«
Rocky Road to Dublin
» (
англ.
Каменистая дорога в Дублин
) — ирландская песня XIX века о событиях, которые происходят с человеком на его пути в
английский
Ливерпуль
из его родного городка
Туам
. Мелодия имеет типичный ирландский ритм, классифицированный как
слип-джига
.
Песня упомянута и частично процитирована несколько раз персонажем Мистером Дизи в «
Улиссе
»
Джеймса Джойса
.
Слова были написаны ирландским поэтом
, для английского исполнителя
Гарри Клифтона (1824—1872), который популяризировал эту песню.
A pain in my shin bone, it set my heart a-bubbling;
And fearing the big cannon, looking o’er the Shannon,
I very quickly ran on the rocky road to Dublin.
In Mullingar, that night, I rested limbs so weary.
Started by daylight, with spirits light and airy;
Took a drop of the pure, to keep my spirits from sinking,
That’s always an Irishman’s cure, whenever he’s troubled with thinking.
To see the lassies smile, laughing all the while
At my comical style, set my heart a-bubbling.
They axed if I was hired, the wages I required.
Until I was almost tired of the rocky road to Dublin.
In Dublin next arrived, I thought it was a pity
To be so soon deprived of a view of that fine city;
'
Twas then I took a stroll, all among the quality,
My bundle then was stole in a neat locality,
Something crossed my mind, thinks I, I’ll look behind.
No bundle could I find upon my stick a-wobbling.
Inquiring for the rogue, they said my Connaught brogue.
It wasn’t much in vogue on the rocky road to Dublin.
A coachman raised his hand as if myself was wanting,
I went up to a stand, full of cars for jaunting;
«Step up, my boy!» says he; "Ah, ah I that I will with -pleasure, "
«And to the strawberry beds, I’ll drive you at your leisure.»
«A strawberry bed?» says I, «faith, that would be too high!»
«On one of straw I’ll lie, and the berries won’t be troubling;»
He drove me out as far, upon an outside car.
Faith! such jolting never wor on the rocky road to Dublin.
I soon got out of that, my spirits never failing,
I landed on the quay, just as the ship was sailing.
The captain at me roared, swore that no room had he.
But when I leaped on board, they a cabin found for Paddy.
Down among the pigs I played such rummy rigs,
Danced some hearty jigs, with water round me bubbling.
But when off Holyhead, I wished that I was dead,
Or safely put in bed, on the rocky road to Dublin.
The boys in Liverpool, when on the dock I landed.
Called myself a fool, I could no longer stand it;
My blood began to boil, my temper I was losing.
And poor old Erin’s Isle, they all began abusing.
"Hurrah! my boys, " says I, my shillelagh I let fly.
Some Galway boys were by, they saw I was a hobble in;
Then with a loud «hurrah !» they joined me in the fray.
Faugh-a-ballagh! clear the way for the rocky road to Dublin.
Варианты
В тексте песни часто встречаются вариации, в зависимости от исполнителя. Например, «June» в первой строчке часто заменяется на «Meitheamh», название месяца на ирландском (что часто ошибочно принимают за английское «May»). Большинство интерпретаций XX века опускает вторые и третьи от конца двустишия, и заменяет припев следующим: