fine lily far whiter than snow
She will pluck the lily leave the red rose behind
For the thoughts of her Billy still runs in her mind