Brennan on the Moor

Irish Folksong

Tis of a famous highwayman
A story I will tell;
His name was Willie Brennan,
And in Ireland he did dwell;
And on the Kilworth mountains
He commenced his wild career,
Where many a wealthy gentleman
Before him shook with fear.

Chorus:
Brennan on the Moor,
Brennan on the Moor.
A brave undaunted robber
Was bold Brennan on the Moor.

A brace of loaded pistols
He carried night and day;
He never robbed a poor man
Upon the king's highway;
But what he'd taken from the rich,
Like Turpin and Black Bess,
He always did divide it
With the widow in distress.
Chorus:

One night he robbed a packman
By name of Pedlar Bawn;
They travelled on together
Till the day began to dawn;
The pedlar seeing his money gone,
Likewise his watch and chain,
He at once encountered Brennan
And he robbed him back again.
Chorus: One day upon the highway,
As Willie he went down,
He met the Mayor of Cashel
A mile outside the town:
The Mayor he knew his features;
"I think, young man," said he,
"Your name is Willie Brennan;
You must come along with me."
Chorus:

Now Brennan's wife had gone to town,
Provisions for to buy,
And when she saw her Willie,
She began to weep and cry;
He says, "Give me that tenpenny";
As soon as Willie spoke,
She handed him a blunderbuss
From underneath her cloak.
Chorus:

Then with his loaded blunderbuss,
The truth I will enfold,
He made the Mayor to tremble,
And robbed him of his gold;
One hundred pounds was offered
For his apprehension there,
So he with horse and saddle
To the mountains did repair
Chorus:

Then Brennan being an outlaw
Upon the mountains high,
Whith cavalry and infantry
To take him they did try;
He laughed at them with scorn,
Until at length, 'tis said,
By a false-hearted young man
He basely was betrayed.
Chorus: