Galway Farmer

I[Em] work my days on a Galway farm,
In the sun[D] and rain, wind and storm,
But onc[Em]e a year I'll chance my arm
And cros[D]s the sea to England.     [A]

I'll scrimp and save two thousand pounds,
Spend a week in Cheltenham town,
But the racing over, always down,
I come back poor from England
I dre[Em]amt one night before I left,
[C]A coal-black mare with a white-star chest,
[D]Crossed the line and beat the rest,
[Bm]I came back rich to Galway.  [C]

I rose at dawn and drove all day,
Thinking, wondering all the way,
"Lady Luck, have you come to stay,
Or steal away my morning."

When I got to Cheltenham town,
Irish faces all around,
No bed or mattress to be found,
I slept on the hillside.

Spent three days in the viewing ring,
Saw the horses they let in,
Just as I was giving in,
I stood and stared in wonder.

With stamping hooves and steaming breath,
A coal-black mare with a white star chest
I ran my finger down the list
Matched the name and the number

Lady Luck had come half-way
The horse's name was Galway Bay
Twenty-to-one the odds that day
I went to make my wager

I counted out two thousand pounds
Held it high, slapped it down
The bookie smiled but made no sounds
I knew what he was thinking

The biggest loser in the land
A pounding heart, a shaking hand
I made my way up to the stand
The horses came to order

But at the first she nearly fell
I cursed my farmer's luck to hell
The second and third took quite well
Way behind the leader

Then moving sweetly from the back
She found her rails and caught the pack
Ten to go and from the track
The hooves were drumming thunder.

She's catching horses one by one
Bridle flashing in the sun
A' hain to go, a mile to run
Two were up before her

On the straight down they sped
Left one at the last for dead
Caught the next and by a head
She came home the winner

So I came back to my Galway farm
A wiser and richer man
Never again I'll chance my arm
Or cross the sea to England

'Cause Lady Luck was mine that day
I held her close, I went my way
Now I raise my glass to Galway Bay
And the dream of a Galway farmer