Come (G)all you lads and lassies and (C)listen to my sad tale

And I'll tell to you what (G)happened to me one night down in Kin(D)sale

It (G)being the summer season I (C)found myself a job

Singing ballads (G)in a bar to make a couple of (D)bob

I'd been (G)doing a bit of a stint, me boys down (C)in the Folk House bar

Little did I know that (G)night in town (D)was the Garda (G)car -D

 

Chorus:

(D)Oh, - they're (G)baggin' 'em in Killkenny, in (C)Dublin and Kindare

Cork and Tip(G)perary, Donegal and (D)Clare

No (G)matter where you come from, no (C)matter who you are

You man who likes his (G)porter, be(D)ware of the Garda (G)Car!

 

And (G)when the gig was over and me (C)gear all packed away

Says I, I'll have one (G)for the road, then leave without de(D)lay

But a(G)las! That was the one I fear that (C)caused me my downfall

But how was I to (G)know me fate? Sure I didn't have a clue at (D)all

When (G)I had donned me cap and coat and (C)drank down my last jar

The barman's final (G)comment was, "Be(D)ware of the Garda (G)Car.” -D

 

Chorus

 

I was (G)just about to leave for home when (C)much to my dismay

A Garda car with (G)flashing lights came up and barred me (D)way

Says (G)he, have you drink taken? Says (C)I, a small amount

Says he, would that be (G)five or six? Says I, I never (D)count

He (G)made me blow into the bag, saying, to(C)night you've gone too far!

And to the station (G)I was taken in the (D)back of the Garda (G)Car -D

 

Chorus

 

Now the (G)doctor he was sent for, looking (C)tired and distressed

Through bleary eyes he (G)asked me, would I mind a urine (D)test

Says (G)I, I like things private when I (C)answer nature's call

But that request was (G)soon shot down I had to bare it (D)all

Oh! what a (G)terrible indignation to (C)take a thing so far

And I wished that they could (G)go to hell, a(D)long with th' oul' Garda (G)Car -D

 

Chorus

 

Now (G)I've been law-abidin' since the (C)day that I was born

But this terrible legis(G)lation! I view it now with (D)scorn

There's (G)trickies and there's hooflers who (C)breaks laws every day

But they can't be caught (G)easily and they get clean a(D)way

(G)I've tried every means I know to a(C)void the social scar

But there is no way you'll (G)get fair play from the (D)boys in the Garda (G)Car

 

Chorus

 

Alternative Chorus:

(D)Oh - they're (G)baggin' 'em in Berehaven, Kil(C)brittain and Kinsale

The Fivemile and Bel(G)gooly, the story's much the (D)same

No (G)matter where you come from, no (C)matter where you are

If you're a man that likes his (G)porter, be(D)ware of the Garda (G)Car!