The Irish Rovers - McDonald's Raiders and Battle of Garvagh lyrics

Well, an old castle towers o'er the billows That thunder by Antrim's green land And there dwelt as gallant a rover That ever grasped sword in his hand While eight stately towers o'er the waters Watch over the northern domain And Sorley-boy and his raiders Hold the north Antrim coast in their name And it's up wi' bold Sorley McDonald Sorley-boy McDonald the free As straight as the masts of his galley As strong as the waves on the sea The septs and the clans of MacQuillen They harried his lands with their powers He gave them a taste of his cannon Then drove them like sheep from his towers Well, the men and MacQuillen sailed over Their strong fleet to make him a slave They met him off old Port na Spaniagh And the sharks gnawed their bones 'neath the waves And it's up wi' bold Sorley McDonald Sorley-boy McDonald the free As straight as the masts of his galley As strong as the waves on the sea Long time in that old battered castle Or out on the waves with his band He feasted and ventured and conquered And unloosed would give in to no man He lived as a daring sea-raider And died as a brave man should die And he sleeps at the old Bonamargie Friary And the waves sing a dirge to the skies And it's up wi' bold Sorley McDonald Sorley-boy McDonald the free As straight as the masts of his galley As strong as the waves on the sea