Lyrics:

A BhuinneA!n BhuA­ is A© mo chrA! do luA­
Is do chnA!mha sA­nte ar leaca lom'
Is nach dtearn tAo dA­th no dolaidh sa tA­r
Is narbh fhearr leat fA­on nA3 uisce poill.
DA! gcuirfeA! scA©ala fA! mo dhA©in
Go raibh tAo i ngA©ibhinn nA3 i ndeacair iot'
A“ bhainfinnse bA©im ar Loch Mhic an A‰in
A fhliuchfadh do bhA©al is do bhrollach sA­os.

NA­ hiad bhur n-A©anlaith atA! mA© ag A©agaoin
An chuach, an traona nA! an chorr-bhreac
Ach an BuinneA!n BuA­, a bhA­ lA!n de chroA­
Is gur cosAoil liom fA©in A© i snua is i ndreach.
BhA­odh sA© ag sA­orA3l na dA­
Is deir daoine go mbA­m ar an nA3s sin seal
Is nA­l braon dA! bhfuighinn nach ligfinn sA­os
Ar fhaitA­os go bhfuighinn fA©in bA!s den tart!

Is A© 'd'iarr mo stA3r orm ligint den A3l
NA3 nach mbeinnse beo ach seal beag gearr:
Is A© dAoirt mA© lA©i gur chan sA­ an bhrA©ag
NA3 go mb'fhaide do mo shaol an braon seo a fhA!il.
Nach bhfeiceann tAo A©an an phA­obA!in rA©idh
Go dteachaidh sA­ in A©ag den tart ar ball?
Is a dhaoine clA©ibh, fliuchaigA­ bhur mbA©al
NA3 nA­ bhfuighidh sibh braon i ndiaidh bhur mbA!is!
Oh Yellow Bittern, alas to see you stretched
And your bones there lying on bare flagstones
You did no harm at all in the country
And would just as prefer ditch water to wine
Had you only sent me a message
That you were in a quandry, in need of a drink
I would have broken the ice on the lake
To wet your beak and all the way down to your breast.

I'm not lamenting your ordinary birds
The cuckoo, the corncrake or the dappled heron
But the yellow bittern of the great heart
Who was just like me in many ways
He was always fond of the sup
And people say I'm fond of a drop myself
Whatever drink comes my way, it's down it goes
For fear that I might one day die of thirst!

And my darling asked me to give up the booze
Or I'd only be alive a short while more,
I told her straight out she was telling a lie
And that the drink extended my life's span.
Don't you see that bird with the smooth neck
That only a while ago perished with the thirst?
Ah, my pleasant people, wet your whistles
Because after death ye won't get a drop!