Go deo deo arís ní rachad go Caiseal Ag díol nó reic mo shláinte, No ar mhargadh ne saoire I mo shuí cois balla I mo scaoinse ar leataobh sráide. Bodairí na tíre ag teacht ar a gcapaill Ag fiafraigh an bhuilim híreálta. Ó téanaim chun siúil, tá an cúrsa fada, Seo are siúl an Spailpín Fánach.
I mo Spailpiín Fanach fágadh mise Ag seasamh ar mo shláinte. Ag siúl an drúchta go moch ar maidin Is ag bailiú galair ráithe. Ní fheicfear corrán I mo láimh chun bainte Súiste nó feac beag ramhainne Ach colours na bhFrancach os cionn mo leapan Agus pike agam chun sáite
Mó chúig chéad slán chun duthaighe m'athar Is dhun an Oileáin gradhmhair. 'S chun buachailli na Cúlach ós díobh nár mhisde I n-aimsir chasta an ghárda Ach anois ó taimse im chadhain bhocht dealbh I measc na nduthaigh bhfán so Sé mo chumha croidhe mar fuair mé an ghairm Bheith riamh im Spailpín Fánach
Is ró-bhreá is cuimhin liom mo dhaoine bheith sealadh Thiar ag droichead Cháile Fé bhuaibh, fé chaoririgh, fé laoigh beaga gheala Agus capaill ann le h-áireamh Ach b'é toil Chroist é gur cuireadh sinn asta 'S no ndeaghmhar i leith ár sláinte 'S gurbh é bhris mo chroí I ngach tír da rachainn "Call here, you spailpín fánach"
Translation from Irish Gaelic to English:
I will never go again to Caishel Selling or bartering myself in hire Or selling my freedom, sitting by the wall Lounging by the side of the road. Rude, boorish men from all over the country, coming on their horses Asking if I am for hire Oh, come let us go, the journey is long The journey of the wandering laborer
I will quit this itinerant laboring Hiring myself out Walking over night to early morning Weary of endless journeying I would not see a sickle in my hand for reaping A flail for threshing nor a small spade handle But rather, the colors of the French flying over my head And a pike in my hand to thrust forth
Five hundred farewells to the town of my father And to my beloved island And to the boys of Luach, sure there was no harm in them During the times we tangled with the Garda But now, since I am in my poor destitute cell In the midst of my own native land, outcast My heart is full of woe, that I ever go the calling To be a wandering laborer
It's well I remember when my parents were hewing Over at Gaile bridge With oxen, with sheep with bright young calves And horses to take care of But it was the will of Christ that it was taken from us And we were put out for hire And it would break my heart, every where I would go, to hear "Call here, you spailpín fánach"