Lyrics
There was a midlands pub
in a town close by a mill
where hardened men came to drink
though they could never drink their fill
One among these hardened men
was a tippler now by trade
he spent his breath on days gone by
as he drank the money that he made
And he'd say
I know everyone in this town
from their great-great-great grandfather's down
But you I've never seen around
sure as I could knock ye to the ground
One night there came a younger man
to play mandolin & banjo
the tippler had an eye for him
and said, "You're not from around, so."
The younger man grew up in town
he said "I've lived here all my days."
"Sure you're a lier!" cried the tipper,
"For I've never seen your face!"
And I know everyone in this town
from their great-great-great grandfather's down
But you I've never seen around
sure as I could knock ye to the ground
Now the Tippler searched his muddled mind
he didn't know the lad
but he didn't like the look of him
for the few pints that he'd had
The banjo playing younger man
was just the sort to take a stand
he said, "I'd not hurt an older man,
but Lord knows you could tempt me."
"Ye Bollocks!" Cried the tippler
and he raised a shaking fist
"Sure ye're getting smart now,
I'll give ye a taste of this!"
Because I know everyone in this town
from their great-great-great grandfather's down
But you I've never seen around
sure as I could knock ye to the ground
"Ah, ye won't do that in my bar!"
The land-lady loudly cried
"If the two of ye are for a fight,
ye'd best take it outside."
Off his barstool came the Tippler
and out in the colder air
to the river he went marching
for the fight the young man there
And he sang,
I know everyone in this town
from their great-great-great grandfather's down
But you I've never seen around
sure as I could knock ye to the ground
Back inside the younger man
he thought about the fight
he said, "Now why waste time & energy
on an old man and his spite?
"There's nothing here to quarrell about."
and he remained inside
while the tippler by the river
stood there waiting for his fight
Muttering,
I know everyone in this town
from their great-great-great grandfather's down
But you I've never seen around
sure as I could knock ye to the ground
But then the moonlight on the river
took a shape like a young man standin'
"Ye Bollocks!" cried the tippler
and he leapt into the Shannon.
So if you go down to the Shannon
by the older bridge's quay
and see a ripple in the current
as it flows out to the sea,
raise a glass up to the tippler
and the fight he'd never see.
You can say,
"I know everyone in this town
from their great-great-great grandfather's down
But you I've never seen around
sure as I could knock ye to the ground"