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Botany Bay
On March 18, 1474
The Earl of Kildare establishes the Brotherhood of St George as a defence force for the Pale, with 120 mounted archers, 40 horsemen and 40 pages.
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Biddy Mulligan
(Trad)
You may travel from Clare to the County Kildare
From Francis Street back to the Coombe
But where would you see a fine widow like me?
Biddy Mulligan the pride of the Coombe, me boys
Biddy Mulligan the pride of the Coombe

I'm a buxom fine widow, I live in a spot
In Dublin, they call it the Coombe
Me shops and me stalls are laid out on the street
And me palace consists of one room
I sell apples and oranges, nuts and sweet peas
Bananas and sugar stick sweet
On a Saturday night I sell second-hand clothes
From the floor of me stall in the street

You may travel from Clare to the County Kildare
From Francis Street back to the Coombe
But where would you see a fine widow like me?
Biddy Mulligan the pride of the Coombe, me boys
Biddy Mulligan the pride of the Coombe

I sell fish on a Friday spread out on a board
The finest you'll find in the sea
But the best is my herrings, fine Dublin Bay herrings
There's herrings for dinner and tea
I have a son Mick, he's great on the flute
He plays in the Longford Street band
It would do your heart good to see him march out
On a Sunday for Dollymount Strand

You may travel from Clare to the County Kildare
From Francis Street back to the Coombe
But where would you see a fine widow like me?
Biddy Mulligan the pride of the Coombe, me boys
Biddy Mulligan the pride of the Coombe

In the park on a Sunday I make quite a dash
The neighbors look on in surprise
With my Aberdeen shawlie thrown over my head
I dazzle the sight of their eyes
At Patrick Street corner for sixty-four years
I've stood and no one can deny
That while I stood there, no one could dare
To say black was the white of my eye

You may travel from Clare to the County Kildare
From Francis Street back to the Coombe
But where would you see a fine widow like me?
Biddy Mulligan the pride of the Coombe, me boys
Biddy Mulligan the pride of the Coombe
A favourite song among Dubliners about a woman who sold fish and vegetables from her stall in Patrick Street. For a slightly different version of this song, click here.
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