When I came to sweet Stroudwater,
It happened to be in the fall,
I never gave way to exhaustion
Till I landed on the canal.
To look at such arduous labour,
It filled my heart with surprise,
To see such great undertakings
The like I never saw with my eyes.
So farewell father and mother,
And fare ye well Ireland, too;
So fare ye well, sister and brother,
So kindly I bid you adieu.
I being a poor Irish stranger,
And not knowing what for to say,
When the ganger came up in a hurry,
Saying, ‘Boys, it’s a great time of day’,
They all stood up in good order,
You’d thought him father of all;
I wishing that very same moment
I was dying upon the canal.
I learnt the art of navigation;
I think it’s a very fine trade:
I can handle the pick and the shovel,
Likewise the wheelbarrow and spade.
I learned to be very handy;
Although I am not very tall,
I could handle the sprig of shillelagh
With every a boy on the canal.
When I came to leave Stroudwater,
It happened to be in the fall,
I never gave way to exhaustion
Till I finished on the canal.
To look at such arduous labour,
It filled my heart with surprise,
To see such great undertakings
The like I never saw with my eyes.
So farewell to fair Framilode,
And fare ye well Eastington, too;
So fare ye well, Dudbridge and Wallbridge,
So kindly I bid you adieu.
So now to conclude and to finish,
And to publish in every degree,
I’m just as true-hearted an Irishman
As ever Stroudwater did see.
So fill up a glass and be hearty
And drink a good health to us all,
And to every true-hearted Irishman
That’s digging upon the canal.
(Adapted from Paddy upon the Canal in Strike the Bell – transport songs selected and edited by Roy Palmer, CUP, 1978.)